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(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 24, 2009 ) Washington, D.C. – The National Cooperative Business Association will host cooperative leaders from across the nation in Washington, D.C., May 5-7, at its Annual Meeting and Cooperative Conference. Participants will share best practices, attend educational sessions and lobby members of Congress, all for the betterment of cooperative businesses across the United States.
“With the Obama Administration now in office and our economic stakes so high, we need to work together to demonstrate how we have the better business model for economic and social change,” said Paul Hazen, president and CEO of NCBA. “Co-ops have always worked together in times of crises. Our event will position cooperatives as a solution to help rebuild the American economy.”
Cooperatives are democratically controlled, member-owned businesses formed to meet membersÂ’ needs. Rather than divvy profits among outside investors, cooperatives return their surpluses back to their members. Cooperatives also benefit their communities where they exist, generating both jobs and revenue to enhance the local economy.
During Lobby Day, one of the conferenceÂ’s signature events, cooperatives will offer forth their voices and concerns to the federal government. A core message NCBA and its members will take to the Hill this year is the desire for co-ops to have greater access to federal funds that support business growth, particularly through programs that the Small Business Administration offers.
“Now is the time for all cooperatives to unite, advocating for their eligibility in federal programs that other business models have access to,” said Mary Griffin, NCBA’s senior policy advisor.
In addition to Lobby Day, NCBAÂ’s conference features several educational events, among which are sessions on innovative marketing strategies, accessing funds for your co-op and raising the publicÂ’s awareness of cooperatives. NCBA will also offer a special session on the uses of the University of WisconsinÂ’s research on cooperatives, a study that details the impact co-ops have on the U.S. economy. The session will help participants use the data for marketing, public relations and public policy.
This year’s featured speaker at the conference is Dennis Dimick, National Geographic Magazine’s executive director. Dimick’s presentation, “Changing Climate: Where Energy and Global Warming Meet,” is a sweeping visual journey that explores a range of energy alternatives, and offers ways in which cooperatives can help combat climate change.
NCBAÂ’s event also includes its Annual Meeting, where members vote for the associationÂ’s board members for the coming year.
For more information on NCBAÂ’s Cooperative Conference or to register for this event, visit www.ncba.coop/createconnections, or contact NCBAÂ’s member services at 202.638.6222. Early-bird registration rates end March 31.
To learn more about NCBA and the cooperative business model, go to www.ncba.coop.
About NCBA
Headquartered in Washington, the National Cooperative Business Association represents cooperatives across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, food distribution and retailing, childcare, credit unions, housing, healthcare, energy, purchasing, worker and telecommunications. In addition, NCBAÂ’s CLUSA International Program has helped develop cooperatives and other sustainable businesses in over 50 countries since 1953. CLUSA currently runs projects in 13 countries.
National Cooperative Business Associatio
Jim Jenkins
(202) 383-5447 jjenkins@ncba.coop
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