Our Model - The Cooperative Fund

Our Model

The Cooperative Fund aims to achieve our objectives through three main pillars:

  1. Combining finance and knowledge: Fund provides financial resources to the cooperatives and teaches how to effectively use them
  2. Focus on members’ needs: Cooperative Fund as member based organization focuses on financial welfare of its members, rather than gaining profit.
  3. Democratic decision-making: Member cooperatives are the main contributors and users of the fund. They gain reasonable control and ownership on the fund’s resources and use them for development of their businesses.
A flowchart showing The Cooperative Fund's structure

There are several aspects that make The Cooperative Fund unique and different from other loan institutions, including:

  • Open membership
  • Inclusive and democratic control and decision-making
  • Focusing on financial wellness of a member, rather than turning a profit
  • Members are owners and consumers at the same time.
  • The returned grants are fully used for development and growing of cooperatives’ businesses and expanding their work
  • The cooperatives receive technical assistance and capacity-building
  • The payments and liabilities are guided with individual approach. The Cooperative Fund takes into account the challenges and fears that cooperatives face in Georgia. An individual plan will be discussed with each cooperative to follow.