11-2SG St. John Valley Soil & Water Conservation District
Grant Round:
2011 September
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
2,457.00
Grant amount awarded:
$1,500.00
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
The St. John Valley Soil & Water Conservation District (District) seeks funding to conduct a feasibility study for a local food co-operative. The St. John Valley is located in the northernmost portion of the state of Maine. The District Board of Supervisors has previously identified a number of issues related to sustainable agriculture in the St. John Valley: * The region is at risk for food security, given its geographic location and dependence on food imports. * The agriculture community has decreased in population by 16% since 2003, revealing a transition away from the agrarian-based community of the past. * There are very few food-related social enterprises, e.g. buying clubs, food co-ops, community-supported agriculture operations or farmers markets. * The food banks are having trouble keeping up with the demand for fresh produce. The District has been working under a project titled 'Local Foods for Healthy Tables' that was funded by the Quimby Family Foundation. The issues noted above were the impetus for the project to take root and expand. The primary goal of the project is to get people thinking about their connection to the local agrarian community, and how those ties can be strengthened to achieve communal self-sufficiency in food. Establishing and maintaining a high level of food self-sufficiency can enhance ongoing economic viability. Local production of foods could prove worthwhile to our economy. In implementing the 'Local Foods' project we have found that there is significant interest in a local food co-operative of some sort. So much so that we've gathered a numbered of interested individuals representing both producers and consumers and have loosely formed a committee. We have also found that there are many different types of co-operative businesses ranging from on-line buying clubs to storefront member-owned organizations. What we would like to do with the funding from NEGEF is to survey the local producers and consumers throughout the St. John Valley to determine what their needs are and what type of co-operative would be the best fit for everyone. We want to find out what would be a sustainable option for this area. We intend to do face-to-face interviews with the local producers as we believe this is the best way to obtain their input. The consumer surveys will be conducted by various media including, but not limited to, local newspapers, the District newsletter and website. Once the surveys are complete, we will research the potential infrastructure needed to move forward. We also intend to make the survey results available to the community, thereby providing feedback and adding value to the time invested by any of the contributors. Our next step in the process will be to obtain grant funds/financial assistance to complete an investment quality business plan for the co-operative. We currently have plans to participate in an on-line 'webinar' via the Cooperative Development Institute to view their ‘Co-op 101’ course. They will provide this service free of charge to our committee and then will potentially provide further assistance as the co-op development continues. With the assistance of NEGEF the District will continue to work towards the goal of connecting local producers and consumers and increasing the accessibility of local agricultural produce in a sustainable manner throughout the St. John Valley.
Project Summary
The group received a grant in 2011 to survey as many local producers and consumers as possible with the intention of gaining their input in the process of establishing a local food co-operative.
Primary Issue Area:
Food
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
| Proposed Item | Estimated $ Amount | Would grant funds be used for this item? | Type Of Expense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern (125hrs@$17) | $2,125.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Mileage 300@ .44/mile | $132.00 | Yes | Materials |
| General Office Supplies | $100.00 | Materials | |
| Website (2hrs@$35) | $70.00 | Materials | |
| Proj Mgmt. (10hrs@$35) | $350.00 | Materials | |
| Printing surveys | $200.00 | Materials | |
| Paid Advertisements | $200.00 | Materials |
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
The value noted in 5 above is an estimate of the number of households within the St. John Valley. While we recognize that we won't reach every household, we'll strive to reach as many as possible. As noted above, we intend to 'engage' community members by requesting their input for our feasibility study. We intend to reach out to consumers by setting up survey 'stations' at the larger employers throughout the St. John Valley, such as the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the Northern Maine Medical Center, the St. John Valley Technical College, schools, area banks, etc. The 'stations' will supply the surveys and a box for collecting them along with a brief explanation of the project. We will also entice participation by offering a chance at a local food basket with every completed survey, i.e. complete the survey and be entered into the drawing to win! In addition to the 'stations', the surveys will be advertised in local papers, the District newsletters and website where the surveys will be accessible on-line. As also noted above, the producer members of the community will be interviewed in person in order to gain their input first hand. Given the estimated time of receiving the grant funds, we intend to launch the feasibility study early in 2012 and have results available by spring, prior to the growing season in hopes that a new potential market could mean increased sales!
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
| $ Amount | Source |
|---|---|
| $2,457.00 | NEGEF Grant |
Please list these materials or services
| $ Amount | Item |
|---|---|
| $720.00 | SJVSWC |
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
One of the great benefits of a local food co-operative is the community involvement aspect. The feasibility study is a necessary step in the overall process of developing a co-op. The NEGEF funding for the study will allow the District to contact both the producers and consumers of the St. John Valley so that they may have a voice in our plans. As noted on the Fare Share Co-op website "Cooperatives are based on the simple yet powerful idea that people can achieve greater results by working together than they can alone." We want this to truly be a grass-root sustainable development which is why we need the community input. The contact with the community, via the surveys, will also provide an educational opportunity for the District. In keeping with our mission, we will be able to inform the residents of the St. John Valley of the importance of sustainable agriculture practices including supporting local food producers and the associated benefits of eating local foods. By completing the survey, and then providing the results to the community, we will all become more aware of the issues related to providing and obtaining local foods throughout the St. John Valley. Potentially, if the study proves positive, establishing a co-operative would enable local producers to offer fresh locally grown produce to members of the community at reasonable prices. It will allow small farms to reach a wider customer base and meet more members of the community. At present, the local supermarkets are the only place where community members can shop for produce conveniently, but little selection from local farmers is available. The co-op could potentially provide a place where the community can meet the farmers and hold events such as having a chef from the community demonstrate culinary skills with all the ingredients coming from the co-op. This will also allow for educational opportunities to teach the community where the produce comes from and the benefits of eating fresh, locally grown food. We will not only have a direct measurement of our efforts via the number of completed surveys we obtain, but if the co-operative proves to be feasible the changes can be measured by tracking the amount of local goods sold through the co-operative, how many members are obtained and recording how many walk-in customers use the co-op.
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
6 500
What relevant skills does the group need (but does not currently have access to) to help move the initiative forward?
We need the results from the survey first and foremost. Then, we'll need business planning skills, and the overall co-op start-up skills that we'll hopefully gain from the course that we'll be taking through CDI.
What relevant skills do current members of the group have to help move the initiative forward?
The District has identified a business student, Paul Berube, from the University of Fort Kent, Maine that is looking for an internship to fulfill his graduate requirements. This student has been a regular attendee at the workshops held under the "Local Foods for Healthy Tables" grant and is very interested in the topic at hand. He will be completing a B.S. in Business Administration and has completed senior level classes such as Business Planning, Marketing, Accounting and Economics. His concentration is in Small Business Management and we believe he has the necessary skills and drive to accomplish the feasibility study as outlined. He will also have guidance from University staff regarding the internship. Sigrid Houlette is the District Coordinator that will provide project management, website update as well as general office assistance. Ms. Houlette continues to implement the existing project and has many years experience in grant coordination and project management.