$85K awarded in Farmers Market Grants
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards $85K in Farmers Market Grants
72 markets and 32 farmers in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin received grant awards
Sun Prairie, Wis., (April 23, 2024) – Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded Farmers Market Grants, totaling $85,088. This is the sixth year Compeer Financial has offered these grants.
The grants are supporting 72 farmers market organizations, with funding up to $1,000 for marketing, technology or educational efforts. Since the program debuted in 2019, these grants have directly impacted 12,463 people and touched the lives of more than nine million farmers market visitors.
“We couldn’t be more excited to provide funding to these 72 farmers markets,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial. “Fresh produce should be accessible to all, and these grants help both farmers and consumers. Shopping at farmers markets supports local agriculture and provides the consumer with as fresh of produce as possible. It’s a win-win!”
The 72 farmers markets in Compeer Financial’s territory receiving grants include:
Illinois
Andersonville Farmers Market (Chicago) |
Aurora Farmers Market |
Canton Farmers Market |
Chicago’s Green City Market Program |
Eden Place Farmers Market (Chicago) |
Edgebrook Farmers Market (Rockford) |
Garfield Park Neighborhood Market (Chicago) |
Glenview Farmer's Market at Historic Wagner Farm |
Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce Farmers & Outdoor Market |
Lincoln Square Farmers Market (Chicago) |
Mercado de Colores de La Villita (Chicago) |
North End City Market (Rockford) |
North Lawndale Community Market (Chicago) |
Northcenter Farmers Market (Chicago) |
Oswego Country Market |
Peoria RiverFront Market |
QC Farmers Market (Rock Island) |
Tinley Park Farmers Market |
Twin City Farmers Market (Sterling) |
Woodstock Farmers Market |
Minnesota
Albert Lea Farmers Market |
Big Lake Farmers Market |
Central Hillside Farmers Market (Duluth) |
Civic Center Farmers' Market (Duluth) |
Crystal Farmers Market |
Eyota's Farmers Market |
Four Sisters Farmers Market (Minneapolis) |
Goodview Farmers Market |
Hopkins Farmers Market |
Hutchinson Farmers Market |
Lake Minnetonka Excelsior Farmers Market |
Lakes Area Farmers Market (Brainerd) |
Little Falls Farmers Market |
Luverne Farmers Market |
New Prague Farmers Market |
New Ulm Farmers Market |
North Mankato Farmers' Market |
Pipestone Farmers Market |
Rochester Farmers Market |
Simple Living Farmers Market (Spring Grove) |
St. Joseph Farmers Market |
St. Peter Farmers' Market |
Two Harbors Farmers Market |
West Side Farmers Market (St. Paul) |
Worthington Farmer's Market |
Wisconsin
Albany Farmers Market |
Baldwin Farmers Market |
Belleville WI Farmers Market |
Burlington Farmers Market, Inc. |
DeForest Farmers' Market |
Dodgeville Farmers Market |
Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market |
Ellsworth Farmers Market |
Farmers and Artisans River Market (Marshall) |
Fondy Farmers Market (Milwaukee) |
Galesville Farmer's & Artisan's Market |
Gays Mills Farmers' Market |
Horicon Farmers Market |
Jackson County Farmers Market (Black River Falls) |
Jackson Park Farmers Market (Milwaukee) |
Main Street Monroe Farmers Market |
Menomonee Falls Village Market |
Meyer Oak Grove Market |
Monroe Street Farmers Market (Madison) |
Platteville Farmer's Market, Inc |
Potosi Tennyson Market |
Ridgeway Farmers Market |
SCIO Farmers Market (Sheboygan) |
Spring Street Market (Lodi) |
The Camp Douglas Farmer's Market |
Verona Downtown Farmers' Market |
Washburn Farmers Market |
The grants will be offered again in 2025. Beginning this year, market organizations are 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 $31.9 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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