Stand with co-operatives in the UN International Year of Cooperatives!

In this pivotal UN International Year of Cooperatives, members of the Fund for International Co-operative Development (FICD), are more determined than ever to empower co-operative communities across the globe. The recent, sweeping USAID funding cuts have devastated the U.S. international co-operative development sector—a sector that has long been a lifeline for sustainable, community-led progress in over 130 countries.

The overall fallout is profound and immediate:

• 23 million children are at risk of losing access to education.
• 95 million people may be stripped of basic healthcare.
• Co-operative development programs, once a cornerstone of U.S. foreign aid, are being dismantled—leaving countless communities without the tools to build economic resilience, social equity, or hope for the future.

This is not just a crisis—it’s a call to action.

We believe in the transformative power of co-operatives to rebuild communities, foster social equity, and drive sustainable economic growth. The FICD, founded by leading UK co-operatives including Co-op Group, Midcounties Co-op, Central Co-op, Lincolnshire Co-op, and Co-operatives UK, is built on collaboration, solidarity, and shared purpose.

With the support of our co-operative members, the Fund is working to:

• Bridge the widening gaps left by shrinking international aid
• Strengthen co-op-to-co-op trade
• Build long-term resilience in vulnerable economies

Now is the time to act!

Your participation can help co-operatives not just survive—but thrive. Together, we can create lasting change and build a more just, resilient world.

📧 Contact Sarah Alldred at sarah.alldred@fund.coop or info@fund.coop

Be the difference. Stand in solidarity. Fuel the future of co-operatives.