Getting Free Together: How Spring Up Transformed Their Finances with Seed Commons and RMEOC

Colorful. Liberating. Rooted in consent, accountability, and transformation.

That’s Spring Up—a Denver-based, majority Black and queer worker cooperative founded in 2013 and collectively owned by nine members. Spring Up teaches and practices the skills to be free together through generative conflict, shared power, and collective decision-making. Rooted in a deep commitment to liberation and care, their work spans facilitation, mediation, and coaching—including their bluelight academy of the liberatory arts Academy of the Liberatory Arts, a learning community comprising classes and retreats on diverse topics.

Learn more about them in their podcast: Getting Free Together

Recently, Spring Up took a big step toward financial sustainability by receiving a non-extractive loan from Seed Commons, through RMEOC’s partnership with this national financial cooperative that deploys capital through local peer networks like ours. 

We invited Spring Up to share their experience accessing a loan from Seed Commons. Here’s what they had to say:

What led you to seek funding from Seed Commons?

“From 2019-2023 we experienced fluctuating revenue and delays in accounting resulting in us not having accurate numbers to save for taxes, and a revenue deficit as we focused on our team’s capacity building of 8 new members. This looked like saving for our taxes, not having an accurate number to pay on time, then needing to spend those savings on our operating budget when we faced revenue shortfalls. Once this delay began, it was hard to catch up even though we had already paid off ⅓ of the debt by the time we reached out to Seed Commons for funding support. We used the funding from Seed Commons to refinance this debt.”

What can you tell us about the loan you received through Seed Commons, and how will it support your work? 

“Receiving this funding support has already made a big difference for our team - refinancing from an extractive debt relationship with compounding interest to a values-aligned non-extractive funder has relieved so much stress and prompted important conversations within our team about sustainability and financial planning. Seed Commons and RMEOC have felt like a true partner - interested in our wellbeing, providing resources and tools to plan and discuss our finances transparently with one another, and amplifying our work and reach.” 

How would you describe your experience with the loan process for others considering funding through RMEOC as a peer of Seed Commons?

“This loan process has honestly been healing - it is a radically different process than working with other funders, and feels like connecting with a values-aligned network that is genuinely interested in our team’s wellbeing and our work’s sustainability. We wish we had pursued this earlier on!” 

What impact do you hope this funding will have on your organization and the communities you serve?

“This funding can support our team in supporting our ecosystem with more of a sense of abundance and grounded confidence rather than scarcity. We can double down on our commitments to accessibility and popular education by continuing to extend scholarships to directly impacted people in our communities, providing free resources to the public, and investing in our growth and mutual aid as a network of care workers. We also feel more confident in our two year expansion from 3 member owners to 9!”

Groups like Spring Up are truly transformative—cultivating freedom, nurturing collaboration, and offering essential education for collective liberation. Their mission inspires, but their reality reflects a challenge many worker cooperatives face: they are still businesses, and the financial pressures of running them are real. 

That’s why non-extractive financing solutions like Seed Commons are not just helpful—they're essential. For cooperatives, grassroots organizations, and community-led initiatives, access to capital often comes with strings attached: distrust, high interest rates, high fees, and rigid repayment terms. Therefore, non-extractive financial practices are necessary to ensure that such groups can continue to focus on their mission and achieve their goals without being burdened by the ruthless reality of traditional lending.

🌟 Explore Their Summer Programs

Spring Up’s summer lineup at the bluelight academy features vibrant, justice-centered courses.

Use code coopsummer code for a community discount. Scholarships are available. Spanish interpretation is offered with two weeks’ notice.

About RMEOC + Seed Commons

At RMEOC, we’re proud to be a peer fund of Seed Commons, a national cooperative of non-extractive lenders. We believe in building an economy rooted in justice, care, and collective ownership. Together, we support democratically governed businesses with capital that empowers rather than exploits.

Ready to fund your vision of transformation? Reach out to us—we’re here to help.