In 1998 a U.C Center for Cooperatives Survey on the U.S. West Coast generated 647 responses from 963 known cooperatives. These included agricultural, childcare, consumer, housing, worker, utility, arts and crafts and funeral cooperatives. Respondents provided substantial information on revenues, membership, givernance, education, history, and legal organization.

The focus of the survey and this report is on challenges faced by cooperatives. Respondents, typically general managers or their respresentatives, were asked to examine 16 issues of periodic concern to cooperatives and indicate which were major issues for their cooperatives furing each of three different periods: 1) since 1995, 2) 1988-95, and 3) pre-1988.