“Partnering with other organizations is a great way to strengthen a grant application and can also get a for-profit cooperative access to a wider range of funds.”

We all want to do more with our co-ops: make a bigger impact, pay better wages, support our local non-profits. Sometimes the money to make that impact can come from operational profits, but at other times co-ops can turn to grants. Columinate consultant Molly Phipps has been grant writing since graduate school and has helped co-ops and other organizations write successful grant applications.

“I’ve explored ways to best create positive change for the environment, the food system, and people’s lived experiences,” explains Phipps. “It’s a competitive market and only getting more so—we need to access the monetary assistance that is available. The USDA, for example, has many grant and low-cost loan programs that are open to for-profit businesses like cooperatives, but grant writing is a specific skill set that takes time to develop.”

Phipps started her journey as a research scientist studying climate change. Her work led her to a variety of roles in museums and scientific education as she worked on her PhD. Those experiences provided a variety of opportunities to learn about grant writing. That work eventually transitioned into the field of food systems.

“I shifted my work to focus on food, creating and running a non-profit farmers’ market that brought fresh, local produce and food products to a mixed-income neighborhood and supported emerging farmers. I learned from these farmers the hardships non-industrial farmers face in sustaining small farms. This work led me to run for the board of my local food co-op [Mississippi Market] so I could better understand the local food system and ways to support small farmers.”

Co-ops are legally incorporated entities that provide a variety of community benefits often appealing to funders. They do not, however, often have the time or expertise on staff to write a compelling grant proposal to take advantage of potential opportunities.

“By bringing me in, you can capitalize on available funds without having to get up to speed on the intricacies of grant writing. Putting [out] grant proposals is also a great opportunity to cooperate. Partnering with other organizations is a great way to strengthen a grant application and can also get a for-profit cooperative access to a wider range of funds,” says Phipps.

“Most, if not all, grantors allow eligible organizations like non-profits to partner with for-profit businesses. By partnering with local non-profits, you can better live the cooperative principle, Concern for Community. Another way to access grant funding is by using a fiscal sponsor to submit a grant proposal. Grant funding can be useful to cooperatives to develop staff trainings, support the food chain, education, outreach efforts, and more.”

Phipps can provide support to co-ops that engage with her on grant writing through the application process, but also on compliance and evaluation if a grant proposal is accepted. USDA grants, for example, often come with rigorous reporting and evaluation requirements. “I have deep experience evaluating grant-funded projects and utilize quantitative and qualitative methods to better capture the impact of programs. I also have experience interfacing with granting agencies from local governments to foundations to the National Science Foundation,” explains Phipps.

She has also put her talents to work for Columinate, writing a successful grant application for the Columinate Community Foundation (CCF) in 2024. CCF is a non-profit affiliate of Columinate that was created in 2023. It focuses on strengthening communities with leadership training, building multi-cultural community capacity around healthy food access, and much more. “I wrote a successful grant for the Columinate Community Foundation from the Cooperative Development Fund to develop a bilingual series of online learning modules about finance and cooperative principles, aimed at residents of affordable living communities,” shared Phipps.

Bringing those possibilities of an even greater impact to our co-ops is an exciting prospect. Funding the work that we would like to do but don’t have the resources to accomplish is something every board of directors or general manager thinks about from time to time.

“I love writing grants, because you get to dream big,” says Phipps. “Have you ever thought, ‘What could we do with an extra $50k?’ Well, grant writing takes that question from pie in the sky to a potential reality. It’s an opportunity to make your dreams a reality.”

The opportunity to help co-ops achieve those dreams is a thrilling prospect to Phipps. She has the knowledge and experience to help co-ops navigate the complicated process of applying and compliance.  But the vision and passion always come from the stores themselves.

“Grant writing is a collaborative process. Good grant applications clearly articulate the capacity of the organization to manage the project, the mission and vision of the organization, and the activities and impact of the project. I can help you refine and articulate these ideas and find relevant past work and research to back the ideas up—but the project idea comes from the organization.”