Preparing an Offering Statement can feel overwhelming for new and growing co-operatives. Yet if your co-op plans to raise capital from members or community investors, it may become an important part of your financing strategy. Understanding when an Offering Statement is required—and when it isn't—is a key first step in exploring funding opportunities and meeting regulatory requirements.

Last month at the Worlding Feminist Economic Symposium at the University of Toronto, conversations around co‑operative economics, ROSCAs, art, and the law revealed a truth our sector rarely says out loud: communities have been building co‑operation long before formal co‑ops existed. From lending circles and mutual aid networks to informal shared‑wealth systems, people have always created ways to meet collective needs when institutions fall short.

Those within the co-operative sector know that co-operatives serve as a stabilizing force against economic challenges, including those from tariffs. By promoting local economic resilience, diversification of markets, and a focus on long-term community well-being rather than short-term profits, co-operatives help mitigate the risks posed by trade disruptions and support a more sustainable economic model.