C2BE: Center for Community based Enterprise

The Center was originally inspired by a number of real-world examples of community-based enterprise efforts.  The following are some of the best-established programs around.

The Mondragon Cooperative Corporation:  Founded in 1956 in the Basque region of Spain during a period of economic depression, it transformed the economy of the region.  Under the leadership of  Father José María Arizmendiarrieta, the MCC has grown into a multi-billion dollar collection of locally-owned interconnected corporations.

The Quebec Solidarity Fund:  The most prominent of Canada's Labor Sponsored Investment Funds, the Quebec Solidarity Fund was created by legislatively established under the management of the Quebec Federation of Labor.  With the expicit goal of providing investment to smaller firms to promote employment and economic growth, Fund investments approach $1 billion per year, with a portfolio that is characterized by exceptionally high rates of job creation and R&D investment.

Emilia Romagna region, Italy:   The Emilia Romagna region of Italy is home to a network of hundreds of cooperative enterprises founded over the last 70 years, providing everything from agricultural products to education, as well as a whole host of social services devolved from the government to the cooperatives in the early 1990s.

Fair Exchange : C2BE's research into successful efforts to anchor economic development in local communities around the country has led us to identify the concept of Fair Exchange, a model for how communities can ensure that public investment in development generates a fair return to the citizens.  The concept is explained in greater detail in our Fair Exchange brouchure.