Network of worker-owned businesses set up from 2008–09 in Cleveland's Greater University Circle with hospital and university anchor institutions as customers, aiming to build equity for low-income residents.
Evergreen grew out of the Cleveland Foundation's Greater University Circle Initiative (2005). With the City, the Democracy Collaborative and anchors such as the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, it launched worker cooperatives around what anchors buy: Evergreen Cooperative Laundry (2009), Evergreen Energy Solutions (2011) and Green City Growers, a greenhouse. Workers can join after a year and receive equity and profit-based patronage. REDF (2015) found anchor sales below plan: 110 jobs against a goal of 1,000, with the greenhouse under capacity. Green City Growers was sold in 2022; Evergreen's Fund for Employee Ownership now buys existing firms (LEFCO Worthington, 2023), and a second laundry opened in Collinwood in 2018.
REDF (2015) counted 110 jobs and three businesses against a goal of 10 and 1,000; by 2014 the laundry and solar firm were profitable, the greenhouse was not. Since 2022 growth has come mainly from acquiring existing firms.
Evergreen began in 2008–09 as an initiative of the Cleveland Foundation and the City with anchor institutions (Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University), with businesses chosen to serve what the anchors purchase.[1][2][3]
REDF (2015) reported that anchor sales were lower than envisioned because of long-term supplier contracts, union concerns, operating capacity and weak links with procurement managers; the network had created 110 jobs against a goal of 1,000.[1][2]
Green City Growers was sold to Local Roots Cleveland in 2022; Evergreen's Fund for Employee Ownership has since acquired existing firms such as LEFCO Worthington (2023) and expanded the laundry in 2025.[1][2]
In 2025 Evergreen's CEO said the nonprofit holds voting rights and control to prevent buyouts, with employee-owners receiving 80% of annual profits; the laundry reported $25m revenue and $1.5m distributed in 2023.[1]