Awarded 32 grants to organizations in the Compeer region
Compeer Financial’s Rural America Foundation, the farm credit cooperative’s giving program, awarded 32 general use grants totaling $204,650. Consistent with Compeer Financial’s mission, General Use Grants fund initiatives and organizations that work to enrich agriculture and rural America.
SUN PRIRIE, Wisconsin — Compeer Financial’s Rural America Foundation, the farm credit cooperative’s giving program, awarded 32 general use grants totaling $204,650. Consistent with Compeer Financial’s mission, General Use Grants fund initiatives and organizations that work to enrich agriculture and rural America.
These grants directly impact the lives of 1.2 million people. 40% support agricultural education initiatives. 24% are working on food insecurity initiatives that focus on quality of life.
Since the program was established in 2018, the Foundation has awarded 367 public use grants totaling more than $2.1 million. The Foundation will make this grant available again in May 2023 for funding in the summer of 2023.
“The General Use Grant program impacts the communities where Compeer’s clients and team members live and work,” said Karen Schieler, Senior Corporate Giving Specialist at Compeer Financial. “The grant embodies our commitment to prosperous agriculture and rural America, and the farmers and communities we serve.”
The 32 organizations in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin supported by the General Availability Grant Program include:
Illinois
LaSalle County Agriculture Department Foundation
A farm-accurate storyboard for 13 libraries in LaSalle County.
Cook County Agriculture Department
Mailable soil kit for schools, grades 4-8.
Life Foundation Nutrients
Fun Box of Fertilizer: Plant and Soil Science Resources for Classrooms in Compeer Financial’s domain.
Livingston County Extension Council
Packing a little wish: Shipping supplies and equipment for meal packing events.
Midwest Food Bank – Morton
Conversion to perpetual inventory systems, handheld barcode scanners and barcode label printers.
Eastern Illinois Food Bank
volunteer equipment.
Children’s Discovery Museum Foundation
Maintenance and programming of food and agriculture exhibits.
Cornerstone Community Wellness Co., Ltd.
Royal SuperMart: Reimagine a rural grocery store, renovate and equip the building.
Stephenson County Agriculture Department
Offer students the opportunity to learn embryology in the classroom.
Tri District Ambulance Service
Improving education and technology in the classroom: Purchasing a smart board.
Minnesota
Lakewood Health System
Staples Area Farmers Market Pavilion Project: Construction of a permanent Farmers Market Pavilion.
youth farm
General operational support for youth urban farming education programs.
FM360
Dissemination and Use of Minnesota Farmers Market Indicators.
Christian Crossing Co., Ltd.
Irrigation systems for community greenhouses and gardens.
Home and Away Ministry DBA Ruby’s Pantry
Ruby’s Pantry: Bought a second-hand forklift for our North Minnesota warehouse.
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Enhanced food bank equipment.
Minnesota/Mankato Site LSS
The LSS diet maintains adequate nutrition and independence for high-risk older adults in the Mankato region.
Big Ideas Inc.
A generator needed to run a second mobile learning lab.
Junior Achievement North – Greater Mankato Area
A junior achievement program in a local elementary school.
Farmamerica – MN Ag Interpretive Center
A 4 day job shadowing adventure for high school students.
share our roots
Assist black, indigenous, people of color and immigrant farmers with land access and market opportunities.
Sanford Health
EKG acquisition for improved cardiac response.
Wisconsin
american red cross wisconsin area
Purchased Amicus machine for Madison Blood Processing Center.
Baraboo Children’s Museum
tractor display.
Wisconsin Junior Achievement
Compeer Financial Classroom Materials and Digital License Fees to Offer Junior Achievement Programs to Local Students in the Region
REAP food group
Provide free listings to small BIPOC-owned start-up farms and businesses in Southern Wisconsin’s Farm Fresh Atlas and host educational programs to grow demand for local products.
The Gathering Source, Inc.
Replacing aging freezers and coolers.
Vernon Economic Development Association
Purchase local produce and dairy from small local farms for food pantries and places to eat.
Vernon Memorial Healthcare Foundation
Buy a microscope for your clinic.
Indian Head Community Action Agency
Purchasing produce to provide fresh, vitamin-rich foods to low-income seniors in monthly supplementary food packages.
Feed My People Food Bank
Purchased a second-hand stand-type electric forklift.
Green County Development Corporation
Pop-up shop program in Greene County.
About the Rural America Fund
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is Compeer Financial’s corporate giving program, designed to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s board of directors devotes 1% of its annual net income to the fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development and community empowerment, agricultural advocacy and development, and supporting joint initiatives. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of his Compeer Financial Board of Directors. Visit Compeer.com/gifting-back for more information on opportunities available through the fund.
About competitive finance
Compeer Financial is a member-owned farm credit cooperative that serves and supports agricultural and rural communities. The $28.1 billion organization provides loans, leasing, risk management and other financial services in 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agricultural industry.
Compeer Financial is the Farm Credit System’s third largest cooperative. The Farm Credit System is a national network of lending institutions supporting agricultural and rural communities with reliable and consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
— Competitive Finance
