Weaver Street Market gives grants each year to local nonprofits for community projects that focus on “Access to Healthy Food.”
The grants come from our Cooperative Community Fund (CCF), a sustainable endowment fund for community donations. WSM grows the endowment fund through contributions from owners and shoppers, including the purchase of Hope for the Holiday products, proceeds from the April and October wine shows, and donated owner dividends and shares. In 2017, the fund gained $19,700 from ticket proceeds from our wine shows, $13,400 from Hope for the Holidays purchases, and $8250 from donated dividends and shares. The endowment’s current value is $233,000.
Each spring, a committee composed of consumer-owners and worker-owners evaluates the grant applications and selects the recipients. Since its first grant award in 2006, the CCF has awarded grants to 32 local nonprofit organizations for a total of $29,700. The grants are paid from the annual interest accrued on the endowment fund.
In 2015, WSM refocused the grant awards to “Access to Healthy Food.” Previously grants focused on issues related to hunger and malnutrition, sustainable agriculture and organic food, environmental protection, and cooperatives. Click here for a list of Cooperative Community Fund Grant Recipients.