Co-op Seedling Grants

Six people stand in a row in a white-walled conference room. The two people in the middle are holding a sign that has "Milk With Dignity" printed at the top and "$7,500" printed at the bottom.

What Are Seedling Grants?

Through our Co-op Seedling Grant program, City Market grants funding to projects from Vermont non-profit organizations whose work strengthens our local food system. This program is currently funded through our Rally for Change program. Partner applications will open in January 2026.

Seedling Grant History

During profitable years, City Market Members receive patronage checks based on their spending as a form of profit-sharing. According to City Market’s By-Laws, any Patronage Refunds that are not cashed within 90 days are donated to organizations supporting our local food system, as directed by our Board. In 2014, City Market created a new program to offer grants through our uncashed Patronage Refund checks – our Seedling Grant Program! Since 2018, this program has been funded through Rally for Change as the Co-op works toward a return to profitability after our South End expansion.

Five people stand in front of a building with sliding doors and a marquee that reads "City Market." There is a red ribbon in front of the people and all along the entrance to the building. The person to the farthest left is talking, and the other four face him. At the far right, several additional people are standing and clappng.

Past Seedling Grant Recipients

2023: Village Hydroponics, Addison Allies Network, Hardwick Area Food Pantry, Janet S. Munt Family Room, Common Roots, Smokey House Center, Lund, Friends of the Highgate Library and Community Center, the Quarry Hill School

2022: Sterling College, Janet S. Munt Family Room, Fairfield Community Center Association, Center for an Agricultural Economy, Rural Vermont, Spoonful Herbals, Friends of Fletcher Free Library, LUND, and Slow Food Vermont

2021: Community Health Centers of Burlington, Common Roots, Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, Milk With Dignity Standards Council, and Age Well

2020: 350 Vermont, ACORN, Barton Community Garden, New Community Project, NOFA-VT, and UVM State Agricultural College

2019: Janet S. Munt Family Room, Trinity Children's Center, Farm at VYCC, AALV New Farms for New Americans, Lund VT, HOPE (Addison County), Pathways VT (Soteria House), HANDS, CVOEO, and UVM Extension

2018:  Age Well, Community Health Centers of Burlington, The Howard Center, Milk with Dignity, United Way of Lamoille County, UVM Plant & Soil Science, and Winooski Partnership for Prevention

2017:  Burlington High School's Richard Meyer's Food Science Class, The Intervale Center, Janet S Munt Family Room, The Schoolhouse Learning Center, UVM Foundation, and Downtown Winooski 

2016: Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf: Farm Stand Project, Intervale Center: Trail Extension Project, Rural Vermont: Regenerative Agriculture Project, Salvation Farms: Food Hub Workforce Training Program, Spoonful Herbals: Herb Mobs, Sustainability Academy PTO: Processing/Cooking Kit, University of Vermont: Plugging a "Leek" in the Local Food System and Vermont Community Garden Network: Gardens for Learning

2015: Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf: Farm Stand Project, Intervale Center: Trail Extension Project, Rural Vermont: Regenerative Agriculture Project, Salvation Farms: Food Hub Workforce Training Program, Spoonful Herbals: Herb Mobs, Sustainability Academy PTO: Processing/Cooking Kit, University of Vermont: Plugging a "Leek" in the Local Food System and Vermont Community Garden Network: Gardens for Learning

2014:  Pine Island Farm: Chicken Collaborative, Living Well Group: Farm to Care Program, University of Vermont: Establishing a Swede Midge Damage Threshold for Brassica Crops, The Schoolhouse Learning Center: Taking Root: The Farm, Food, Forest (FFF) Program, and Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf: Food Shelf Mobile Pantry and Transport Trailer