Employee ownership resources

All of the following organizations help advance the cause of employee ownership. Donations and dues fund staff positions for lobbying efforts and education. And the number of members increases the importance of these organizations in the view of elected officials. Some organizations, like the National Center for Employee Ownership and The ESOP Association, as well as the Ohio Employee Ownership Center, have existed for decades. And a number of new state centers for employee ownership are now becoming active across the country.

The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) is a nonprofit organization, established in 1981, whose mission is to provide practical resources and objective, reliable information about employee ownership to businesses, employees, and the public. Our members include companies, professional practitioners, government officials, academics, and others. Membership brings you into the employee ownership community and provides many benefits, but nonmembers can also make use of many of our resources on ESOPs, equity compensation, and ownership culture. Click here to join.

The ESOP Association (TEA), founded in 1978, is the largest employer-sponsored advocacy and education association focused on retirement savings in America. It is a national non-profit membership organization, with 18 local Chapters, serving approximately 2,900 employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) companies, professionals with a commitment to ESOPs, and companies considering the implementation of an ESOP. The Association’s focus is on preserving and promoting employee stock ownership through the ESOP structure. Enhancing laws before Congress and regulatory agencies that govern ESOPs and providing its members with expert educational ESOP programming and information are its main concentrations. Click here to join. And click here to find out about the TEA chapter in your state.

The Employee Ownership Foundation (EOF), a 501(c)3 affiliate of the ESOP Association, supports programs that will increase the level of awareness and appreciation of the benefits of employee ownership and increase the number of employees who have access to this benefit. EOF has made a difference by funding research and fellowships in major U.S. universities, partnering with the Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Education to develop curriculum and case studies for graduate schools, public outreach campaigns, and educational scholarships. Click here to donate.

The Employee Ownership Expansion Network is a national nonprofit focused on significantly expanding employee ownership across the United States by establishing and supporting a network of independent nonprofit State Centers for Employee Ownership. They see employee ownership as a critical tool to help reduce income and wealth disparity, increasing community wealth, and creating a more vibrant, participatory economy. Click here to donate.

The Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA) is the voice in Washington, DC that speaks exclusively for employee-owned S corporations (“S ESOPs”). Since 1998, ESCA’s membership has grown to represent more than 190,000 employee-owners in virtually every state in the nation. ESCA company members engage in a broad spectrum of business activities and are a variety of sizes – from 25-person businesses to companies with 9,000+ employee-owners – but all have one thing in common: a commitment to protecting the S corporation ESOP structure and promoting it so that more working Americans can become employee-owners. As an organization that is both company-sponsored and company-directed, ESCA is a reflection of the members it represents. ESCA’s government affairs efforts are led by a team of highly-regarded political and legal professionals who work at the direction of ESCA’s leadership, comprised of member companies. Click here to join.

The California Center for Employee Ownership (CCEO) provides information and resources to promote a better understanding of employee ownership in California. Our resources can help you determine if employee ownership is a good option for your company, whether you're looking to sell all or part of your business, create a market for company shares, engage your employees, attract and retain talent, or are just interested in the concept. Click here to visit their website.

The mission of the Indiana Center for Employee Ownership (INCEO) is to promote better understanding of the values of employee ownership among business leaders, public officials, employees, members of the media, students, academics/academic institutions, consumers, and other persons and organizations in Indiana. Click here to visit their website.

The New Jersey/New York Center for Employee Ownership (NJ/NYCEO) promotes better understanding of the values of employee ownership among business leaders, public officials, employees, members of the media, students, teachers, nonprofit leaders, consumers, and other persons and organizations in New Jersey and New York. Click here to visit their website.

The Ohio Employee Ownership Center, a non-profit outreach center of Kent State University, supports the development of business across Ohio and around the world by its efforts that are proven to save jobs, create wealth, and grow the economy. The OEOC’s work rests on a simple philosophy: broader ownership of productive assets is a good thing for employees, communities, and our country. Click here to visit their website.