Atlantic City residents, vendors, and partners building a community cooperative together

Place-Based Cooperative Economic Development

Building Community Ownership and Shared Prosperity in Atlantic City

Atlantic City Community Cooperative brings residents, workers, businesses, vendors, nonprofits, and institutional partners together to turn community needs into locally owned economic opportunities.

Join the Cooperative Movement Support the Demonstration Model

Atlantic City Community Cooperative is the place-based cooperative economic development initiative of the IWOWS ecosystem, powered by Ideal Education. It helps Atlantic City residents participate as members, workers, vendors, entrepreneurs, and owners, turning food access, delivery, vendor development, and youth employment into shared, locally owned prosperity.

Communities Should Own Solutions

Atlantic City contains significant economic activity, but many residents continue to face food insecurity, unemployment, underemployment, limited business opportunity, and unequal participation in local growth. Traditional programs can provide important services, but services alone do not create ownership. The cooperative model is designed to help residents participate not only as beneficiaries or customers, but as:

MembersWorkersVendorsEntrepreneursCommunity ambassadorsDecision-makersPartnersOwners

A Community Economic Ecosystem

The cooperative may connect several mutually reinforcing functions.

Community Food Access

Increase access to groceries, fresh food, prepared food, and local products through physical and digital channels.

Boardwalk Basket

Develop a community-serving ordering and delivery platform connecting residents, visitors, workers, local stores, restaurants, and vendors.

Local Vendor Development

Help Atlantic City entrepreneurs and small businesses reach customers, strengthen operations, and participate in local procurement.

Workforce and Paid Learning

Create training and paid work opportunities in retail, logistics, delivery, customer service, technology, outreach, food operations, and business administration.

Community Navigation

Connect members with social services, health resources, workforce programs, educational opportunities, and community partners.

Cooperative Membership

Give eligible residents, workers, small businesses, and institutional partners defined ways to participate in the cooperative.

Youth Leadership

Engage young adults as Block Captains and community ambassadors supporting outreach, membership, vendor engagement, and neighborhood communication.

Who the Cooperative Serves

The cooperative is designed to engage:

Atlantic City residentsPeople working in Atlantic CityLocal small businessesFood and retail vendorsCommunity organizationsFaith-based organizationsNonprofitsHealthcare providersEmployersVisitors and customersYouth and young adultsPublic agenciesPhilanthropic and corporate partners

Why the Cooperative Model Matters

A cooperative can help the community:

Retain more spending locallyExpand markets for local vendorsBuild resident participationDevelop community leadershipCreate jobs and paid trainingImprove access to food and servicesCoordinate partnersCreate shared purchasing powerGenerate community-serving revenueBuild assets with long-term local value

Partnership Opportunities

Partners can:

Become a corporate or sponsor memberSupport food accessSponsor Block CaptainsRefer community membersJoin the preferred provider networkOffer member benefitsOnboard as a vendorSupport delivery and logisticsProvide equipment or technologyHost paid work-based learningFund membership outreachSponsor a cooperative initiative

Outcomes We Seek

The cooperative is designed to increase:

Cooperative membershipLocal vendor participationResident economic participationAccess to affordable foodDelivery and logistics capacityYouth employmentPaid work-based learningLocal purchasingCommunity referralsSmall-business revenueMember ownershipNeighborhood trust and engagement

Demonstration and Replication

Atlantic City can serve as a place-based demonstration of how cooperative economic development, workforce training, social enterprise, and digital infrastructure can be combined.

Lessons from the Atlantic City model can inform future Ideal Community Cooperative chapters in other communities.

Results We Report

As the cooperative grows, it reports verified data for:

Registered membersOwner membersVendorsOrders or deliveriesYouth employedPaid work hoursReferral partnersFood-access householdsLocal purchasing volumeSponsor membersCommunity eventsMember satisfaction

Get involved

Help Atlantic City Build and Own Its Future

Join as a member, become a vendor, fund a community initiative, sponsor youth employment, or partner with the cooperative.

Become a Member Become a Sponsor Partner