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Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative

EIN 45-3914880 · Cincinnati, OH

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CINCINNATI UNION COOPERATIVE INITIATIVE PARTNERS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO DEVELOP WORKER-OWNED BUSINESSES WHICH PROVIDE FAMILY- SUSTAINING JOBS AND CREATE ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL.

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$953,319
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 58%
Employees
9
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$62,446, co-founder/ed

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $131,427 spent. CO-OP CINCY HAS BEEN BROADENING ITS REACH IN PROVIDING EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION ON THE COOPERATIVE AND UNION COOPERATIVE MODELS. STAFF PLANNED AND FACILITATED REGULAR "CO-OP 101" SESSIONS, TOURS OF EXISTING CO-OPS, AND CO-OP SOCIAL HAPPY HOURS FOR INFORMAL NETWORK BUILDING AND INFORMATION SHARING. COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THIS YEAR MARKED THE THIRD ITERATION OF OUR SUCCESSFUL COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH XAVIER UNIVERSITY'S LEADERSHIP CENTER. AN ADDITIONAL 20 PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, IMPLEMENTING A FINAL PROJECT WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE CO-OPS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR EFFORTS. CO-OP CINCY LED THE 5TH COHORT OF POWER IN NUMBERS CO-OP U IN 2025, WHICH HAS A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON SUPPORT FOR BIPOC-LED ENTREPRENEURIAL TEAMS. CURRICULUM INCLUDED ARTICULATING A CLEAR BUSINESS CONCEPT, KNOWING YOUR CUSTOMER, FEASIBILITY, LOGISTICS, AND COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT. 16 PARTICIPANTS WRAPPED THEIR EXPERIENCE BY PRESENTING CREATION OR GROWTH PLANS FOR BUSINESSES RANGING FROM A FOOD GROWERS COLLECTIVE TO MANAGEMENT CONSULTING. THE REFUGEE AGRICULTURAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RAPP), FUNDED PARTIALLY THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PROVIDED 20 WORKERS WITH REFUGEE STATUS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CULTIVATE HEALTHY FOODS, EXPLORE VIABLE BUSINESS PATHS IN AGRICULTURE, AND GROW MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS. WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND MENTORING TO CO-OP BUSINESS ALUMNAE FROM ALL EARLIER COHORTS OF CO-OP U. UNION CO-OP SYMPOSIUM CO-OP CINCY ORGANIZED THE 7TH UNION CO-OP SYMPOSIUM IN OCTOBER WITH THE THEME "FROM BREAKDOWN TO BREAKTHROUGH - BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY". THE SYMPOSIUM INCLUDED LEARNING TRACKS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM HOUSING COOPS AND THE UNION CO-OP NETWORK TO PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT. MANY TRACKS FEATURED SPANISH/ENGLISH INTERPRETATION. "CLUB COOP" GAVE EVERYONE A VENUE FOR CELEBRATION. OVER 250 PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND SPAIN PARTICIPATED.
  2. $125,479 spent. CO-OP CINCY CONTINUED TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS IN THE WIDER BUSINESS WORLD THROUGH THE BUSINESS LEGACY FUND, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL "AMBASSADORS" IN ALIGNED BUSINESS MARKETS (E.G. INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE, BUSINESS BROKERING) WHO CAN SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT POSSIBILITIES FOR WORKER-OWNERSHIP TO DEPARTING BUSINESS OWNERS AT APPROPRIATE MOMENTS. CO-OP CINCY SUPPORTED OUR HARVEST COOPERATIVE TO PURCHASE NORTHGATE GREENHOUSE AND TRANSITION IT TO A WORKER OWNED CO-OP. CO-OP CINCY SUPPORTED PERSPECTIVE GUIDES TO TRANSITION TO WORKER OWNERSHIP AS WELL.
  3. $250,957 spent. CO-OPS UNDER CO-OP CINCY'S UMBRELLA AND IN DEVELOPMENT RECEIVED ONGOING BUSINESS SUPPORT, INCLUDING COACHING AND TRAINING IN FINANCE (FINANCIAL LITERACY, OPEN BOOK MANAGEMENT, NAVIGATING FINANCIAL SOFTWARE) PEOPLE AND CULTURE (HR SYSTEMS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT) AND BUSINESS STABILITY AND GROWTH (COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES, BUSINESS BEST PRACTICES), CO-OP GOVERNANCE, ETC. STAFF MET WITH CO-OP TEAMS ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE BASED ON THEIR STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT (TYPICALLY WEEKLY OR EVERY OTHER WEEK), AND CONNECTED TEAM MEMBERS TO RESOURCES IN AN ONGOING WAY. THIS YEAR, SUCCESSES FROM MEMBER CO-OPS INCLUDED: SUSTAINERGY RECEIVED A LOAN FROM THE SEED COMMONS TO PURCHASE THEIR WAREHOUSE, WHICH NOW HOUSES OFFICE SPACE FOR THEM AND 2 OTHER WORKER-OWNED COOPERATIVES. THIS GIVES SUSTAINERGY A STRONG FOUNDATION TO GROW FROM AS WELL AS PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE INCUBATOR FOR NEWER OR SMALLER COOPERATIVES IN CINCINNATI. OLD GROWTH COOPERATIVE GREW ITS STAFF TO 4 PEOPLE IN THE PEAK SEASON. QUEEN CITY COMMONS EXPANDED COMMUNITY COMPOST DROP-OFF SITES THROUGHOUT CINCINNATI COMP.COOP UNIONIZED WITH THE US FEDERATION OF STEELWORKERS RENTING PARTNERSHIPS BROUGHT A NEW COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY TO LIFE WITH 10 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CREATING STABILITY AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY WEALTH FOR ADDITIONAL FAMILIES LAUNCH OF 3 NEW COOPERATIVES (RHIZOME, PERSPECTIVE GUIDES, COMMON GROUND) OUR HARVEST PURCHASED NORTHGATE GREENHOUSES, WHICH DOUBLED BOTH WORKERS AND SALES.THIS FISCAL YEAR, WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE SEED COMMONS FINANCIAL CO-OP, WE LOANED OVER 2 MILLION TO 6 CO-OP BUSINESSES AND A LAND TRUST WITHIN OUR NETWORK. 5 PREVIOUS LOANS WERE COMPLETELY PAID OFF THIS YEAR AS WELL. OWN - CO-OP CINCY CONTINUED TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE OHIO WORKER OWNERSHIP NETWORK. OWN STRIVES TO EXPAND WORKER-OWNERSHIP IN OHIO BY CREATING A SPACE FOR CO-OP DEVELOPERS TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP.
  4. $392,004 spent. CO-OP CINCY STAFF SERVED ON NATIONAL BODIES, INCLUDING IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THE U.S. FEDERATION OF WORKER COOPERATIVES BOARD AND ON THE SEED COMMONS SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND BOARD. FROM THESE ROLES, CO-OP CINCY INFORMS AND IS INFORMED BY LARGER CIRCLES OF THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND BEST PRACTICE. AS PART OF THIS WORK, CO-OP CINCY SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE USFWC TO ADOPT LABOR NEUTRALITY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL MEMBER BYLAWS. IN RECOGNITION OF CO-OP CINCY'S EFFORTS, THE CINCINNATI CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE UN YEAR OF COOPERATIVES - THE THIRD US CITY TO DO SO AT THE TIME.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2013.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.