About Cooperatives for A Better World
Cooperatives for a Better World focuses on building and scaling cooperative enterprises and the intermediaries that incubate them, using both large fiscal-sponsorship commitments and targeted accelerator/seed grants. The foundation’s largest investments flow to organizations that operate as fiscal sponsors or cooperative incubators, while smaller awards support early-stage co-ops (creative, artisan, tech and community energy) and regional cooperative accelerators. Their portfolio emphasizes practical, enterprise-focused capacity building rather than general philanthropy.
Focus Areas
Fiscal sponsorship and cooperative incubators (e.g., incubator organizations that host/coalesce new co-op projects)Community-owned clean energy co-ops (e.g., Navajo Power Home and other community energy enterprises)Artisan and creative worker cooperatives (small grants to artisan and creative co-op startups)Cooperative accelerator and seed-stage support (regional accelerator programs and early growth grants)Platform/peer-network development for cooperative scale-up (organizations like Tribeworks that coordinate multiple projects)
Who They Fund
cooperatives (new and growing)
About Cooperatives for A Better World
Cooperatives for a Better World puts most of its recent capital behind cooperative infrastructure rather than conventional project grants, with especially large fiscal-sponsorship commitments to organizations that help new co-op initiatives operate and scale. The clearest example is Tribeworks Inc., which received $14,630,616 in 2023 and another $4,000,000 in 2024 for fiscal sponsorship work. That pattern signals a funder focused on the support systems around cooperative enterprise: administrative housing, compliance, and coordination for emerging projects. The foundation also backs cooperative ventures directly when they are early in development. Navajo Power Home PBC received $756,000 in 2024 for fiscal sponsorship, showing that the portfolio includes community-owned clean energy work alongside intermediary support. Smaller awards extend that same logic to seed-stage cooperative growth, including The Nearness LCA in Brooklyn and a set of $20,000 grants to new or growing co-ops in creative, artisan, and local-business contexts. Across the portfolio, the emphasis is practical: help cooperative enterprises get organized, housed, and positioned to expand.
What Cooperatives for A Better World Funds
A major theme is fiscal sponsorship and incubator support. Tribeworks Inc. received $14,630,616 in 2023 and $4,000,000 in 2024 for fiscal sponsorship, underscoring the foundation’s interest in the organizations that can absorb, administer, and launch multiple cooperative projects. Community-owned clean energy is another clear area. Navajo Power Home PBC in Flagstaff, Arizona received $756,000 in 2024 for fiscal sponsorship, placing energy co-ops within the same infrastructure-first approach. The foundation also makes smaller growth grants to individual cooperative enterprises. Carefully Inc. in Brooklyn, Stylecrush Cooperative Inc. in Los Angeles, Smat Ltd in Brooklyn, and The Guild in Decatur each received $20,000 for supporting cooperative growth. In addition, accelerator support appears in awards to The Southern BEE Alliance and Artisans Cooperative Group.
How Cooperatives for A Better World Gives
The recent grant sizes are highly bimodal. The 25th percentile and median are both $20,000, while the 75th percentile is $608,250, reflecting a mix of small growth grants and very large fiscal-sponsorship commitments. The top awards cluster far above the median, with one multiyear recipient receiving commitments in the millions. The same grantees can recur across years, most notably Tribeworks Inc. in 2023 and 2024, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is not funding individuals and is not making program-related investments. The pattern is consistent with a cooperative development funder that uses fiscal sponsorship, accelerator grants, and seed support as its main tools.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.8M
Total Assets
$387K
Total Revenue
$5.1M
Total Expenses
$5.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $608K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$608K
Geographic Reach
National7 states funded
About 0% of grants go to recipients in AZ.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Nathan Schneider
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Cooperatives for A Better World?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime