Many of us know the folk tale of Stone Soup, where a traveller convinces villagers to each contribute a small ingredient to a communal pot. Individually, no one believed they had enough to share. Together, they created a meal that nourished an entire community.
That lesson feels particularly relevant to the co-operative sector, where collaboration and co-operation among co-operatives has long been one of our greatest strengths.
Starting a new co-operative can be challenging. Access to capital is often limited, particularly for younger founders and community groups with strong ideas but limited financial resources.
What if the co-operative sector could rally around new co-operatives in the same way the villagers rallied around the soup pot?
The Stone Soup Registry proposes a simple idea: create a platform where established co-operatives, credit unions, professionals, and supporters can contribute the resources a new co-operative needs to get started.
Read the rest at Ontario Co-operative Association
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