About Consulting
The USFWC’s Twin Pines offers consulting, facilitation, and workshop services to put our democratic and anti-oppression values into practice.
We collaborate with organizations, businesses, philanthropy, & public and private institutions. Our aim is to support worker-leaders in making their workplace more impactful while growing opportunities for our field.
We draw from our collective experience as a 20+ year old member-based field building organization and our multilingual team with backgrounds as educators, artists, organizers, farmers, resource redistributors, and co-op and organizational leaders to meet our clients’ needs.
Page feature image: Staff and community members of CRECE Urban Farms meet with staff from Black Thumb Farm in Los Angeles, CA to learn about their farm apprenticeship program and talk co-op.
THE TEAM
Our Consulting team includes various USFWC staff members across departments. Depending on the type of work / location / availability, we will assign a qualified USFWC consultant for the project during the proposal phase.
Our team resides on the ancestral unceded Indigenous peoples’ lands including the Powhatan (aka District of Columbia), Fernandeño-Tataviam & Tongva (aka Los Angeles, CA), Piscataway, Pamunkey, Nanichoke, Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan, and Lenape (aka Philadelphia, PA) and Saura, Catawba , Cherokee, Lumbee, Shakori, Eno, Sissipahaw, and Occaneechi (aka Winstom-Salem, NC).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR WORK
Our clients & speaking engagements
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To produce a plan that all of us could use and that would both guide and support us in our capacity-building, the consultant created a space for us to show up fully, allowing for deep learning all around. They used our feedback in those meetings to amend and refine the strategic planning docs so that they met our needs and our capabilities. We learned that there is almost always a way to make something work, thanks to their ability to accommodate us. We really appreciated the consultant showing up as their whole, authentic self, and by doing so, permitting us to do the same.
Consulting Client (on strategic planning and work planning), July 2025
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I think that bringing a different energy to what can be an information and discussion heavy meeting is very important. They excel at that, setting the pace of the talk from the beginning. Also, very much appreciated is the feeling I get that they listen to what we say and ensure that others interpret the information shared the same way.
Retreat Participant (on Strategic Work Planning), Jan 2025
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Eli- you are amazing! You hold the space with such care and intention that I feel that gives people the confidence and comfort to be themselves in the space and be focused on the activities. You have a true gift. Thank you.
Retreat Participant (on Strategic Work Planning), Jan 2025
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I sincerely valued their effort to make sure every opinion was weighed and considered as we discussed ways of getting things done. I am more than happy to have experienced a wonderfully facilitated process marked by respect and shared passion for our project.
Consulting Client (Apprenticeship Design), October 2024
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The USFWC team did a phenomenal job not only introducing the concept of cooperatives to my webinar community, they also were able to share key tools that worker cooperatives use that could be applied to the giving circle space... By the end of the webinar the participants left both with a new facilitation tool, but also with a new curiosity about cooperatives... I cannot recommend this team highly enough.
Training Client (on democratic decision making), Jan 2024
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The entire group has commented several times how professional and helpful our USFWC facilitators were. They reflected back what they heard and saw, they made space for our team, and were excellent examples of showing up as their whole selves. I'm so grateful to have USFWC on this journey with us.
Consulting Client, December 2023
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You are really strong at hearing and synthesizing what's being said or where the struggle is – especially in large virtual groups.
Workshop Participant (on democratic decision making), July 2023
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You are strong facilitators that do a wonderful job of meeting people where they are and advocating for learning in a judgment free zone.
Consulting Client, July 2023
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Each time we gathered with the USFWC team, I experienced personal growth through better recognition of myself and the organization I work for in relation to systemic oppression. I have gained direct knowledge in these trainings as well as gained valuable resources to enable me to continue to learn on my own.
Consulting Client (on Anti-Oppressive Practices), Summer 2023
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Thank you for offering us your grounded and intentional presence. You are always focused and present, and actively listening to the group's stories and needs.
Retreat Participant (on Anti-Oppressive Practices), April 2023
What services does USFWC Twin Pines offer?
Are you in need of a facilitator for your next meeting, retreat, or event?
The USFWC can facilitate your organization's meeting / retreat / event so everyone on your team can participate and you can focus on other important parts!
What can this include?
This includes goal setting w/staff, logistical planning and support for where the retreat should take place and what to be mindful of to create an accessible learning space, designing an engaging agenda w/input from staff, facilitating the staff meeting or retreat in collaboration with staff, drafting an evaluation to help get input from the team present, and facilitating a reflective space for staff leads to share their experience and next steps.
The USFWC has an incredible team of facilitators with backgrounds in popular education, grassroots organizing, youth and adult programming, and anti-oppression facilitation.
Our workshop offerings include:
- We Can Work it Out: Democratic Decision-Making
- Leaning into Accountability & Tension Together
- Histories of Oppression & Collective Resistance
- Building out a Fellowship/Apprenticeship: steps to creating your own
If you have a different topic that you have in mind, please reach out to consulting@usworker.coop. We can design something with you!
The USFWC team consults with organizations to increase effective impact and capacity to get things done in a timely manner. Whether you are merging with another team, designing a new program within your organization, or incorporating new ways of working that increase democratic practices, we help facilitate processes to meet your goals.
Consulting can include a combination of workshops, facilitation of retreats, planning meetings with staff / constituents, and when helpful, tool development to support the work beyond our time together.
Our brilliant USFWC staff members and ED, Esteban Kelly who is AORTA co-founder and long-time solidarity economy movement leader, is available for public speaking opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is ideal to have one or more people within your team who have capacity and decision making power to move this work forward in collaboration with our Consulting team. Ideally, there’s a clear purpose for why you need outside support, and if not, we’ll help you get clear through our intro conversation.
The USFWC Co-op Clinic and Consulting is part of the same team of Training and Education. Our Co-op Clinic offers technical assistance and training services to primarily worker-owned cooperatives through our Peer Advisor Network.
The USFWC Consulting team offers services primarily to non-worker owned businesses and organizations which include philanthropy, nonprofits and collectives who are not worker-owned cooperatives but align with the values and practices of a democratic workplace.
Both members and non-members (with discounts for members) can access the Co-op Clinic and Consulting! If you’re not sure who to reach out to, please email us at consulting@usworker.coop
Our sliding scale ranges for grassroots organizations to more established, well-resourced institutions depending on the services requested. We also offer a discount to members. To get more information about our rates and services, please get in touch at consulting@usworker.coop.
We do not write grants for clients, but can support with a Letter of Interest (LOI), a project budget and simple proposal to support your grant application (ie. private or public funding) or pitch to a philanthropic partner. When possible, we encourage partnering with foundations who already support your work to help cover the project costs! Through this practice, some of our clients have been able to work with us without an additional cost to their organization. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
GETTING STARTED
Click 'Get Started' below to fill out our intake form and let us know what consulting services you are interested in.
Contact Us
If you have any questions before you fill out an intake form, please reach out to consulting [at] usworker [dot] coop! We look forward to getting in touch.