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2023 Member Grants Committee |
Thank you for your interest in being on the 2023 Member Grants Committee to review and recommend grant applicants for our Co-op Seedling Grants Program! This Grant Program offers grants of $500 - $7,500 to Vermont non-profits working on innovative local food system projects. The Co-op is in our 9th year of this Grants Program and we're excited to see what projects are on this year's applications! You can find more information about this program on our website here: https://www.citymarket.coop/co-op-seedling-grants.
How are these grants usually funded? As a community-owned food cooperative, City Market acts as a non-profit when we account for the profit we make from sales to our Members. Each profitable year, our General Manager recommends a Patronage Dividend to our Board of Directors. A portion of this Dividend is returned through a Patronage Refund check to eligible Members each November, based on their spending from the prior fiscal year. According to City Market’s By-Laws, any Patronage Refunds that are not cashed within 90 days of issuance are donated to organizations supporting our local food system, as directed by our Board. In 2014, City Market created a new program to offer grants through our uncashed Patronage Refund checks.
How are these grants usually funded? As a community-owned food cooperative, City Market acts as a non-profit when we account for the profit we make from sales to our Members. Each profitable year, our General Manager recommends a Patronage Dividend to our Board of Directors. A portion of this Dividend is returned through a Patronage Refund check to eligible Members each November, based on their spending from the prior fiscal year. According to City Market’s By-Laws, any Patronage Refunds that are not cashed within 90 days of issuance are donated to organizations supporting our local food system, as directed by our Board. In 2014, City Market created a new program to offer grants through our uncashed Patronage Refund checks.
What's different this year? We anticipate that it will take several years for the Co-op to return to profitability after opening the South End store in November 2017. So for the next several years, the Co-op Seedling Grants Program will be funded through our Rally for Change program. The Grants Program will be the 50% Rally for Change partner for four separate months in FY 2022 and FY 2023 to fund next year's Grants Program.
How are Committee Members selected? We're looking for a committee of 6 to 8 Members & staff to meet three times in July and August of 2023 to review grant applications and recommend funding decisions to City Market's Board of Directors. The application process for the Member Grant Committee will close on Friday, June 9th at 5pm and Committee Members will be chosen (and notified) by Monday, June 26. Committee Members will need to be available to meet on three separate dates in July and August.
It is our intent to select 1 to 2 additional Members to round out our Committee. Applying Members should have an interest in our community non-profits and the local food system. For questions on this process, please contact Carrie Putscher, Assistant Education and Outreach Manager, at 861-9757 or cputscher@citymarket.coop.
How are Committee Members selected? We're looking for a committee of 6 to 8 Members & staff to meet three times in July and August of 2023 to review grant applications and recommend funding decisions to City Market's Board of Directors. The application process for the Member Grant Committee will close on Friday, June 9th at 5pm and Committee Members will be chosen (and notified) by Monday, June 26. Committee Members will need to be available to meet on three separate dates in July and August.
It is our intent to select 1 to 2 additional Members to round out our Committee. Applying Members should have an interest in our community non-profits and the local food system. For questions on this process, please contact Carrie Putscher, Assistant Education and Outreach Manager, at 861-9757 or cputscher@citymarket.coop.