The keystone development center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to sustain communities, economies, and resources through cooperatively owned businesses, aims to meet the goals of improving the…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Keystone Development Center $173,409 under the Rural Cooperative Development Grants program (CFDA 10.771) on September 30, 2025.

Keystone Development Center will deliver technical assistance and educational activities to advance cooperative business development in rural Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Delaware. The project comprises three components: building the ecosystem through co-op academies for business startups and a training-of-trainers program for aspiring cooperative developers; providing technical assistance to startup farmer-owned cooperatives to help them envision, design, fund, and launch; and sustaining existing agricultural cooperatives through assistance in governance, business expansion, membership engagement, and operations.

Performance occurs in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with completion by December 31, 2026. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit's work directly serves rural residents and business owners seeking to establish or strengthen mutually-owned enterprises as economic engines in their communities.

The keystone development center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to sustain communities, economies, and resources through cooperatively owned businesses, aims to meet the goals of improving the economic condition of rural areas in the mid-atlantic states of pennsylvania, maryland, west virginia, new jersey, and delaware. A key driver of economic development that benefits rural communities is knowledge about and successful development of cooperatively owned businesses that meet the needs of rural residents and business owners. We will provide technical assistance to groups to start, expand, or improve cooperatives and mutually owned businesses in rural areas, as well as conduct networking and education activities to advance cooperative business knowledge. KDC will undertake a 3-part project: a) building the ecosystem-KDC will offer multiple CO-OP academies for business start-UPS and a training of trainers for aspiring CO-OP developers, b) start-UPS-KDC will offer technical assistance to start up CO-OPS for farmers, by farmers to envision, design, fund, and launch cooperative businesses, and c) thrive-KDC will help sustain existing agricultural CO-OPS with technical assistance and support for operations in the areas of governance, business expansion, membership engagement, and operations. This will make a lasting difference, as each individual who is involved in a cooperative enterprise learns to work well with their fellows, problem-solve, leverage resources, and create sustainable businesses that act as economic engines in their communities.?