Democracy at Work Institute

About the Institute: The Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit movement-based think-and-do tank that expands the promise of cooperative business ownership to communities most directly affected by economic, social, and racial inequality. We do research and advocacy; we develop tools and new models; we train worker-owners and developers; and we build cooperative development capacity to ensure that further growth in the worker cooperative movement reaches low-income people, people of color and recent immigrants.  In all our work, as well as internal operations, we strive to embody our organizational values of Excellence, Equity, Entrepreneurialism, Collaboration, and Human-Centeredness. We are affiliated with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, the national grassroots membership organization. All programs integrate USFWC member input and foreground the experience of worker cooperatives.

About Being on Staff: Started in 2013, DAWI is a relatively young organization, and all staffers are expected to help build organizational capacity, including organizational processes and documents. A certain amount of travel for all staffers is expected and supported. We are a remote organization, with staff around the country, and a heavy reliance on technological tools and good communication loops. We love our work, and we work hard, but we also strive for work-life balance. We are a tight-knit team with extremely low staff turnover. Full-time staff are eligible for membership in the organization after a year of employment. Members are eligible to serve on the board of directors, elect two directors, and participate in the strategic guidance of the organization.