Consumer Cooperative
- Owned and controlled by its consumer-members.
- Profits are distributed among members in proportion to their patronage (purchases made).
- Examples: grocery stores, credit unions, health insurance cooperatives.
Worker Cooperative
- Owned and managed by its worker-members.
- Profits are shared equally or based on agreed-upon criteria.
- Examples: construction companies, manufacturing plants, software development firms.
Producer Cooperative
- Owned and controlled by its producer-members, who are businesses or individuals.
- Profits are distributed based on the production contributed by each member.
- Examples: agricultural cooperatives, artist cooperatives, fishing cooperatives.
Housing Cooperative
- Owned and managed by its member-residents.
- Members purchase units in the cooperative, giving them a share of the ownership and responsibility for maintenance.
- Examples: apartment buildings, townhomes, senior living communities.
Service Cooperative
- Provides services to its member-owners, who are businesses, organizations, or individuals.
- Profits are typically reinvested in the cooperative or used to provide lower-cost services to members.
- Examples: utility cooperatives, equipment sharing cooperatives, educational cooperatives.
Multi-Stakeholder Cooperative
- Combines elements of different cooperative types, involving multiple stakeholder groups (e.g., consumers, workers, producers).
- Examples: food distribution cooperatives, employee-owned businesses with consumer membership.
Federated Cooperative
- Composed of a network of smaller cooperatives that work together for shared purposes, such as purchasing, marketing, or lobbying.
- Examples: credit union federations, agricultural marketing cooperatives.
Other Types of Cooperatives
- Credit Cooperatives: Provide financial services to members, such as loans and savings accounts.
- Community Development Cooperatives: Focus on providing services and economic opportunities in underserved communities.
- Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs): Found in developing countries, offering financial services to low-income members.
- Research and Development Cooperatives: Focus on developing new products, technologies, or services.
- Educational Cooperatives: Provide educational programs and services to members.