Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 73 Farmers Market Grants, totaling $64,970. This is the third year Compeer Financial has offered these grants.
The grants are supporting 60 farmers market organizations, with funding up to $1,000 for marketing, technology or educational efforts. Ten of those farmers markets are located in the metropolitan areas of Cook County, Ill., Hennepin County, Minn. and Milwaukee County, Wis. Three of these urban markets serve communities designated as food deserts.
“Farmers markets bring fresh, healthy foods directly to communities in an accessible way,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial. “Many markets have had to make changes and navigate the challenges presented during the pandemic. Through these grants, we hope to recognize the huge asset that farmers markets are to our communities – rural, suburban and urban alike.”
Grants to farmers markets will directly impact 2,118 people and impact 1.6 million people through the communities they serve. Thirteen farmer vendors also received up to $500. The Fund will offer this grant again in the fall to provide funding for 2022.
The following Wisconsin markets received grants:
Baldwin’s Main St. Farmers Market
Beloit Farmers’ Market
Burnett County Farmers Market (Siren)
Chilton Farmers Market
Columbus Park Farmers Market (Kenosha)
Darlington Farmers Market
DeForest Farmers Market
Dodgeville Farmers Market
Downtown Fond du Lac Farmers Market
Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market
Elkhart Lake Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market
Galesville Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market
Greendale Downtown Market
Greenfield Farmers Market
Horicon Farmers Market
Hudson Farmers Market at Plaza 94
Janesville Farmers Market, Inc.
Kenosha HarborMarket
Lodi Valley Farmers Market
Mount Horeb Farmers Market
New Berlin Farmers Market
North Side Pop-up Farmers Market (Milwaukee)
Oconomowoc Farmers’ Market
Oshkosh Saturday Farmers’ Market Inc.
Platteville Farmer’s Market
Roberts, WI Farmers Market
Somerset Farmers Market
Sparta Wisconsin Farmers Market
Spooner Farmers Market
Sun Prairie Famer’s Market
TCC Farmers Market (Mayville)
The Camp Douglas Farmer’s Market
Thiensville Village Market
Westfields Hospital and Clinic (New Richmond)
Westside Community Market (Madison)
Whitewater City Market
Winter Farmers Market (La Crosse)
