Financial Aid

Scholarships may be available through the Ralph K. Morris Foundation Cooperative Leadership Fund.  Please visit their website at www.ralphkmorrisfoundation.org for more information. Please apply by May 5 if you wish to be notified in time to qualify for an early registration discount.

ECWD subsidizes registration fees for participants who are unable to cover their costs through fundraising or outside support.  We enourage participants who are able to pay a bit more to support subsidized registrations by paying at the "Movement Builder" rate.  See our registration page for details.

Through sponsorships from the National Cooperative Business Association and the Cooperative Fund of New England, a limited number of discounts are available for participants with financial need.  New or existing NCBA member organizations are eligible for one $50 scholarship provided by NCBA.   New England cooops or aspiring cooperators are eligible for one $25 scholarship provided by CFNE.  To receive this discount, participants must pay the Basic Registration ($250) or Group ($200) rate.  For a coupon code, please email info@east.usworker.coop and briefly explain your financial situation.  Coupon codes will be issued on a first-come, first-serve basis at the discretion of ECWD organizers.  One discount per group.

Grassroots Fundraising Tips

The Eastern Coordinating Council puts over 200 volunteer hours into fundraising to make the Conference financially sustainable, making it possible to reduce registration fee for each individual by $100.

We count on our participants to do their part by raising money to cover their registration fees and help maintain our independence from funders that do not support our mandate in their business practices. We’re here to support you in your grassroots fundraising efforts!  Here are some tips:

• Reach out to your local credit union!  Credit unions often have money set aside for member education.
• Find a sponsor: offer to facilitate a report-back or a workshop upon your return from ECWD.
• Collaborate!  Pair up with a local community organization to host a fundraising event.  Half of the proceeds can go to the local org and half can go towards funding your group’s participation in ECWD!
• Go beyond the bake sale!  Be creative--what kind of event would members of your community attend regardless of the cause.  Some ideas we’ve seen w/ great success:
  • Pancake Breakfast
  • “Iron Chef” cooperative competition
  • Community dialogue about building cooperative economies
  • Hold a pledge drive: create grassroots gifts for donors who give at various levels, from $5 to $100--gifts could be as simple as a dozen cookies, a mix CD, or a $10 voucher at your local cooperative bookstore.
  • Fund your participation through Kickstarter
  • Contact us if you’d like us to mail you extra posters to help promote our cause!

Please contact ECWD organizers for additional support in addressing financial or other barriers.  Our goal is to create an event that is accessible to all, with priority given to those residing in the Eastern & Southern regions of the US, People of Color, low-income people, non-native English speakers, people with disabilities, and others who have been historically marginalized within our movement.

Please see our accessibility statement for more information.