EmprendeCoop program receives national recognition

By THE STAR STAFF

The EmprendeCoop program, an initiative of the Cooperative Investment and Development Fund (FIDECOOP by its Spanish initials), received distinction for its work in the development of local cooperatives and the promotion of new cooperatives from the Minneapolis-based Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE).

“We are very happy because the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE) recognized this work with the John Logue Award,” FIDECOOP Executive Director José Julián Ramírez said. “This prize is awarded to an organization or individual whose cooperative education, technical assistance, and research programs have served as a catalyst for a democratic work environment and economic viability for the impacted cooperatives.”

FIDECOOP is a nonprofit financial institution created by the cooperative movement whose mission is to promote the development of cooperatives in Puerto Rico oriented to projects or activities that generate employment.

Two years ago, FIDECOOP created the EmprendeCoop program in order to train, advise and provide accompaniment to new or existing cooperative companies, in various economic sectors, to achieve the viability and success of those organizations.

“In the two years since its creation, EmprendeCoop has achieved four cycles of business cooperative acceleration for more than 75 participants from 28 cooperatives,” Ramírez said. “This has helped cooperatives to create new projects, improve their finances and thus be more successful in their business model within the cooperative framework.”