The Austin Cooperative Business Association (ACBA) works to BUILD and EXPAND the cooperative economy in central Texas.

Click the photo to check out our photo gallery and co-op month tour! Plus full calendar of October events!

The ACBA grew out of two contributing organizations the Austin Cooperative Think Tank (ACTT) and the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA). The Austin Cooperative Think Tank developed gradually, beginning in 2010, with the mission of growing the Austin cooperative economy, and officially began taking on projects in 2012, the International Year of the Cooperative. It finally solidified into the ACBA in June of 2013 when the NCBA agreed to fund the program with a grant supplemented by contributions from founding member cooperatives in Austin.

The ACBA is dedicated to growing and strengthening the Austin-area cooperative community through accessible cooperative education, inter-cooperative support, and advocacy to make it easier to start and expand cooperatives.

The ACBA extends a special thanks our founding members, Black Star, College Houses, Cornerstone Credit Union League, Inter-Cooperative Council and Wheatsville.

Additionally, we are eternally grateful to the members of the ACTT steering committee who made all this possible, Kim Penna, Matt Scheer, Ricardo Guerrero, Steve Macias, Zak Jones, Rose Marie Klee, Josh Sabik, Brian Donovan, and Kate Vickery.  A special thanks goes to Andi Shively for her work on the retreat and business plan and Kelsie Balcaitis who sparked the project. 

Read our 2019 Annual ReporT

READ OUR 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Board of Directors

Bylaws of the Austin Cooperative Business Association

The Board of the ACBA approved a revision of its bylaws on February 9, 2021, to remove inconsistencies and promote efficient and clear operations and processes for members. You can find them at the link below.