Growing the Market Match Fund is a win-win!
Boost sales for local farmers and increase food security for our neighbors.
This month-long crowdfunding campaign looks to raise $30,000 for the Market Match Fund. The first $15,000 raised will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to two generous donors.
The term “market match” describes a nutrition incentive program structured to double SNAP dollars (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps). When a shopper withdraws SNAP dollars at the farmers market, they receive an equal amount in market tokens for free!
The very existence of a Market Match program tells low-income shoppers, “This farmers market is for you.”
In 2022, BAV launched the Market Match Fund as a pilot program - the first consistent and centralized fund in our area to support SNAP matching at farmers markets. Our program enables farmers markets to offer a $1-for-$1 SNAP match, up to $30. Giving SNAP customers a total of $60 to spend on local nutritious food! Over the course of that first pilot year BAV distributed over $116,000 across 10 Berkshire-area farmers markets. That was a great accomplishment, but it wasn't enough to support all of our markets, year round.
Winter is a time of year when food access becomes especially imperative. And our regional winter farmers markets had to hustle to find additional funds, spending extra time and energy in order to offer a SNAP match. Prior to BAV’s Market Market Fund, these were the same fundraising challenges that led to farmers markets running out of SNAP matching funds before the end of the season. Or deterred markets from offering a SNAP match at all.
Expanding the Market Match Fund through this campaign will sustain SNAP matching at winter markets and MORE! This is your opportunity to join us in lifting up your markets, your farmers, and your neighbors! YOUR participation can make it all happen.
The Great(er) Impact:
Meeting our goal of $30,000 will fully support SNAP matching at Berkshire-area winter farmers markets and increase the overall program impact. With your participation the Market Match Fund will grow in the following ways:
- Add at least 2 additional farmers markets to our cohort of partnered markets.
- Fund year-round markets to offer the $1-for-$1 SNAP match through the winter season.
- Boost sales for neighboring farms and food producers. More SNAP dollars at markets = greater earnings for farmers.
- Guarantee SNAP matching programs remain active and consistent throughout the region.
- Build a stronger regional economy!
YOU can boost sales for neighboring farms and food producers! YOU can make fresh, locally produced food consistently affordable for low-income families! AND you can help build a stronger regional economy!
Risks and Challenges:
Without BAV’s support, Berkshire-area farmers markets wouldn’t be able to offer SNAP matching all market season or at all. That’s why we’re running this campaign. If this campaign succeeds, the Market Match Fund will expand to boost sales for local farmers and increase food security for our neighbors.
And it will be YOU who makes this difference. You can make it a win-win for farmers and for people struggling with food security. THANK YOU so much for taking part!
Other Ways to Join In:
- Share this campaign on your social media!
- Forward the campaign to your colleagues who love projects that support local farms, improve food security, and boost the regional economy.
- Invite your friends and family to join in!
| Thank YouOn behalf of Berkshire Ag Ventures and the agricultural community, thank you for supporting the wellbeing of your neighbors. Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the development and viability of local farms and food businesses, helping to build a thriving local food economy. BAV works throughout the Berkshire-Taconic Region, to improve fresh food access for everyone, and address climate change through regenerative agriculture. For more information on BAV’s services and programs visit our website www.berkshireagventures.org or contact us at info@berkshireagventures.org .
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| About the Program ManagerCiana was born and raised in the Berkshires, and earned a degree in Sociology and International Studies from Marymount Manhattan College. Ciana’s international experiences ranged from studying abroad in Chengdu, China, to later living in northern Thailand on a coffee and rice farm. It even brought her to intern at the United Nations World Tourism Organization. While living in New York City Ciana worked as Greenmarket Manager at GrowNYC for three years, managing over a dozen farmers’ markets throughout the city. It was this experience that eventually led her to join the Berkshire Ag Ventures team, and back to her hometown. Inspired by the role food plays from shaping culture, policy, to daily interactions - Ciana's collective experiences reinforced that promoting access to affordable, locally produced food is her life’s mission.
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Highlights
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$30 allows one family a week's worth of local food from the farmers market. Thank you!
$60 allows two families a day of shopping for local food at a farmers market. Thank you for making a difference!
$100 provides a family a month’s worth of shopping at the farmers market. Joining in at this level makes an awesome impact!
$500 supports over a month of market match shopping at a local market. Feed several families and increase sales for farmers!
$1000 adds an additional market into our cohort for a full summer season, making the entire program more impactful. Your gift greatly benefits our local farmers and SNAP recipients. Thank you for sponsoring a market!
$5000 or more expands the Market Match to include year-round and winter markets making a HUGE impact for farmers, SNAP recipients, and the entire regional economy. Thank you very much for being such a tremendously important part of this project and for leading the community effort to expand and stabilize the Market Match Fund!
