ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes how the Italian cooperative sector is meeting the financial needs of cooperatives. It explains the various methods used by cooperatives to raise finance. The chapter examines how the state has supported cooperatives and the limitations of its actions. It discusses the financial frameworks developed by three Central Associations, including an in-depth analysis of Legacoop's financial network. The chapter also discusses the role performed by two financial consortia that service the whole of the cooperative sector. It discusses the role of popular banks and summarizes the key findings. All the major Central Associations and the Trentino Cooperative Federation have developed their own financial structures to assist cooperatives. Legacoop's financial network is one centered on Coopfond, Consorzio Cooperativo Finanziario per lo Sviluppo (CCFS) and Unipol Group of Companies, supported by local financial structures and various subsidiaries providing real estate, leasing, factoring and management services.
