Arthur B. Schultz Foundation

About the fund

Seed Commons is raising its first fund to facilitate lending to worker-owned cooperatives in the US and Canada. The New York-based nonprofit’s shared capital pool will provide financing to its network of nearly three dozen community lenders, which on-lend to “businesses that create sustainable, equitable economic opportunities, prioritizing historically marginalized communities,” the fund manager says. “We provide non-extractive capital that allows cooperatives to grow while keeping wealth within their communities.” It has directed $70 million to worker-owned businesses since 2011. "Our approach has demonstrated that investing in worker cooperatives is both impactful and financially viable," Seed Commons says.