The Institutional Development Services or IDS program is an initiative to help community-run and member- oriented organizations like cooperatives flourish. IDS itself is an “organizational diagnostic methodology” created to guide the board, staff, and its members in collaboratively identifying problems, opportunities, and strategic actions to address the negatives that happen within the institution and keep the cooperative in the line of progress. And, to increase the cooperative’s chances to positively perform, this method also acts as a benchmarking tool that can help the coop members measure and compare the success of their policies and practices closely with other associations.

IDS serves to help cooperatives in staying true with their obligation of satisfying their members’ best interest. Therefore, the execution of proper training of coop leaders, staff and members on IDS is one of the important matters to consider. This material provides the necessary references and sources the facilitator may need to effectively deliver IDS to interested group who may seek help. Complete with the basic rationale, methods, and concepts, this manual can be a helpful tool for the IDS trainers in the future.