Consumer cooperation in Russia is a crucial component of the economy, fostering the prosperity of its members through various activities such as trade, manufacturing, procurement, and agriculture. The distinct role of the cooperative system in Russia lies in its social mission, contributing to the development of social infrastructure in rural areas and working towards ensuring food security for the population in those territories. Despite the consistent growth in economic indicators across all areas of cooperative activities, the contemporary challenges in the country’s economy adversely affect cooperation. The Central Union of Consumer Societies of the Russian Federation (Centrosoyuz) has formulated a Development Program for Consumer Cooperation for 2023–2027, encompassing targeted objectives across all cooperative activities. The program aims to establish constant collaboration with federal and regional government bodies, financial institutions, trade unions, and associations of the cooperative and business community, private companies, and the development of cooperation within the framework of the International Cooperative Alliance. The program envisions active participation from all stakeholders in its implementation, involving the creation and development of innovative projects, the establishment of points for economic growth, and collaboration with small and medium businesses, as well as federal campaigns. The achievement of program goals will be facilitated by the trend of involving cooperators in project activities, which will positively impact the sustainable development of the consumer cooperative system. The research highlights the fundamental aspects of project activities as a mechanism for the sustainable development of cooperatives.