A Cooperative That Finances Cooperatives.

Democratically owned. Mission-driven. Building economic democracy since 1978.

Shared Capital Cooperative is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) loan fund that provides financing to cooperative businesses and housing throughout the United States. Our mission is to build a just, equitable, and democratic economy by investing in cooperative enterprise.

We are a cooperative association — democratically owned and governed by our members — with 330 cooperatives in 35 states and the District of Columbia. By borrowing from and investing in the fund, members directly engage in our work, connecting cooperatives and capital and supporting shared economic prosperity and ownership.

Headquartered in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Shared Capital is managed by a small, professional staff and governed by a board of directors nominated and elected by our members. We also raise investments from social investors who support the cooperative economy and are aligned with our mission.

Economic Democracy

Capital should serve communities, not extract from them

Cooperative Ownership

The people who use and work in an enterprise should own and govern it

Equitable Access

Every cooperative deserves access to fair, mission-aligned financing

Community Self-Determination

Cooperatives empower communities to shape their own economic futures

Our Impact at a Glance

$110M+

Capital Deployed

1,000+

Cooperative Loans Financed

40+

States Served

400+

Member Cooperatives

4,000+

Jobs Created

See Our Full Impact Story

Our Story

Shared Capital Cooperative was founded in 1978 by cooperative leaders in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis–St. Paul who were frustrated by the challenges local co-ops faced in getting financing from banks. Wanting to ensure that all co-ops would have access to capital, they decided to pool their extra cash to start a self-help, revolving loan fund.

Since then, Shared Capital — formerly known as Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund — has remained true to that founding mission, providing financing to cooperative enterprises that support growth and expand the cooperative business sector.

1978

Founded as a cooperative revolving loan fund in the Twin Cities

2003

Expanded beyond the upper Midwest to serve cooperatives nationally.

2024

Over 1,000 loans closed across 35 states.

2026

Raised $40m Fund II

Shared Capital is an Equal Opportunity Provider