The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada has announced a $25,000 grant available to a co-op development project in Canada this year. The Robert Owen-Henri Lasserre Fund will be granted for the second time from the revenue generated by this endowment fund. The grant becomes available from CDF every three to four years.
Interested applicants can contact their provincial co-operative association, Arctic Co-operatives Limited (ACL) or the Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF), who will manage the application process and provide the best candidates to CDF for a final selection. Preference will be given to a co-operative development project involving a worker or multi-stakeholder co-operative that benefits marginalized groups and aids in the reduction of poverty. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2014 and funds will be made available in January 2015.
The Robert Owen Foundation was established in 1932 to encourage co-operative living. The original source of the fund was a donation from Swiss industrialist Henri Lasserre, intended to assist with the start-up and expansion of co-operatively-owned businesses. In 2003, the Robert Owen Foundation signed an agreement with CDF to establish and manage a long-term fund for co-operative development in Canada.