{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox company | name = Cooperative Development Services | logo = Cooperative development services.png | type = Nonprofit organization | founded = 1985 | hq_location = Madison, Wisconsin<br>St. Paul, Minnesota | key_people = Kevin Edberg, <small>Executive Director</small><br>Gary Sloan, <small>Chair</small> | area_served = | num_members = | industry = | products = | revenue = | assets = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | parent = | subsidiaries = | website = [https://www.cdsus.coop/ cdsus.coop] | footnotes = }}
'''Cooperative Development Services (CDS)''' is a nonprofit organization engaged in cooperative development in the United States. CDS works primarily with food cooperatives and senior housing cooperatives, providing consultation services and co-sponsoring conferences and programs for board members, managers and other professionals in the cooperative sector.
CDS has staff in Madison, Wisconsin and St. Paul, Minnesota and is run by a 12-member board of directors.
==History== Cooperative Development Services was founded in 1985 by Rod Nilsestuen.<ref>Chaptman, Dennis. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FqgaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XUUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6571,1220975&dq=cooperative-development-services&hl=en Doyle enlists farm co-op leader.]{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.'' 3 January 2003.</ref>
==Programs== Cooperative Board Leadership Development (CBLD) is a program providing support to the boards of food cooperatives. CBLD works with cooperatives to help define the role that Boards play in relation to staff.<ref>Stone, Mary. [http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=182256 Natural foods co-op finds solid ground.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717232912/http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=182256 |date=17 July 2011 }} ''Rochester Business Journal''. 27 November 2009.</ref>
Policy Governance is a system of board leadership that distinguishes between governance and management responsibilities. It is designed to provide management with authority while maintaining accountability for performance.
===Forestry cooperatives=== Cooperative Development Services assists in the development of sustainable forestry cooperatives and associations. Since 1998, CDS has been involved in the formation of 25 forestry cooperatives. CDS has received nearly $1 million in grant assistance from the USDA's rural cooperative development grants program.<ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10124796_ITM NCBA honors Sen. Kohl.] ''Rural Cooperatives.'' 1 July 2001.</ref> CDS is a founding partner in WoodWorks, a network of organizations that provide services to forestry cooperatives.
===Food Co-op 500=== Food Co-op 500 is a program to increase the number of food cooperatives in the United States to 500 by 2015.<ref>Gutierrez, Bertrand M. [https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/journalnow/access/973343401.html?dids=973343401:973343401&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+21%2C+2006&author=BERTRAND+M.+GUTIERREZ+JOURNAL+REPORTER&pub=Winston-Salem+Journal&desc=GROUP+CALLS+MEETING+TO+EXPLORE+SETTING+UP+FOOD+CO-OP+%3B+RESIDENTS+SAY+THEY+NEED+CONVENIENCE+OF+A+NEARBY+GROCERY+STORE+AS+DOWNTOWN+DEVELOPS&pqatl=google Group Calls Meeting to Explore Setting Up Food Co-op; Residents Say They Need Convenience of a Nearby Grocery Store as Downtown Develops.]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''Winston-Salem Journal.'' 21 January 2006.</ref> As of 2009, there were approximately 300 food cooperatives in operation. The program is supported by CDS along with the National Cooperative Grocers Association and the National Cooperative Bank.<ref>Petersen, Laura. [https://www.thecommondenominator.com/091905_news2.html Trying to be cooperative: Community-owned market envisioned on H Street corridor.] ''The Common Denominator.'' 19 September 2005.</ref> CDS offers free outlines detailing the seven steps in forming a cooperative.<ref>Dresang, Joel. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C3AaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9i0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5944,868153&dq=cooperative-development-services&hl=en Co-ops give power to the customers.]{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.'' 16 August 1996.</ref>
===Renewable energy=== CDS assists organizations with founding businesses and funding projects in the renewable energy industry. CDS has helped organizations with projects involving biodiesel and wind energy.
===Value-added agriculture=== CDS works with agricultural and livestock businesses to create revenue through value-added products. The organization assists businesses in obtaining grants such as the Value-Added Producer Grants available through the USDA.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.cdsus.coop/ Official website.] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100213105004/http://www.cdsconsulting.coop/home CDS Consulting Co-op website]
Category:American organizations established in 1985 Category:Cooperatives in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in Wisconsin Category:Non-profit organizations based in Minnesota