Cultivating workplace democracy
Cultivating workplace democracy
Cultivating workplace democracy
Worker-Owned Business Program
We work hard for our money. Whether we spend long days in the Homestead heat, or countless hours keeping our homes and businesses clean — workers like us make this city thrive.
At Catalyst Miami, we believe employees deserve more: better wages, safer conditions, and a future we can shape together.
Our Worker-Owned Business Program helps residents learn about and create worker cooperatives.
Cooperatives benefit everyone involved by giving employees real decision-making power, shared profits, and the chance to build lasting community wealth.
*Scroll down to learn more and apply for our next academy.*
Why choose a Worker-Owned Business?
Academy Application
Our academy provides education about co-ops and the support you need to launch your own, alongside others from your community.
You’ll learn:
- Benefits of cooperative ownership
- Management skills
- Financial tools
- And more
Details:
Part 1— Foundations of Worker Co-ops
- Starts Sunday, October 12
- 3 – 6 pm
- Weekly for 4 weeks
- In-person at Miami Workers Center
Part 2 — Building Your Co-op*
- Starts Thursday, Nov 6
- 6 – 9 pm
- Online
- Weekly for 4 weeks (no session on Nov 27)
*Miami Workers Center participants who are joining existing co-ops do not need to attend Part 2.
Applications are due by October 8!
(NOTE: After you sign up here, please fill out the full form on the next page to complete your application.)
Learn more
"More worker-owners in the U.S. means better pay, benefits and workplaces... When low-wage workers become worker-owners, their income is 22% higher and their individual wealth increases by 17%, as compared to their non-owner peers."
- Project Equity (opens in a new tab)
We’re catalyzing a local economy that benefits everyone by building an ecosystem of worker-owned businesses.
Helpful links:
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Download our flyer in English, Spanish, or Haitian Creole to learn more about the impact of our program. (These links open as PDFs.)
- Click here to learn more about worker cooperatives. (Opens in a new tab)
"Working with Catalyst Miami’s incubator program was a foundational part of launching Mingaco Healing Cooperative. From day one, their commitment to economic justice and collective ownership aligned deeply with our values. The program gave us not only the tools and structure to build a worker-owned cooperative, but also the support to do it in a way that centers healing, reciprocity, and community care.
We’re especially grateful to De'Sean, Charlene, Ahmed, and Shayna for their insight, patience, and steady encouragement. Their guidance helped turn our vision into something real—and rooted."
- Mingaco
"Working with Catalyst Miami’s incubator program was a foundational part of launching Mingaco Healing Cooperative. From day one, their commitment to economic justice and collective ownership aligned deeply with our values. The program gave us not only the tools and structure to build a worker-owned cooperative, but also the support to do it in a way that centers healing, reciprocity, and community care.
We’re especially grateful to De'Sean, Charlene, Ahmed, and Shayna for their insight, patience, and steady encouragement. Their guidance helped turn our vision into something real—and rooted."
- Mingaco
"The support of the co-op program has been nothing short of amazing. We’ve been greatly impacted and feel greatly appreciative of all the support we’ve gotten through this program, everything we’ve been able to learn, and how we’ve been able to put it all together in a way that makes sense for us. It’s been really helpful to have an external team supporting us and figuring out how to grow a business in a way that upholds our values."
- Sam and Rebecca of CombCutters
"The support of the co-op program has been nothing short of amazing. We’ve been greatly impacted and feel greatly appreciative of all the support we’ve gotten through this program, everything we’ve been able to learn, and how we’ve been able to put it all together in a way that makes sense for us. It’s been really helpful to have an external team supporting us and figuring out how to grow a business in a way that upholds our values."
- Sam and Rebecca of CombCutters
