Carolina Common Enterprise originated in 2012 when Becky Bowen, a current member of CCE’s Board of Directors, and Thomas Beckett decided to address the absence of dedicated, statewide support and development assistance for cooperative enterprises in North Carolina.

They organized CCE to be a full service Cooperative Development Center as defined by the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant program. In addition to training and technical assistance, CCE provided education and outreach about the cooperative business model, and develops proactive co-op projects such as rural grocery access research.

With more than a decade of experience, Carolina Common Enterprise has become the backbone of the cooperative ecosystem in North Carolina. We are a general resource for people who want to start a co-op in their community.