The Center for Community Ownership recently appeared on the Super Powers for Good podcast with Devin Thorpe, where we talked about cultivating local investment, community ownership, and more. Find the episode here.

Interview With Community-Owned Soccer Club Minnesota Aurora FC

 
 

The Center for Community Ownership had the pleasure of sitting down with Wes Burdine, one of the co-founders of Minnesota Aurora FC, a community-owned women’s soccer team in the Twin Cities to talk about their vision, their successful inaugural year, the lessons they learned about investment crowdfunding, and the power of community-owned enterprises.

Listen to the interview here:

The Rural Broadband Crisis and How One of Our Clients is Fixing It

Join CCO client, The Pacific Northwest Rural Broadband Alliance (PNWRBA), on February 21st at 7:30 MT (6:30PM PT) for an update on the state of broadband in rural America and how they are using community power and cutting edge technology to fix it.

During this event the PNWRBA will dive into the problem, share its model, and unveil the exciting plans and projects they have slated for 2022. Most importantly, they will also discuss all the ways anyone can get involved and support them in bringing high-speed internet to the communities that are most in need.

RSVP and register for the event here.

Center for Community Ownership Joining PNWRBA Community Call - Feb. 7th @ 6:00 PM MT

The Center for Community Ownership (CCO) will be joining the Pacific Northwest Rural Broadband Alliance’s (PNWRBA) upcoming community call to talk about the power and potential of community investment.

During this event - which starts at 6:00 PM MT on Monday, Feb. 7th - the PNWRBA will be share its organization’s mission and model, review its first year of operations, and unveil plans and projects slated for 2022.

The CCO will share information about investment crowdfunding, specifically with regards to PNWRBA’s current raise posted on Crowdfund Montana.

This virtual meeting is open to all: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86084651706?pwd=NWE2N2FtMGhubXdOVU4rNDJPWTBVUT09

Center for Community Ownership Presents Webinar on Local Investing in Montana - Noon-1:30 PM MT on Tue., Dec. 14

As Montana struggles to reboot its economy from the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is stronger statewide appreciation that local businesses and local economies matter. Entrepreneurs shape the identity of a place. And when disaster strikes, our local businesses are the ones we rely on.

Having seen small businesses struggle over the course of the pandemic, many Montanans wonder what they can do to help their communities thrive, keep their downtowns vibrant, and strengthen their local economies.

The answer is simple: Invest in Montana, not Wall Street.

But how?

Nationally acclaimed local investing expert, Michael Shuman, will answer that question and others in a free one-hour educational webinar on "Local Investing in Montana". Shuman will share a range of strategies for how all Montanans - regardless of their wealth or income levels - can be local investors in business, real estate, energy projects, their community, their neighbors and themselves.

Shuman is one of the pioneers of investment crowdfunding and also authored the recent book, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is. In this free webinar he will review why local investment matters, what kinds of local investments to look for, how to find and evaluate them, and where to find the financial resources to support them.

"Having worked with a half dozen communities in Montana,” Shuman says, “I’m impressed with residents’ love of their community businesses and their capacity to innovate. This event will give attendees the tools they need to translate that passion in much needed capital for struggling local businesses.”

"Local Investing in Montana" will take place online from Noon-1:30 PM MT on Tuesday, December 14th. This webinar is provided free of charge and attendees can register here: https://forms.gle/JXHdb3oadD5VGUZq5

Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He is an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire, where he performs economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America. He is credited with being one of the architects of the 2012 JOBS Act and dozens of state laws overhauling securities regulation of crowdfunding. He has authored, coauthored, or edited ten books. His two most recent books are Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Solo 401ks and Self-Directed IRAs and The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity and Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street. One of his previous books, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received as bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006.