The proclamation, as these things tend to be, is short and generic. Therefore I wrote up some talking points for our meeting with the Mayor in support of the conversation and the proclamation content.
IYOC data points
> 180+ Events Submitted on the IYC Global Events Portal
> 1000+ Logo Requests received for use from 124 countries across all regions
> 135,222+ Website visitors to the 2025.coop website from 185 countries
Recognizing our Syracuse cooperatives and Allies
> Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union
> Syracuse Cooperative Market
> Bread and Roses Housing Cooperative, Bitternut Homestead, Common Place Land Trust
> Syracuse Cultural Workers
> Cooperative Fund of the Northeast
NY Cooperative Summit
> Began in 2012, and 2013 here in Syracuse, restarted last year in 2024 here in Syracuse, expanded to Albany this year in 2025.
> Supports networking and engagement between cooperative sectors, for legislation, policy, capital, and education.
Other info and stats
> Around the world, there are about 3 million cooperatives, and about 12% of the human population are members of a co-op. About 10% of the world’s population, or around 280 million people, are employees at co-ops. In the United States, there are around 65,000 cooperative establishments, and one out of every three people is a member of a cooperative.
>The “ABCs of Cooperative Impact.”
Access: Co-ops make certain products or services that would otherwise be out of reach accessible to certain markets or communities.
Business sustainability: The cooperative structure can make a business more stable and help a company work through rough patches.
Community commitment: Co-ops commit to their local community and will often work to uphold the values of a community through financial services, educational programs or business practices.
Democratic governance and empowerment: Because co-ops are democratic, they often help to increase people’s civic involvement.
Equality, diversity and inclusion: Voluntary membership means that cooperatives are often accurate reflections of the diversity of a community. Voluntary membership also makes co-ops inclusive organizations.
Financial security and advancement for workers: Cooperatives often serve the needs of their members by providing worker-members with living wages, the ability to move up the career ladder and financial stability.
Growth: By offering high-quality products and services, good jobs and investing in a local community, co-ops can grow and promote growth in the community they serve.
Syracuse University Community Link, and the Democracy at Work Institute
> 50+ surveys returned in 2024
> Worker Ownership Cities, Consider joining a cohort
Proclamation Language:
WHEREAS, October, annually recognized nationally as Co-op Month and being celebrated this year during the United Nation’s designation of 2025 as International Year of the Cooperative, is a time to celebrate the vital role that cooperatives, or “co-ops”, play in building more inclusive, resilient, and equitable communities by empowering individuals through shared ownership and democratic decision-making; and
WHEREAS, co-ops are businesses that are owned and democratically governed by their members, those who use their services, work there, or purchase their goods, giving residents a direct stake in their local economy and the success of their communities; and
WHEREAS, co-ops serve as anchor institutions in neighborhoods and cities by ensuring profits remain in the community, supporting stable, quality jobs across generations, investing in workforce development, and cultivating a new generation of local leaders and entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, cooperative businesses help with worker retention and satisfaction, offer living wages, more flexible schedules, improved benefits, and the cooperative sector continues to grow as more communities turn to co-op models through both start-ups and conversions of existing businesses; and
WHEREAS, the City of Syracuse, Syracuse University Community Link, and the Democracy at Work Institute are working together to learn about local business interest in conversion to employee ownership, and offer worker cooperatives as a solution for business succession that preserves local jobs and ownership,
WHEREAS, the City of Syracuse has a rich history of community collaboration and grassroots innovation, and by investing in education, outreach, and support for co-ops, Syracuse can strengthen its local economy, retain ownership in the community, and uplift residents through shared prosperity.
