CWB Conference At-A-Glance

The Denver Metro Area’s 2nd Annual Community Wealth-Building (CWB) Conference will build on the interest and progress made since the inaugural CWB conference held in September 2013. You can access detailed information about community wealth-building strategies, the conference, and the conference program at www.cwbconference.org.

DATE: Saturday, September 27, 2014, 8:30 am to 6:30 pm

REGISTRATION FEE: $45 per person, includes all conference sessions, continental breakfast, lunch, and post-conference reception. Full and partial scholarships are available (please click here to learn more).

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

• Ed Whitfield, co-managing director of the Fund 4 Democratic Communities based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ed will launch our day by laying the foundation for why community wealth building strategies are key to a healthy democracy and share examples of communities that are making tangible progress with economic policies that promote wealth creation at the grassroots.
• Michael Peck, a national and international leader in the worker’s cooperative movement, will speak during a mid-day plenary session, providing information and inspiration about the possibilities and economic impacts of worker cooperatives, drawing on his involvement with Mondragon, the world’s largest co-op headquartered in Spain, and his experience with co-ops in the U.S.

SCHEDULE SNAPSHOT:

8:45 am - Registration and continental breakfast
9:15 am - Welcome and first keynote speaker, Ed Whitfield
10:30 am - Breakout sessions (first round)
12:00 pm - Lunch and second keynote speaker, Michael Peck
1:30 pm - Breakout sessions (second round)
3:00 pm - Breakout sessions (third round)
4:15 pm - Wrap-up
5:00 pm - Post-conference reception

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS:
Conference breakout sessions will offer participants the opportunity to learn about current efforts in the Denver Metro Area, as well participate in how-to/skill building sessions. Offerings are geared to individuals just beginning to explore the world of community wealth building strategies, as well as people already engaged and interested in taking their work to the next level and sharing ideas and challenges with their peers.

Attendees will have the option of attending three breakout sessions during the course of the day. There will be a total of 15 different breakouts to choose from. Breakout session topics fall under the following themes:

• Worker Cooperatives and Other Forms of Employee Ownership
• Communities Taking Charge of Their Own Economy
• Anchor Institutions and the Anschutz Medical Campus’ Community-Campus Partnership
• Creating a Cooperative Economy in the Health Care Arena
• Building a Local Food Economy in Food Deserts
• Capital for Community Wealth-Building Strategies and Projects
• Advancing Community Wealth-Building Through Public Policy

Why is the conference on Saturday?
The conference is on a Saturday to make it possible for people who aren’t necessarily able to focus during work hours on these topics, but are interested in being part of this growing movement and local conversation. We are also offering childcare, interpretation, and registration scholarships to help make the conference accessible to anyone who would like to attend (childcare and interpretation services are included in the registration fee).