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Sharing is … Good for individuals! Good for communities! Good for the planet! At Positive Law, LLC, we are all about sharing! We can do more with less when we share. Below are some useful resources for enterprises starting up (or growing) in the Cleveland area and throughout Ohio. This page is always a work in progress. Please contact us at info@positivelaw.org if you know of other helpful resources to add to this list or if you find any broken links. Let’s work together to share important resources to build great community enterprises!
General Start Up Enterprises | Cooperative Enterprises | Cooperative Housing | Time Banking | Sustainable
General Start Up Resources
National
- Senior Council of Retired Executives (SCORE): Offers free business mentoring and resources. Go to main site to find your closest chapter.
- Small Business Association (SBA)
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): Useful for preliminary search to see of your business name is already registered and under what categories.
Northeast Ohio
- Cleveland State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
- Cleveland State University’s Export Assistance Center
- Lakeland Community College (Small Business Development Assistance Center)
- TRI-C Small Business Assistance
- Cleveland U.S. Export Assistance Center
- Cleveland District Office of SBA
Other Ohio
- Ohio Small Business Development Center: government resource
- Ohio Business Name Search: Useful to check if your business name is registered in Ohio.
For Cooperative Enterprises (Including Worker-Owned Businesses)
National
- Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC): SELC in California provides a variety of FREE helpful resources including templates for: Worker Cooperatives | Worker Self-Directed Nonprofits | Solar Cooperatives | Radical Real Estate Projects. (**Please note that this models are samples based on California law. )
- Zebras Unite: A founder-led, cooperatively owned movement creating the culture, capital & community for the next economy
- US Federation of Worker Cooperatives
- Democracy at Work Institute
- Western Worker Cooperative Conference
- Eastern Worker Cooperative Conference
- International Cooperative Alliance
- Cutting Edge Capital: Law firm that help mission-driven organizations raise capital in alignment with their values and goals.
Northeast Ohio
Other Ohio
- Ohio Specific Resources from Sustainable Economies Law Center (via SELC)
- The Ohio State University CFAES Center for Cooperatives
- OSU Co-op Mastery
- Co-op Cincy
- Co-op Dayton
For Cooperative Housing
- Midwest Association of Cooperative Housing: Offers training, education, and support services for housing cooperatives.
- Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC): SELC in California provides a variety of FREE helpful resources including templates for: Worker Cooperatives | Worker Self-Directed Nonprofits | Solar Cooperatives | Radical Real Estate Projects.
- Ohio Specific Resources from Sustainable Economies Law Center (via SELC)
For Time Banking
General
- Time Banks Organization
- The Other Pandemic: Social isolation and timebanking (2021) by Edward Cahn and Christine Grey.
- No More Throw-Away People (2004). Book by Edgar Cahn, Time Banking Founder.
Northeast Ohio (check online for a timebank near you)
- Kent Community Timebank (Crooked River Alliance of Timebank) (Kent, Ohio).
- Hour World (Timebank) (Cleveland, Ohio)
- Northeast Ohio Timebank (Cleveland Heights, etc., Ohio)
General Sustainable Resources
International / National
- United Nations (Sustainable Development USA): Sustainable goals knowledge platform per country.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)
- Transition US – The umbrella organizations that helps facilitate an ecosystem of communities throughout the US that aim to build a Regenerative and just future.
Northeast Ohio
- OSU Extension: Sustainability resources and educational information generally and specific to Northeast Ohio.
- Sustainable Cleveland (Government Division) in cooperation with Go Green Go Organization. Resource (including funding), education, events, and initiatives regarding sustainable projects, circular economy initiatives, renewable energy, etc.
- Bike Cleveland Org: Non-profit bicycle advocacy organization in Cleveland.
- Bike Authority: Directory of bicycle resources in Cleveland / Akron area.
- Ohio City Bicycle Co-op: Non-profit in Cleveland focused on bicycle education and bicycling upcycling.
- Heights Bicycle Coalition
- Northeast Ohio Area Wide Coordinating Association (NOACA): Conducts research and provides resources and events that advance sustainable green transportation initiatives.
- Green Energy Ohio