A recent study* by Capital Impact Partners found several basic goods and services industry sectors becoming increasingly successful in converting to employee-owned businesses. They identified home care agencies, residential facilities, child care centers, grocery stores, and food manufacturing businesses as good targets for cooperative conversions. The cooperative shared ownership business model is helping save jobs, and create and expand wealth for employees and neighborhoods.

While the study's target was the major metropolitan areas, the findings is reflective of labor shortages we are facing here in Alaska for homecare for the elderly, and child care. High burnout and low wages in these areas are creating huge exodus of labor from these segments. These sectors that support our children and the elderly cannot remain low-wage service sectors for obvious reasons. Shared ownership models enable employees the flexibility and opportunities for living wages jobs and wealth creation.

Alaska needs a strong ecosystem to support employee ownership, capital access and technical assistance for cooperatives. MyceliaAk is working to promote a healthy ecosystem for worker cooperatives in Alaska through education, awareness, and advocacy.

* https://icagroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Co-op-Conversions-At-Scale.pdf