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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.
- New Community Fundraising manager at Breast Cancer Campaign (14 January 2004)
- Rotary raises over £150,000 for children's hospices (15 January 2004)
- Free access to NICVA's Grant Tracker for two weeks (6 February 2004)
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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.