Membership Process

We offer two types of membership: co-operatives and organisations that unite or federate groups of co-operatives may become Members while other kinds of organisations that are not themselves co-operatives, but that support them in some way, can become Associate Members.

Membership subscriptions are calculated based on a formula for Members and a flat fee for Associate Members:

Those eligible to become full Members are:


• National union or federation of co-operative organisations
• National confederation of co-operative unions (apex organisations)
• National co-operative business organisation with majority individual ownership (a co-operative society working at the national level whose members are not only people but can also be enterprises -- i.e. a mixed membership)
•  Individual co-operative organisation (primary or grassroots co-operatives)

Those eligible to become Associate Members are:

• Organisations that are not otherwise eligible to be full members, including:
• Organisations that are supporters of co-operatives.
• Organisations that are owned and controlled by co-operatives (entities that are not co-ops themselves but that are owned entirely by co-ops (not individuals)
• Educational, research and other institutions that promote or finance co-operatives and the co-operative movement (training institutions and semi-autonomous institutions with no co-operative members)
• International and regional (supranational) federations or unions of co-operative Organisations (organisations with membership in multiple countries)
• Organisations entitled to full member status, but that are not ready to apply for full membership.