Cooperative & Community Ownership Models: 2026 COO Learning Series presents:

Finance Co-operatives and… Financing Co-Operatives: Innovative Financing Models through Co-Operation

Agenda: Program begins at 6, brief tour of the Cohousing community at 5:30pm

Location: Vashon Cohousing Community common house, 10421 SW Bank Rd, Vashon, WA 98070

Hear from speakers from Shared Capital Col, Salish Sea Co-Operative, and Washingtonians for Public Banking on models of cooperative finance – including models of member-owner collective finance and models of investment and financing of cooperative housing and enterprise. How can we cooperatively scale community lending and debt relief? What are current financial products that support cooperative ownership of land, property and businesses to scale and thrive? Where are there policy opportunities for increasing financial tools for cooperative models?

Register here: Financing Co-Operatives: Innovative Financing Models through Co-Operation Tickets, Friday, May 29  •  5:30 PM - 8 PM | Eventbrite

Speakers:

Douglas Indrick – co-founder and operations manager, Salish Sea Cooperative

Salish Sea Cooperative Finance (SSCoFi) is a cooperatively-owned social enterprise helping members align their money with their values through investing, borrowing, and financial literacy. Founded in 2014 in response to the student debt crisis and the climate crisis, SSCoFi refinances members’ high interest student loans in Washington State with capital from investor members. SSCoFi also reimagines community potential by returning profits to its members and providing fiscal education and mentorship. In 2020, SSCoFi joined with nonprofit For the People to launch Community Care Debt Relief, a fund to provide direct student debt relief to BIPOC community organizers in the Seattle area. Since 2022 SSCoFi also partnered with Washington State nonprofit For the People on Kicking Gas—a grassroots campaign to help residential homes and businesses in Island and Snohomish Counties make the switch from propane, oil, and wood to energy efficient ductless heat pumps. SSCoFi is providing low-interest microloans to make these projects more accessible.

Michelle Saenz – Loan Officer, Shared Capital CooperativMe

Shared Capital Cooperative is a lending and investment fund for co-ops of all types and sizes. Unlike banks, Shared Capital is cooperatively owned and managed by the co-ops that borrow from and invest in it —generating grassroots community wealth while building social, environmental, economic and racial justice.

Marco Rosaire Rossi - Executive Director, Washingtonians for Public Banking (WPB)

WPB organizes, educates, and advocates for the establishment of public banking in Washington State. We prioritize economic equity, sustainability, and an affordable green economy for Washingtonians over the profits of private financial institutions.