How the GROW Fund Works:

Using the interest generated by our participation in the Cooperative Community Fund, The Food Co-op will offer small grants to qualifying, local nonprofits to help them grow a healthy community. The interest this year is $1485.

Each year The Food Co-op will contribute to our GROW Fund in the following ways:

1. We will add any un-cashed member patronage dividends.

2. We will add any patronage dividends The Food Co-op receives as members of other cooperatives (like National Co+op of Grocers (NCG).

3. We will add up to $5,000 per year as determined by the general manager.

We plan to focus our grant giving to local Jefferson County nonprofits and co-ops that fit within our four pillars of community sharing:

1. Improving food access

2. Sustainable agriculture, land and sea stewardship

3. Healthy kids, families and animals

4. Supporting the cooperative model

Each year on August 1st, we will announce the new cycle, giving nonprofits and cooperatives four weeks to complete a simple grant application to be submitted by August 31st. In mid-September, we will convene a team of five, comprised of the following:

1. A Co-op staff person who is also a local cultivator

2. A Co-op board member who is also on the Community Engagement Committee (CEC).

3. The general manager

4. The marketing manager

5. A member at large - EMAIL Marketing@FoodCoop.Coop if you are interested in sitting on this panel.

The team will meet to review the applications and make a decision based upon criteria (to be developed in the first year). Decisions will be made by a 4/5 vote of the team and announced in October.