Blog

DAWI at the United Nations: Celebrating the International Year of Cooperatives

This July, DAWI joined global leaders at the United Nations to spotlight the power of worker ownership ahead of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025. Our Director of Strategic Partnerships, Anh-Thu Nguyen and our Board President, Christine Curella, brought DAWI’s perspective to the global stage: that worker ownership is not only a strategy for local resilience, but also a model for a more just economy worldwide. Anh-Thu Nguyen, represented DAWI and the…

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Democracy at Work Institute Receives New Profit Investment to Expand Economic Opportunity Through Worker Ownership

The Democracy at Work Institute is excited to announce our selection as one of five organizations to join New Profit’s Build Portfolio, which supports organizations “with transformative strategies that advance pathways to income generation and financial health.” DAWI and each of the new Build Portfolio organizations will receive $1.5 million in unrestricted funding, which is provided alongside strategic advisory support. New Profit is a national venture philanthropy organization committed to catalyzing the…

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Celebrate Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Day with DAWI!

The Democracy at Work Institute is Proud to Support America’s SBDC and the 8th Annual #SBDCDay this March 20th As small business owners navigate an ever-changing landscape, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) continue to support and elevate their clients through innovative at-cost training programs and free advising strategies. Nearly 1,000 SBDCs can be found across the United States and its territories, serving clients virtually and from their centers in host institutions like…

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Our Four-Day Workweek and Re-Commitment to Workplace Values

By Vanessa Bransburg, Co-Executive Director for Operations and Programs Entering a new year provides an opportunity to reflect on previous experiences, learn from those experiences, and re-commit to the values and outcomes we hold dear. For DAWI, this ritual of reflection and renewal provides an opportunity to double down on our commitment to building a human-centric organization. As a worker-led nonprofit, developing a workplace that supports our team to live healthy, balanced… more

Meet Employee-Owned Apex Plumbing, An Ownership Transition Inspired by Employee Benefit

In planning for retirement and stepping away from the 34-year-old business he built, Apex Plumbing CEO Brian Wilkie received multiple offers for the company. The offer he landed on, he says, stuck out among the rest: "It struck us as something that might really be beneficial for the employees." With support from DAWI-incubated Apis & Heritage Capital Partners, Wilkie decided to transition his Arvada,Colorado firm to 100% employee ownership. "You can feel… more

Helping Worker Ownership Blossom in Kenya Through Education

By Rebecca Bauen, Director of Education and Training Across industries and borders, worker cooperatives share the potential to ensure workers benefit directly from their labor and provide agency through robust workplace participation. DAWI has partnered with the Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK) and Global Communities, a nonprofit working at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and financial inclusion, to deliver the benefits of cooperative small business ownership to young professionals in… more

Top Six States Worker Cooperatives Call Home

In 2021, DAWI and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives surveyed more than 180 worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces as a part of our bi-annual economic census of cooperatives. Our survey revealed how worker cooperatives fared during COVID-19, how worker cooperatives are getting started, and where they exist in the U.S. Included in our analysis is the location of firms across the country. We grouped firms belonging to Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)—which… more

Four Ways Cities Benefit From Employee Ownership

As cities work to address today’s challenges with an eye toward future economic growth and stability, employee ownership offers significant benefits as a cornerstone of municipal economic and workforce development strategies. Employee ownership is a well-established economic development tactic with a strong record in saving jobs and helping workers build wealth. The most common forms of employee ownership are Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and worker cooperatives. These models anchor essential production… more

Nonprofit Management and Workplace Democracy

By Rebecca Bauen for Nonprofit Quarterly A push for changing nonprofit practice is gaining momentum. Some of this push is coming from younger staff expressing their desire for greater voice and power. Some is from new leaders of color stepping into executive roles and wanting organizations to be more inclusive and empowering for all staff. Some is from leaders who recognize that an engaged and empowered workforce increases the impact of the… more

New Bill Supports Equitable Economic Development Through Worker Ownership

U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA, 9th District) has reintroduced the Emergency Economic and Workforce System Resiliency Act, which creates a five-year funding stream to state and local workforce boards, including funds to assist firms in transitioning to employee ownership or cooperative models. The bill also includes funding to invest in new programs that prevent layoffs, assist displaced workers, and support employers to both preserve and create jobs. The Democracy at Work Institute… more