Employee Ownership

Why Consider Employee Ownership?

Engage and Reward Employees: Foster loyalty and commitment.
Retain Jobs: Help your employees secure a stable future.
Create a Lasting Legacy: Preserve your vision and mission.
Grow Your Business: Benefit from motivated stakeholders invested in your company’s success.
Build Wealth: Share profits with your employees and the broader community.
Reduce Inequality: Promote fair wealth distribution, ensuring wealth stays in the community.
Secure Your Exit or Succession Strategy: Plan a smooth and rewarding transition.
Receive a Fair Price for Your Business and Enjoy Tax Benefits: Take advantage of tax incentives.
Slow Down: Prepare for a meaningful and intentional exit with peace of mind.

Start Your Journey to Employee Ownership

At CCWB we can help your business convert to employee ownership in 5 supportive steps.

We achieve this through comprehensive technical assistance packages customized to address your specific goals, needs, and timeline.

You can currently access our services (valued at over $20,000) at a reduced rate through scholarships provided through a one-time special state fund to cover part or all of the cost.

Applications are reviewed weekly, and applicants will be contacted within seven business days with next steps.

Apply Today

Our Technical Assistance Packages

Below is a list of our tiered service packages supporting our 5-step employee ownership conversion model.

Tier 1 - Executive Coaching

A package of four executive coaching sessions focused on exploring employee ownership (EO) as an exit or growth strategy.

Sessions include:
‍

SMART Goal setting
Addressing concerns and navigating barriers as they arise
Customized roadmap for your conversion path
Ongoing support throughout the transition

Coaching helps clarify why EO is the right choice for you and your company while providing ongoing support to help you be successful.
‍

Who participates: This service is designed for founders, owners, leadership, management, and the transition committees.
‍

Timeline: Suggested cadence of one session per week over a month, but can be scheduled to based on convenience. Businesses can purchase one or multiple coaching packages as needed to support and guide the transition.

Tier 2 - Transaction Feasibility Assessment

Assessing and affirming the legal, financial, and organizational feasibility of the transition through a discernment process.

This service includes:
‍

A co-developed strategy to engage interested employees and provide training on worker ownership
An employee survey to measure attitudes that support ownership culture
A curated list of EO service providers for legal, valuation, accounting, and feasibility analysis
A project timeline and a checklist of necessary documentation
A live session to guide businesses through the Colorado Employee Ownership Tax Credit and Grant application

Who participates: business owner, service providers, and a select set of employees.
‍

Who participates: approximately 3-6 months to complete
‍

Tier 3 - Becoming Worker Owned

Comprehensive support for Transition Committees, including creating and implementing a change management plan with an appropriate timeline.

This service includes:
‍

Introducing the worker cooperative conversion model to all employees or key staff
Establishing a representative Transition Committee and facilitating regular meetings
Providing training and guidance for the Transition Committee on legal, financial, and organizational aspects
Conducting a skills inventory to identify skill gaps and develop a training or hiring plan
Creating a detailed change plan with project management support
Supporting financial literacy development with group and one-on-one coaching sessions
Working with the Transition Committee, owner(s), and support professionals to establish sale terms, amend governing documents, communicate the business plan, convert/form an EO structure, and secure financing

Who participates: The Transition Team consists of the business owner and a group of 3-7 employees who steer and inform the transaction, with specific and defined all-staff touchpoints along the way.
‍

Who participates: approximately 6-12 months to complete
‍

Tier 4 - Worker-Owner Training and Culture Plan

A pre-transaction training and education plan to prepare businesses converting to worker cooperatives to develop and establish an ownership culture.

This service includes:
‍

Preparing and training the first cooperative board in governance, decision-making, fiduciary duties, and custom training
Creating a tailored training plan to embed ownership culture in professional development and onboarding
Writing an annual EO education calendar
Providing access to an online learning platform for broad-based EO training, including democratic process, governance, cooperative finances, and ownership culture

Who participates: the Transition Committee, an Education Committee, or a Human Resources team
‍

Who participates: approximately 1-3 months to complete with access to the online platform for one year.
‍

Ongoing Training and Support for Worker Owners and Employees

Apply Today

Schedule a Consultation with us to discuss if employee ownership conversion is right for you!

Schedule Now

Scholarship FAQ

What size businesses do you work with?

What services can I receive?

Tier 1 | Executive Coaching: A package of four executive coaching sessions focused on exploring employee ownership (EO) as an exit or growth strategy.
Tier 2 | Transaction Feasibility Assessment: Assessing and affirming the legal, financial, and organizational feasibility of the transition through a discernment process.
Tier 3 | Becoming Worker Owned: Comprehensive support for Transition Committees, including creating and implementing a change management plan with an appropriate timeline.
Tier 4 | Worker-Owner Training and Culture Plan: A pre-transaction training and education plan to prepare businesses converting to worker cooperatives.

How much money will I receive?

How many scholarships can I receive?

How do I apply?

How long will the application take?

When will I hear back if I have been selected?

How long will the project take to complete?

Projects vary in length and average 1-12 months. If approved, you will receive an outline detailing the timeframe for the project awarded.
‍

Tier 1 | Executive Coaching: 1-3 months
Tier 2 | Transaction Feasibility Assessment: 3-6 months
Tier 3 | Becoming Worker Owned: 6-12 months
Tier 4 | Worker-Owner Training and Culture Plan: approximately 1-3 months to complete with access to the online platform for one year.

Can I use the Colorado Employee Ownership Tax Credit to cover my portion of the cost?

How do I demonstrate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?

What happens if the business is awarded a scholarship?

For Business OWners

Get support to grow your business or explore employee ownership.

Learn More

For Anchor Institutions

Partner with us to align your spending with community wealth building.

Learn More

For Community Members

Invest in transformative economic change.

Learn More

For Supporters

Invest in transformative economic change

Donate Now

Employee Ownership
Conversion

Align Your Business with Your Values:
Sell to Your Employees

Why Consider Employee Ownership?

Start Your Journey to Employee Ownership

Our Technical Assistance Packages

Scholarship FAQ

For Business OWners

For Anchor Institutions

For Community Members

For Supporters

Resources and Case Studies

For Business OWners

For Anchor Institutions

For Community Members

For Supporters

Ready to Explore Employee Ownership?

Join our newsletter

About US

Get Involved

Press

Co-op Development

Small Business

Anchor Engagement

VendorS

Align Your Business with Your Values: Sell to Your Employees

Why Consider Employee Ownership?

Start Your Journey to Employee Ownership

Our Technical Assistance Packages

Scholarship FAQ

For Business OWners

For Anchor Institutions

For Community Members

For Supporters

Resources and Case Studies

For Business OWners

For Anchor Institutions

For Community Members

For Supporters

Ready to Explore Employee Ownership?

Align Your Business with Your Values:
Sell to Your Employees