Saint Paul, MN—National Co+op Grocers (NCG) has announced the winners of the 2022 Co-op Innovative Awards. Each recipient is “working to increase cooperative development in communities of color and communities living with low incomes.” 

The 2022 recipients are: 

The awards, handed out by Capital Impact and National Cooperative Bank, provides $170,000 to five U.S cities. The money will be put together with early-stage grant funding for five ideas, according to a press release release. These include initiatives such as enabling Cambodian refugees to have permanent and affordable housing, ensuring safe neighborhoods for families and businesses, developing an online marketplace for street food vendors, teaching skilled laborers how to become upholsterers, and helping a housing cooperative move toward sustainable growth. 

“It takes a seed to grow positive change in a community, and NCG was honored to join other exemplary organizations in helping to fund the powerful ideas offered by this year’s grant recipients,” said C.E. Pugh, NCG CEO. “They embody the cooperative principle of ‘Concern for Community,’ and we look forward to seeing their impact on their local communities continue to grow.” 

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NCG joins a roster of Rochdale Capital, CUNA Mutual Group, and Local Government Federal Credit Union, in helping organizers augment the award opportunities by $50,000. The Co-op Innovation Awards have awarded a total of $685,000 in grants, since 2015.