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On November 5th, 2025, 130+ CPA co-op leaders convened at the Festival Center to celebrate our collective work together over the past year. Our DC Annual Meeting gave us a front-row seat to what democratic ownership and collective problem-solving looks like in action.
Throughout the evening we hammered home our theme (along with fans clacking): our co-op has “boots on the ground.” What does that mean to us? It means that members are deeply rooted in our communities, practice enduring mutual aid and know how to weather a storm. We believe that even if things get harder, even if there are more layoffs, more budget cuts, more instability… we are still stronger if we are in it together.
This year’s CPA MA Annual Meeting was our second yearly gathering as a new cooperative of organizations and supporters building power through our collective spending. But it was also more than that. Together, we created a space to celebrate the power of “we.” From the moment attendees arrived at the historic Trinity Church Boston, the energy was electric. Conversations flowed easily, old friends reconnected, and new partnerships began to form.
This summer, staff from the Community Purchasing Alliance Co-op attended the largest gathering of charter school leaders in the country at the National Charter School Conference (NCSC).
We spoke with charter leaders all conference long about some of the challenges that they face in their work. From a changing regulatory landscape, to safety concerns and rising costs – there is no shortage of worries on school operations leaders’ minds.
In spring 2025, organizations across DC, Maryland, and Ohio found themselves facing unexpected news: a dramatic, across-the-board spike in electricity supply costs beginning in June. For budget-constrained nonprofits—schools, congregations, and community institutions alike—this presented more than a budget line adjustment. It became a source of uncertainty and concern at precisely the time of year when annual budgets are being finalized. What caused this sudden increase? More importantly, what could we do about it?