Cooperative Business Development: Winnipeg Pilot Project Summative Evaluation Report

Abstract

This report is an evaluation of the Cooperative Business Development: Winnipeg Pilot Project. The primary goal of the Project was to help facilitate the evolution of co-operative businesses, including creation, expansion, re-development and stabilization. The essence of the Project model was to facilitate business self-assessments and then to facilitate actions intended to plug capacity gaps. Special attention was paid to human capacity, assessed in terms of zeal, skill and knowledge, in relation to the different aspects of particular businesses. Technical support providers and mentors were used to cultivate increases in internal capacity. They were drawn from co-operatives, other community based businesses, business support agencies, individuals with business experience, and the Pilot’s own part- time staff. The object was to facilitate commercial self-reliance within co-operative, community-oriented businesses. The Pilot also attempted to encourage co-operatives and other community-oriented businesses to collaborate in sharing busin