Co-op's dividend card raises funds for local groups
Howard Lake | 17 December 2003 | News
Local voluntary groups can raise funds when their members shop at the Co-op.
The Co-operative Community Dividend scheme has been set up by the national retailer to help voluntary groups receive donations from Co-op Dividend cardholders’ twice-yearly dividend payment. With over one million cardholders contributing to the scheme, it has already raised nearly £5 million for a wide range of community groups.
For example, Caldercruix food co-op in Lanarkshire received a Community Dividend of £1,150 to run fun healthy eating projects. Hampton House in Northampton received a £500 Community Dividend Award to buy additional equipment for its Soundbeam music workshop project. One group in the Colchester and East Essex area received just under £300 accrued by just 13 members of their organisation.
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Organisations may apply for grants of between £100 and £5,000. However, to allow as many groups as possible to benefit, grants of several hundred pounds are more common than maximum awards. Criteria for applying for funds are published on the Co-op’s Web site.
You can pick up an application form in-store or download one from the Co-op’s Web site.
The Co-op can help community groups in other ways. Local managers have discretion to give products as raffle prizes, although you will need a letter, on headed paper, about your community group explaining what you want the products for. Also nearly every Co-op food store has a customer and community notice board on which you can publicise your group and its events.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.