2010-2011 4% Day Applications Now Available

The Community Food Co-op Board of Directors is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the 2010-2011 4% Day Grant Program.

For years, 4% Day has been a grant program for local nonprofit, non-sectarian organizations whose goals complement or support the Co-op’s mission. Every fourth Friday of the month, 4% of the day’s total sales go directly to one such organization, designated by the Co-op’s Board of Directors.

For the second year, the Board has modified the eligibility criteria in an attempt to promote and support a core component of the Co-op’s mission: local growers and local food systems. Going forward, priority will be given to individuals and organizations (including farmers and producers) who have projects or ideas that support the advancement of local agriculture.

This could include everything from on-farm infrastructure projects such as storage, season extension, and on-farm processing to local food distribution and processing, community education, school programs and connecting the community to food production. We’re also emphasizing that now an organization need not be a 501c(3) non-profit to apply.

If you believe you have a worthy project that meshes with the Co-op’s mission with regard to nutrition, ecological principles, basic needs, moving toward sustainability, fostering community and/or supporting the advancement of local agriculture, pick up an application for 4% Day at the Customer Service desk or click here to download a PDF (77.26 KB) of the application and criteria.

Applications are due, postmarked by March 1, 2010 and recipients will be notified by April 1, 2010.

Jenny Thornburg: A 4% Day Testimonial

Jenny Thornburg, of Thornhill Farms was the December 2009 Recipient of 4% Day.

“Our plan is to build a root cellar next to the garden. I have always dreamed of having one and when I heard about the 4% grant I thought, AHA! Here’s my chance.

The finished size will be approximately 10×12-feet with 6-foot deep cinder block walls. We will mound up a hill of dirt over the top. It will have a gravel floor, outside ventilation, stairs and many shelves for storage, and will help extend the time when local food is available in the valley.

I enjoyed the 4% experience because it allowed me to talk to the people who shop at the Co-op. There are scores of avid gardeners out there and it was fun to swap stories with them. People in this valley are quite interested in growing their own food as well as buying organic staples from the co-op. Customers are very appreciative of the chance to see where their food comes from. I displayed pictures from our farm so they could see the orchard, garden plots and general landscape.

I encourage growers to apply for this grant.”