Beloved Community Incubator

Mission:

Beloved Community Incubator (BCI) supports and organize resources for community-based cooperatives and social enterprises with a vision for racial and economic equity and unlikely relationships. 

Vision:

We envision a healthy and thriving community filled with unlikely relationships, flourishing families, and dignified employment. Our vision is one where people can stay in the neighborhood, money can be reinvested in our local economy, and a diverse neighborhood can be supported and maintained.  Together with low-wage workers, residents and community partners, we have a vision of incubating worker cooperatives as a way of generating racial equity and economic justice in our community. 

Our Why:

Worker owned cooperatives are a practical way to realize a vision of a more just and equitable society . Worker cooperatives are particularly important for women, POC, and undocumented workers who have experienced wage theft or are otherwise vulnerable.

Worker cooperatives are somewhat like regular businesses, but they put worker wages and safety and community benefit at the core of their purpose. In most businesses, what is good for the “business” is in opposition to what is good for workers. In the case of cooperatively owned business – it’s the opposite. What’s good for workers is also good for the business as a whole, and workers share in the management of the business and also the profits. Jobs at worker cooperatives tend to be longer-term, offer extensive skills training, and provide better wages than similar jobs in conventional companies.

We believe we can create a more just and equitable local economy -- with more sustainable and dignified work, that works for families and our broader community.

What we do:

We accompany coops for 5 years – here is the tangible support we offer: 

• A monthly stipend while participating in business development training.
• A free cooperative developer and a leadership coach.
• Subsidized website, logo, feasibility study, business plan, and trainers.
• An organized support team, volunteer trainers, free meeting space, translation, and lawyers. 
• Subsidized back-end office services (such as scheduling, invoices, client services).

We accompany our cooperatives in their startup phase of their business with continued training and back-end office services. These services are provided at no cost for the first two years to ensure success of the business.