The solidarity economy is a global movement focused on building a just, sustainable economy that puts people and the planet first — not profits. It promotes alternatives to capitalism by supporting values like equity, cooperation, sustainability, and democracy.
Rooted in international collaboration, the solidarity economy brings together organizations and communities working to create systems that prioritize human and environmental well-being over endless growth. It’s a broad and inclusive movement with a shared vision for transforming how we live and work.
Co-op Development
Co-op development at Wellspring is about building and supporting businesses that are owned and run by their workers. This includes launching new cooperatives, helping existing small businesses transition to worker ownership, and partnering with anchor institutions to create co-ops that meet community needs.
Wellspring offers hands-on support through initiatives like the Co-op Boot Camp, which teaches people how to start a cooperative, and technical assistance services to help new or existing co-ops grow and thrive. Whether it’s fostering grassroots start-ups or converting conventional businesses, the goal is to create sustainable, democratic workplaces rooted in the Springfield community.
WCN
The Wellspring Cooperative Network (WCN) connects co-op businesses to each other and to the Wellspring Cooperative non-profit in order to facilitate support, cooperation among cooperatives, relationship building and peer learning. We believe that a network structure enables all of our member cooperatives to be stronger and more resilient. In addition to a range of supports that Wellspring Cooperative provides members of the WCN, the co-ops directly support each other, for example in hiring workers from another co-op that needs to downsize (hopefully temporarily), sharing the use of a truck, and helping out to clean out and move a workshop.
Coop Dev
Co-op development at Wellspring is about building and supporting businesses that are owned and run by their workers. This includes launching new cooperatives, helping existing small businesses transition to worker ownership, and partnering with anchor institutions to create co-ops that meet community needs.
Wellspring offers hands-on support through initiatives like the Co-op Boot Camp, which teaches people how to start a cooperative, and technical assistance services to help new or existing co-ops grow and thrive. Whether it’s fostering grassroots start-ups or converting conventional businesses, the goal is to create sustainable, democratic workplaces rooted in the Springfield community.
Solidarity Economy/ Cooperative Community Initiatives
The solidarity economy is a global movement focused on building a just, sustainable economy that puts people and the planet first — not profits. It promotes alternatives to capitalism by supporting values like equity, cooperation, sustainability, and democracy.
Rooted in international collaboration, the solidarity economy brings together organizations and communities working to create systems that prioritize human and environmental well-being over endless growth. It’s a broad and inclusive movement with a shared vision for transforming how we live and work.
