In this episode of Community Capital Live, Joel Skene chats with Matt Cropp, Treasurer of Vermont Real Estate Cooperative, a cooperative business formed by Vermont residents to own and run commercial and residential property.
Among the topics covered are the importance of non-accredited investors, the mechanisms for cooperatives to access financing and acquire property, and strategies for building a community of investors. Joel and Matt are also joined by panelists Kevin Jones of Neighborhood Economics and Nicole Vitello of Equal Exchange.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to community capital live
- 02:50 The Vermont Real Estate Cooperative: Origins and vision
- 09:05 The Role of Non-Accredited Investors
- 11:08 Property acquisition and financing mechanisms
- 13:54 Building a community of investors
- 16:49 Challenges and future directions
- 26:02 Building community through investment clubs
- 29:14 The evolution of cooperative models
- 32:48 The role of cooperative principles in investment
- 37:42 Strategies for growth and replication
- 40:04 Financial frameworks for cooperative sustainability
- 47:48 Trust and community engagement in cooperatives
Community Capital Live is a production of The Mindful Marketplace Show, Neighborhood Economics, The Main Street Journal and ImpactAlpha.
