In today’s fast-moving world, cooperatives of all types are looking for better ways to stay connected—across regions, sectors, and sizes.

That’s where Collaborative Communities come in.

Built into the Principle 6 platform, Collaborative Communities are private, customizable digital spaces where cooperatives, federations, sector groups, and allied organizations can bring their people together to share ideas, support one another, and grow stronger—together.

Whether you’re a small worker co-op seeking peer insights, a federation looking to engage your members, or a regional group launching a campaign, Collaborative Communities give you the tools to stay in sync and move forward—collectively.

What Is a Collaborative Community?

A Collaborative Community is your co-op network’s dedicated digital home inside the Principle 6 platform. Think of it like a members-only clubhouse, but built for purposeful collaboration.

In each community, organizers can:

• Post announcements and updates
• Highlight best practices and member content
• Start and guide discussion threads
• Launch surveys and gather feedback
• Track engagement
• Share private resources
• Spotlight great work across your community

It’s like having a newsletter, a forum, a resource library, and a collaboration space—all rolled into one.

Why They Matter

For decades, cooperatives have relied on annual conferences, email newsletters, or local gatherings to stay connected. But today, that’s not enough.

Modern cooperators want:

• Frequent touchpoints
• Peer-to-peer learning
• Tangible value for participation
• Spaces to be seen, heard, and celebrated

Collaborative Communities meet that need by creating always-on spaces for meaningful interaction, practical sharing, and ongoing support.

What You Can Do with a Collaborative Community

If you’re a federation, apex, or sector group, you can…

• Curate relevant best practices
• Spark discussion on sector-wide challenges
• Share internal toolkits, training, or onboarding materials
• Launch surveys and polls to gather insight
• Engage “co-ops in the wild” and bring them into your network
• Measure what’s working with engagement metrics

If you’re a co-op participating in a community, you can…

• Ask questions and share advice
• Contribute to sector learning
• Respond to polls and community prompts
• Access resources built just for your size, region, or type
• Celebrate wins and connect with peers

Real-World Example: A Sector Group in Action

Imagine a group of housing co-ops working together on affordability strategies.

Inside their Collaborative Community, they:

• Post case studies on rent restructuring
• Host a weekly “Ask a Manager” thread
• Share tools for grant applications
• Launch a sector-wide poll on maintenance backlogs
• Highlight member wins and local advocacy efforts

In just a few weeks, these co-ops aren’t just connected—they’re co-creating solutions that move the whole sector forward.

What’s Available Now in Pilot

Collaborative Communities are live on the platform. Right now, you can:

✅ Set up a community for your federation, peer group, or co-op network
✅ Invite members to join and start engaging
✅ Share content, start discussions, and gather feedback
✅ Use engagement tools to understand what’s landing

And coming soon:

• Deeper integration with the Dynamic Intelligence Library
• Community-wide survey benchmarking
• Ability to cross-publish posts across communities

Why Cooperatives Love This Tool

Collaborative Communities allow your group to:

• Provide year-round value to members
• Create visibility across regions or sectors
• Reconnect with disengaged or unaffiliated co-ops
• Strengthen identity and alignment within your movement
• Show real impact with measurable participation

How to Launch Yours

Starting a Collaborative Community is easy—and we’re here to help.

The Principle 6 team will support you in:

1. Setting up your private space
2. Planning content and prompts
3. Inviting members
4. Creating a 60–90 day engagement plan
5. Tracking progress and learning as you go

Reach out to us to find out how to get started as a pilot community!

The Bigger Picture

These aren’t just online spaces. They’re a strategy for stronger cooperation.

Collaborative Communities bring Principle 6—the principle of cooperation among cooperatives—to life in ways that are:

• Timely
• Relevant
• Measurable
• Member-led

In a world full of uncertainty, connection is power. Collaborative Communities are how we make that connection stronger, more vibrant, and more purposeful—every single day.

Let’s build them. Together.