Solve challenges. Share ideas.
Get support. Learn from experts.
FCI Peer Learning Group Program
Applications for the 2027 Peer Learning Groups open Tuesday, September 1st!
Being an organizer of a startup food co-op can sometimes feel lonely or overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be great to have a place to connect and share in the challenges, get information and draw inspiration, all within a community of organizers working toward similar goals in their communities? Well, we have just the thing for you: FCI’s FREE Peer Learning Groups have been an invaluable resource for more than 60 startups since 2020! In fact, 97% of participants said it was important for startup co-ops to participate in an FCI Peer Group.
Our Peer Learning Groups connect cooperators who are in similar stages of development to meet monthly for one hour to learn, discuss, and build community with their peers. Each group is facilitated by a co-op development expert, and each monthly learning topic is chosen with group input, based on their unique needs.
- The groups are for startup food co-ops that are working toward opening a cooperatively owned brick-and-mortar grocery store
- Whether your co-op is just getting incorporated or has hired its general manager and is planning to open soon, we have a Peer Learning Groups that will be the right fit for your co-op’s stage of development
- Our 2027 FCI Peer Learning Group will meet once a month, from January to October
2027 Peer Learning Group applications will open Tuesday, September 1st.
Learn more about the program: Peer Learning Groups Q&A
Questions? Email Chris Dilley at chris@fci.coop
“Being part of a newly formed food cooperative, I’m very thankful for Chris and the FCI team for all the resources and connections that I have access to. The FCI Startup Guide is the playbook for how to get started especially when you have a group of community organizers who may be new to business and community development, community engagement, etc. The peer learning groups allowed us to see that what we’re going through in the startup process isn’t unique to us, but gave us best practices on how to keep navigating the complexities of food cooperatives.”
“The FCI Peer Group meetings have been a huge help to our start-up co-op! As a Stage 1 co-op, the resources provided have been critical to our learning journey. All the decisions we need to make can feel daunting, and we’ve been so thankful to have Bonnie’s guidance. It has also been a special experience to connect with other co-ops. It has been so valuable to hear how other groups are approaching the same problems we’re working through, and learn from our collective challenges and successes.”
“FCI’s Peer learning groups have been invaluable for our conversion to a food cooperative in so many ways: getting to know others around the country who are doing what we are, how they are doing it, and what lessons they have learned…just getting to know them has been inspiring. We have been provided talks by people who have done the work, not just people who talk about it. We have a great mentor in Chris Dilley, who is there to answer, at least 100 of the million questions we ask. And finally it makes you feel not only that you are not alone but it keeps us going when inspiration may be at a low point.”
“Taking part is FCI’s Peer Learning Groups has been an extremely valuable way for our co-op board and volunteers to learn from others who are traveling the same path as we are. We find out how others have tackled the same obstacles that we face; what pitfalls to avoid; what questions that we hadn’t thought to ask; and so much more. But of equal value to the learning is the support that we get from our fellow cooperators. Whether we’re celebrating a new success or “licking our wounds” from an unexpected set-back, our friends in the Peer Group are there to help keep us reaching for that ultimate goal we all share – opening a cooperatively-owned grocery store in our town.”
“The FCI peer groups have helped me feel less alone through the roles of founder, Board President and Project Manager. The generosity with resources and information that save our volunteer-led co-op valuable time and energy has been such a relief. The kind and supportive presence of the leaders and guests have bolstered my resolve.”
“FCI Peer Learning Groups represent Unity! These Learning Groups allowed Little Africa Food Cooperative to take the information learned during these sessions and create strategy and build upon the lessons learned. If another peer had a better process and we could benefit from that process, the information was always shared!”