‍Fund for Jobs Worth Owning: Building Momentum Heading into 2026

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As we head into 2026, the Fund for Jobs Worth Owning (FJWO) continues to build momentum — expanding access to capital for worker cooperatives while deepening collaboration across the employee ownership ecosystem.

The past several months have been marked not just by new loans, but by coordinated financing, sector-building partnerships, and strategic learning opportunities that strengthen the broader cooperative economy.

Here’s a look at where the Fund’s investments are making impact.

Expanding Worker Ownership in Care

Republican River Valley Homecare Cooperative (Arapahoe, NE)
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FJWO is proud to support the first home care cooperative in Nebraska. This investment was made possible through a Wells Fargo grant supporting FJWO’s work with caregiving cooperatives.

As demand for care continues to grow nationally, access to patient, cooperative-aligned capital remains critical. Supporting caregiving co-ops isn’t just about individual enterprises — it’s about strengthening local workforce stability in essential sectors.

Read more about their unique story here.

Coordinated Capital for Cooperative Growth

Democracy Brewing (Lewiston, ME)

Construction has begun on Democracy Brewing’s new brewpub — enabled by FJWO leading a financing collaboration among six worker cooperative lenders.

This project highlights the power of coordinated capital. When mission-aligned lenders collaborate, they can unlock larger-scale growth opportunities for worker-owned businesses without compromising governance or values.

Learn more about Democracy Brewing, Boston's first worker-owned brewery here.

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Strengthening Cooperative Development Capacity

Colmenar Cooperative Consulting (Oakland, CA)

Colmenar is a bilingual (Spanish/English) worker cooperative that plays a critical role in strengthening cooperative development capacity — particularly within Spanish-speaking communities.

Investing in cooperative developers is a strategic decision. Building a resilient cooperative economy requires not only strong businesses, but also trusted advisors, trainers, and ecosystem builders who can expand access across language and cultural contexts.

Learn more about Colmenar's mission here.

Elevating Worker Buyouts on the National Stage

In October, members of the FJWO team attended the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) Conference in Washington, DC, where worker buyouts and cooperative transitions were front and center.

FJWO co-hosted a session on worker buyouts and participated in a Wells Fargo–convened roundtable highlighting work in home care and child care cooperatives. These conversations signal growing recognition that worker ownership is not peripheral — it is an increasingly relevant tool for community wealth building and business succession.

Investing in Strategy Through Peer Learning

The Fund is also participating in Boston Impact Initiative’s ARC Fellowship, a peer-learning and strategy program designed to support community-led investment organizations.

Participation in ARC reflects a commitment not only to deploying capital, but to continuously strengthening practice, strategy, and impact.

Looking Ahead

As thousands of business owners across the country approach retirement and workforce stability becomes a defining economic issue, access to aligned capital will continue to shape whether businesses remain locally rooted or are absorbed by outside buyers.

The Fund for Jobs Worth Owning exists to ensure that worker ownership is not limited by lack of financing.

We are grateful for the partners, collaborators, and supporters who make this work possible — and we look forward to continuing to expand what cooperative capital can accomplish in 2026.

With gratitude,

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Chris Carley
Loan & Portfolio Manager

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