$87K awarded in Farmers Market Grants
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards $87K in Farmers Market Grants
76 markets and 34 farmers in Ill., Minn. and Wis. received grant awards
Sun Prairie, Wis., (April 17, 2023) – Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded Farmers Market Grants, totaling $87,103. This is the fifth year Compeer Financial has offered these grants.
The grants are supporting 77 farmers market organizations, with funding up to $1,000 for marketing, technology or educational efforts. 36 farmer vendors received grants of up to $500. Since the grant debuted in 2019, these grants have directly impacted 10,173 people and touched the lives of 9 million farmers market visitors.
Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial, says they are seeing trends from grant recipients this year.
“Marketing continues to be the most needed resource for both vendors and markets,” said Schieler. “Vendors are doing more to brand their businesses and build connections with farmers. Market organizations are continually relying on different media channels to reach a broader population of the community.”
Farmers markets are also investing in technology to expand payment options with SNAP benefits through EBT and credit card payments. This year’s markets report that farmer vendors make up 45% of their total vendors. Having a balance of farmers and other vendors helps attract more customers to the market. 2023 farmer grant recipients say that farmers market sales account for more than 50% of their annual sales on average.
“Farmers markets bring fresh, healthy foods directly to communities in an accessible way,” said Schieler. “Many markets have had to make changes through technology, marketing and education in recent years. Through these grants, we hope to recognize the huge asset that farmers markets are to our communities.”
The 77 farmers markets in Compeer Financial’s territory receiving grants include:
Illinois
61st Street Farmers Market (Chicago)
Avon's Farmers Market
Batavia Farmers' Market
Carthage Farmer's Market
Downtown Bloomington Farmers' Market
Downtown Elgin Farmers Market
Downtown Evanston Farmers' Market
Downtown Pontiac Farmers Market
Elmwood Farmers Market
Farmers Market+ At The Dole (Crystal Lake)
Galesburg Farmers Market
Glenwood Sunday Market (Chicago)
Homewood Farmer Market
Lanark Farmers Market
Lisle French Market
Macomb Farmers Market
Main Street Farmers Market Downtown Aledo
Mt. Sterling Farmer's Market
Quincy Town Center Farmer's Market
Ravinia Farmers Market (Highland Park)
Riverside Farmers' Market
Rockford City Market
Rockford Midtown Market
Stephenson County Farmers Market (Freeport)
Stronghurst Farmers Market
The Dixon Farmer's Market
Uptown Farmers Market (Chicago)
Wicker Park Farmers Market (Chicago)
Minnesota
Aitkin Farmers Market
Audubon Farmers Market (Minneapolis)
Cambridge Farmers Market
Cannon Falls Farmers Market at Artisan Plaza
Cannon Valley Farmers' Market (Northfield)
Chisago City Farmers Market
Cold Spring Farmers Market
Cuyuna Range Farmers Market (Crosby)
Eagan Market Fest
Lake City Market by the Lake
Lanesboro Farmers Market
Lewiston Area Farmer's Market
Lincoln Park Farmers Market (Duluth)
Mahtomedi Area Farmers' Market
Mankato Farmers Market
Neighborhood Roots (Kingfield Farmers Market, Minneapolis)
Red Wing Area Farmers Market Association
Rice Area Farmers Market
Richfield Farmers Market
Richmond Farmers Market
Riverwalk Market Fair (Northfield)
Saint Paul Farmers' Market (Lakeville)
St. Cloud Area Farmers Market
The Village Farmers Market (Rochester)
Wabasha Downtown Farmers Market
Wisconsin
Beaver Dam Farmers Market
Boscobel Farmers' Market
Burnett County Farmers Market (Siren)
Columbus - Fall River - Rio Community Family Market
Downtown Fond du Lac Farmers Market (Whitehall)
Farmers Garden Market
Frederic Farmers Market
Future Neenah Farmers Market
Greendale Downtown Market
Hudson Farmers Market @ Plaza 94
Independence Farmers Market
Monday Market at the Y (Chippewa Falls)
New Glarus Farmers Market
Ontario Farmer's Market
Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market, Inc.
Osseo Farmers Market
Paoli Mill Farmer's Market (Belleville)
Prairie du Chien Thursday Night Farmers Market
Richland Area Farmers’ Market (Richland Center)
Stoughton Community Farmers Market
TCC Farmers Market (Hartford)
The Farmers Market at Town Square (Green Lake)
Viroqua Farmers Market
Westside Community Market (Madison)
The grants will be offered again next year. Starting in 2024, market organizations will be eligible for the grant every other year. Farmer vendors who are clients of Compeer will continue to be eligible every year, with priority given to those who have not previously received the grant. Learn more at compeer.com/giving-back.
About the Fund for Rural America
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of agricultural advocacy and development, agriculture education, cooperative initiatives, rural development and community enrichment; and youth engagement. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $29.7 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial’s scholarship program.
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