KDC AND TWO LOCAL CO-OPS AWARDED 2018 USDA GRANTS
USDA Rural Development offers grants that support projects improving rural economies, by bringing jobs, housing, community facilities, business guarantees, utilities and other services to rural America. This year, the US Department of Agriculture has awarded Keystone Development Center and two local cooperatives Rural Development Grants for work to be completed in 2019.
KEYSTONE DEVELOPMENT CENTER – $200,000
Keystone Development Center was awarded a $200,000 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) for 2019. KDC’s 2019 RCDG Grant will substantially offset operating and overhead costs and enable KDC to deliver discounted or probono services to over 20 rural cooperatives including: Capital Area Farmers Alliance (start-up producer co-op), Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance (existing producer co-op), Early Bird Farmers Co-op (recently formed producer co-op), a broadband project in rural Maryland, among others.
The nonprofit development center was formed in 1999. Over the life of KDC, the USDA has provided 16 RCDG Grants totaling over $3.4 Million. These funds have been put to work by the Center to develop and advance over 156 cooperatives businesses owned by groups such as agricultural producers, retail consumers, workers, businesses needing shared services, and others. The Center targets work in distressed communities across a four-state service area spanning Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Washington DC. KDC’s o-op development efforts have helped communities come together to create and sustain jobs, increase incomes, and support long-term positive economic impacts. KDC’s client roster serves over 44K members, generates over $119M in gross revenues and, employ nearly 600 people, and sustains the lives of hundreds more.
CO-OPERATIVE FARMERS MARKET – $10,000
The Co-Operative Farmers Market traces its roots back to 1939 when to a group of farmers sought to address overcrowding at the once popular Mifflin Avenue Curb Market. The farmers formed the co-op to operate a member-owned, "producer-only" seasonal Farmers Markets in Scranton, PA. Today thousands of patrons visit the co-op which is open three days each week from July through the end of November. The co-op supports offers a wide variety of local, farm fresh, high quality, products directly to consumers at affordable prices. It is the only farmer-owned, open-air seasonal market of its kind in Northern Pennsylvania. The co-op is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors, which consists of seven producer-members including a seat for the President of the Women’s Auxiliary. Membership consists of many 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th generation farmers, including many involved in the original formation of the co-op. The co-op was awarded a $10,000 Value Added Producers Grant to advance marketing of the co-op.
SEDA-COG NATURAL GAS COOPERATIVE – $80,000
SEDA-COG Natural Gas Cooperative formed in 2006 to promote and provide natural gas service to unserved and underserved customers in central Pennsylvania. The co-ops is owned by counties, towns, groups of businesses, and residential neighborhoods rather than individual consumers. Their mission is to do this in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner to promote economic growth and cost savings. Counties or other municipal or business groups join the cooperative to extend access to the services provided by the cooperative to residential and business members of their communities. At present the co-op has six-member counties (Centre, Clinton, Juniata, Mifflin, Northumberland, and Perry) but they are open to growing their membership base to expand service. The co-op is governed by a board of directors elected from leaders within their member counties and managed by an executive director. The co-op was awarded an $80,000 Rural Business Development Grant to build a virtual pipeline.
USDA Rural Development offers grants that support projects improving rural economies, by bringing jobs, housing, community facilities, business guarantees, utilities and other services to rural America. This year, the US Department of Agriculture has awarded Keystone Development Center and two local cooperatives Rural Development Grants for work to be completed in 2019.
KEYSTONE DEVELOPMENT CENTER – $200,000
Keystone Development Center was awarded a $200,000 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) for 2019. KDC’s 2019 RCDG Grant will substantially offset operating and overhead costs and enable KDC to deliver discounted or probono services to over 20 rural cooperatives including: Capital Area Farmers Alliance (start-up producer co-op), Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance (existing producer co-op), Early Bird Farmers Co-op (recently formed producer co-op), a broadband project in rural Maryland, among others.
The nonprofit development center was formed in 1999. Over the life of KDC, the USDA has provided 16 RCDG Grants totaling over $3.4 Million. These funds have been put to work by the Center to develop and advance over 156 cooperatives businesses owned by groups such as agricultural producers, retail consumers, workers, businesses needing shared services, and others. The Center targets work in distressed communities across a four-state service area spanning Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Washington DC. KDC’s o-op development efforts have helped communities come together to create and sustain jobs, increase incomes, and support long-term positive economic impacts. KDC’s client roster serves over 44K members, generates over $119M in gross revenues and, employ nearly 600 people, and sustains the lives of hundreds more.
CO-OPERATIVE FARMERS MARKET – $10,000
The Co-Operative Farmers Market traces its roots back to 1939 when to a group of farmers sought to address overcrowding at the once popular Mifflin Avenue Curb Market. The farmers formed the co-op to operate a member-owned, "producer-only" seasonal Farmers Markets in Scranton, PA. Today thousands of patrons visit the co-op which is open three days each week from July through the end of November. The co-op supports offers a wide variety of local, farm fresh, high quality, products directly to consumers at affordable prices. It is the only farmer-owned, open-air seasonal market of its kind in Northern Pennsylvania. The co-op is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors, which consists of seven producer-members including a seat for the President of the Women’s Auxiliary. Membership consists of many 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th generation farmers, including many involved in the original formation of the co-op. The co-op was awarded a $10,000 Value Added Producers Grant to advance marketing of the co-op.
SEDA-COG NATURAL GAS COOPERATIVE – $80,000
SEDA-COG Natural Gas Cooperative formed in 2006 to promote and provide natural gas service to unserved and underserved customers in central Pennsylvania. The co-ops is owned by counties, towns, groups of businesses, and residential neighborhoods rather than individual consumers. Their mission is to do this in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner to promote economic growth and cost savings. Counties or other municipal or business groups join the cooperative to extend access to the services provided by the cooperative to residential and business members of their communities. At present the co-op has six-member counties (Centre, Clinton, Juniata, Mifflin, Northumberland, and Perry) but they are open to growing their membership base to expand service. The co-op is governed by a board of directors elected from leaders within their member counties and managed by an executive director. The co-op was awarded an $80,000 Rural Business Development Grant to build a virtual pipeline.
 |  |
RSS Feed
