About KDC
Our Team
Board of Directors
Client Highlights
Client List
Partners
Partners
The Keystone Development Center recognizes that successful business development requires partnerships and that all relevant voices need to be included as early in the process as possible. We seek the advice, participation, expertise, and assistance of representatives of business, industry, educational institutions, and the federal government along with state and local governments.  Each relationship is unique.  KDC has an active and fruitful working relationship with a variety of organizations.
Governance Partnerships
Our governance partners have been involved with the organization and development of KDC.  Representatives from these organizations have played a significant role in the success of KDC. 

  • The Adams Electric Cooperative’s support was critical in KDC opening its doors for business as the co-op donated the office space in York, PA for our headquarters. They continue to donate this space as an in-kind contribution. 
  • The State Departments of Agriculture including the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture have supported KDC in various forms. PDA helped found KDC and each year contributes support in the form of resources from their various programs, staff time, and conference facilities. PDA and NJDA are an important source of clients for KDC as many times they are the first point of contact for a group wanting to form a cooperative.  We have a representative from PDA on our Board of Directors.
  • University Extension Services in our region are an important client referral and source of technical assistance. The Pennsylvania State Extension has supported KDC in many forms.  A County Extension Director was a founding member of the KDC Board of Directors.  For 8 years, he served as President of the Board.  We also have partnered with University of Maryland Cooperative Extension and Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Educators in various roles including work as local facilitators with clients and serving on KDC’s Board of Directors
  • The Pennsylvania Farmers Union (PFU) was part of the original KDC-founding group of organizations.  Several representatives from PFU have been on the board including the current Executive Director.  In the past KDC and PFU have shared several projects surrounding forestry and forest-based cooperatives.
Regional Partnerships  
Each client project has an appropriate configuration of partners and advisors who assist with organizational development, technical needs, and resource acquisition. Partners include organizations such as the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Resource Conservation and Development Districts, and University Extensions.
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  • The Blair County Conservation District 
  • Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
  • Common Roots
  • Rural Maryland Council (RMC) 
  • Pittsburgh Citywide Taskforce on Employee Ownership (PaCEO)
National Partnerships
As a leader in the field, KDC is always working with other practitioners to identify and propagate best practices.​
  • In addition to business development, KDC provides leadership among cooperative developers through Cooperation Works! (CW!), a national network of cooperative developers.  KDC staff have served as board members, officers, and trainers in the professional development program as our contribution to national leadership.  
  • National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) was founded in 1916, the National Cooperative Business Association, is the oldest not-for-profit cooperative development and trade association in the United States, fostering cooperative and international economic and social development in the United States and abroad. Their mission is to develop, advance, and protect cooperative enterprise; NCBA's work highlights the impact that cooperatives have in the economic success of communities around the world. Internationally, their mission is to alleviate poverty through economic and social empowerment.
  • Democracy At Work Institute (DAWI) The mission of the Democracy at Work Institute is to expand the worker cooperative model to meet the needs of workers locked out of good jobs and ownership opportunities, especially BIPOC, recent immigrant, and low-­wage workforces. 
United States Department of Agriculture
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United States Department of Agriculture Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) are made for the primary purpose of improving the economic condition of rural areas through the development of new cooperatives and improving operations of existing cooperatives. This is done by supporting cooperative development centers whose objectives are to provide technical assistance services, including feasibility analysis. In turn the Cooperative Development Centers assist individual groups with various forms of technical assistance. Our principal funding source is the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG).  Through this grant we are able to fund and staff a business-development center focused on cooperative businesses.  Start-up cooperative groups are our primary clients.  In many cases, our technical support is provided pro bono.  In the cases when it is not, we have a fee-for-service capacity.  When a client is fee-for-service, the eligibility restrictions that follow the RCDG do not apply. 
RCDG Background
  • The Rural Technology and Cooperative Development Grant Program (RTCDG) was authorized by section 210B(f) through (h) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932 Act.).
  • The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act (FAIR) of 1996, P.L. 104- 127, removed "technology" from RTCDG, thereby directing the focus of the program specifically to cooperative development. The FAIR Act also modified application requirements and selective criteria.
  • The final rule for Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program was published August 7, 1997 (62- FR 42385-91).
  • The RCDG program is administered by Cooperative Services, Rural Business Cooperative Service.
  • Eligible applicants are nonprofit corporations including institutions of higher education.
  • Applications are solicited annually and scored according to defined selection criteria.

Other USDA Grants Include:

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG)
Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) 
Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG)