MCIC Monthly Update for January 2026
Preparing for our Stock Offerings
The initial phase of legal research on MCIC’s stock offering is now complete. We can obtain an exemption from federal filing requirements with the SEC by offering shares only to Idaho residents, but we will need to register our offering at the state level. The MCIC Board has engaged an Idaho-based law firm with securities expertise to navigate the process. While this may require additional preparation and up-front costs, completing state-level registration will provide our Board and members with confidence that we have a solid legal foundation to launch MCIC’s initial capital campaign.
Fundraising Update
MCIC has received over $24,600 in direct donations toward start‑up costs!
Thank you to the 68 couples and individuals who have contributed, bringing us to $24,649. Thank you again for your generous support!
Contributions to start‑up costs can be made by checks payable to MCIC and mailed to:
MCIC PO BOX 8596
Moscow, ID 83843
Board Member Spotlight
Ben Calabretta – MCIC Board President
Ben serves as the director of the Washington State University Center for Civic Engagement, where he leads WSU’s community engagement efforts. He graduated with Education degrees from the University of Idaho in 2003 and 2005. Over the past 15 years, his responsibilities at WSU have included campus and community partnerships, student engagement, service-learning, democratic engagement, assessment, and student success initiatives. A lifelong Idahoan, Ben lives in Moscow with his family and has been involved in the Palouse region communities for 25 years, serving on various boards and commissions, and volunteering with non-profit organizations. He is excited to be a part of the Moscow Community Investment Co-op and looks forward to helping strengthen the Moscow community!
Cooperative Principle of the Month
MCIC is based on the cooperative values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. Our members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. We will put our values into practice by adhering to the seven cooperative principles.
Principle #2 – MCIC will be a democratic organization controlled by its members/owners who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. Our members will have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and those serving as elected representatives on the MCIC Board of Directors will be accountable to the entire membership of the cooperative.
Fun Fact – Downtown Moscow
Downtown Moscow has always been the city’s economic heart, with many century-old commercial buildings still supporting local shops and services today as part of the Moscow Downtown Historic District¹. The Farmers Market amplifies that activity, generating an estimated $3.9–$5.5 million in annual local economic impact* and supporting 94–128 jobs, largely through spillover spending at nearby downtown businesses². MCIC fits directly into this ecosystem by keeping capital local and strengthening the small businesses and community spaces that make downtown work year-round.
¹ Idaho State Historical Society. Moscow Downtown Historic District (National Register of Historic Places)
*Adjusting for inflation, the impact would be $4.69m – $7.38m in 2025 dollars.
² City of Moscow. 2016 Moscow Farmers Market Economic Impact Study