Programs
Community Worker and Ownership Program
The Community and Worker Ownership Program (CWOP) provides assistance to groups of three or more people who are interested in starting or expanding a cooperative business as a means to create quality jobs for primarily low-income individuals.
The Community and Worker Ownership Program (CWOP) provides assistance to groups of three or more people who are interested in starting or expanding a cooperative business as a means to create quality jobs for primarily low-income individuals.
CWOP provides assistance in the following areas: assessing group or organizational skills and resources; developing a business plan and assessing the viability of a business idea; designing organizational and operational structure; accessing loan and equity financing; provision of business management and professional development workshops; and ongoing financial review and strategic planning support for a minimum of two years after the launch of a business.
CWOP follows Community Economic Development Guidelines in developing business plans and adheres to democratic cooperative principles for the structural design of worker cooperatives.
Who can apply?
- groups of 3 or more (but not exceeding 50) people who are interested in starting or expanding a business within the City of Winnipeg
- worker cooperative businesses or people interested in starting a worker cooperative
- community organizations that want to start a business that will be owned by the community
- groups that have a business idea that will help create a stronger and healthier community
- people that want to create quality jobs for their community and will employ marginalized groups (i.e. low-income people, youth at risk, new Canadians, and persons with disabilities)
CWOP is aimed at groups, where at least 50% of the members are at or below LICO, and/or are part of an under-represented group.
How to apply
To qualify, you must…
- plan to base your business within Winnipeg
- be available for training sessions and consulting meetings during regular business hours
Information sessions occur every other Thursday morning, from 9:30am to 12:00pm at 80 Salter Street. Once you have attended an information session, you may complete and submit an application to our program.
To register for an information session, fill out our online form, or call us at 927-9944.
Low Income Qualification Chart
| Household Size | Maximum Gross Household Income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $27,164 |
| 2 persons | $33,818 |
| 3 persons | $41,575 |
| 4 persons | $50,478 |
| 5 persons | $57,252 |
| 6 persons | $64,570 |
| 7 or more persons | $71,888 |
SEED Winnipeg looks at household income to help determine eligibility for our programs. We use Statistics Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) as a guide (we use 120% of LICO). Other factors besides LICO are also considered.
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