Category Archives: From the Board

Posts that are generated by the board

Do YOU Have What it Takes?


We are building a community-owned business. This is not something that happens every day. This is big news, and something to shout about.

And when we talk about a community-owned business, we’re not talking about a business that is run by a select group of shareholders. We’re talking about a business in which every owner has an equal vote. This is democracy at its finest (and one of the guiding principles of cooperatives).

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. And the members do this primarily by electing representatives to serve on the board of directors. Are you board material?

If elected to serve on the board, you will be part of the leadership of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op as it journeys through the single most important event in its history: The grand opening!

Take another step as an owner of the Cedar Food Co-op and submit an application for a position on our Board of Directors. This year three of nine seats are up for election. Ideal candidates share a passion for helping the Co-op achieve success. They have a clear understanding of what it means to participate as a member of a board. They bring skill sets from a variety of industries and other board or life experiences, combined with a strong desire to help the Co-op succeed.

So, will YOU become a candidate for the Board of Directors? Learn more about the role and responsibilities of board members here. And if you think you’re up for the challenge, submit a completed application by email by September 8. Be sure to brace yourself for an incredibly rich and rewarding experience!

Board Happenings: June 2018

Take a minute to see what your Board has been up to!
– Did you make it to any one of our many events in June?! We had an excellent campaign and we’re so excited to be building the future with so many amazing members!
– Board elections are coming up soon! If you’re interested in running, keep an eye on our website at https://rootedcarrot.coop/become-a-board-member/
– The Fall Food Fest will be here before you know it! If you’re interested in being a vendor, contact us at info@cedarfallsfood.coop

From the Board President: Finding a Home for the Cedar Falls Food Co-op

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, you need a team.” – John Wooden

 

Last month, at an event I attended for my nonprofit day job, I was approached by someone who told me that he heard where the Cedar Falls Food Co-op will be located. “That’s news to me!” I exclaimed. Perhaps you’ve heard a rumor (or two?) as well.

 

Over the years, the Cedar Falls Food Co-op’s board has worked diligently, guiding our development towards the opening of a store much like this one. At each step in the Co-op’s growth, we’ve wrestled with countless issues and have made significant decisions including the name of the Co-op, the amount of a membership, and the qualifications we’ll require from potential general managers.

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From the Board President: What Does Maddie Poppe Have to do with the Cedar Falls Food Co-op?

Even someone like me who doesn’t watch a lot of TV couldn’t escape the Maddie Poppe news – Clarksville’s own won this year’s American Idol competition. There were celebrations everywhere. Tons of coverage in the papers and local news stations. “Maddie Poppe Fever” was a thing. And signs everywhere. Clarksville hosted a parade and declared May 15 as Maddie Poppe Day. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds attended Maddie’s concert at the Butler County Fairgrounds.

So, what’s the big deal? Why all the attention? The answer is simple: local pride. As one concert-goer noted, “We may not have any stoplights in Butler Co., but we do have a shining star.” Note the possessive quality of this statement. People in northeast Iowa, and across the state, are taking pride in “one of our own” winning a national contest.

What are YOU proud of about the place you live? Folks in Dyserville are proud of their Field of Dreams. Waterloo is proud of Dan Gable and the Sullivan Brothers. Iowans are proud of the Bridges of Madison County and RAGBRAI. If you’re from Decorah, you’re proud of one of the best breweries in the world.Continue reading→

Board Happenings: May 2018

Take a minute to see what your Board has been up to!
So far this year, our volunteer have contributed more than 1,200 to helping build our store! This amounts to over $30,500 is wages! This shows how our co-op is truly a community effort! Thanks for all your hard work, and we couldn’t be prouder to share this effort with our amazing community!
– Budgets and legal and consultants, oh my! With the end of the fiscal year upon us, and getting closer to launching our capital campaign, our meetings have been dominated by the development of next years budget. We’ve also been working on hiring legal, site selection, and design consultants to make sure that we’re making the absolute best decisions when creating your store!
– It’s almost time for Board elections! We’ll start accepting applications in July, so if you or someone you know is interested in serving on the Board keep an eye out for updates.

Win a Kayak and Help Your Co-op Reach 850 Member-Owners!

June is here and your Cedar Falls Food Co-op is doing another amazing membership campaign. Current and new members could walk…errr…paddle away in a kayak!

We are on our way to 850 member-owners, which will bring us get closer opening the area’s only community-owned grocery store. Thanks to Crawdaddy Outdoors in Waverly, we got a great deal on a Heron 9XT kayak that some lucky member-owner will win!

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Three Great Reasons to Host a House Party in June (Giveaway Alert!)

1. Hosting a House Party is a great way to connect with your friends and community AND one of the most effective ways for the co-op to gain member-owners. Previous house parties have ranged from pie and wine to soup suppers to pizza on the patio. You decide what, who, and when, and the CFFC membership team will help you inform your friends and neighbors about the co-op. This is a low-pressure, short-term commitment–that truly is a lot of fun!
2. Any hosts of house parties booked in June will receive your choice of a pound of coffee or a growler of beer from one of our business partners for you and your guests to enjoy.
3. Hosts of house parties booked in June will be entered into a drawing for a pair of pillows generously donated by our business parter, Fosters Mattress. Rest easy knowing you’re doing your part to grow our co-op community.
For more information about house parties or to get your date on the calendar, email outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop.

Have you ordered your Proud Owner yard sign?

There are many perks to being a member-owner of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op; One of them is that member-owners have the opportunity to sport a Proud Owner yard sign from late May through July. If you are a member-owner living in Cedar Falls or Waterloo, you may sign up for a Cedar Falls Food Co-op yard sign….so what are you waiting for? If you haven’t reserved yours yet, send an email to outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop. Please provide your current address (if it’s changed recently), and we’ll be happy to have one of our volunteers deliver and place the sign.

Would you be interested in helping with delivery and placement or pick up later in the summer? Let our outreach coordinator know when you email requesting your yard sign. We still have room for a few more volunteers.

Board Happenings: April 2018

Take a minute to see what your Board has been up to!

– As we get closer to signing a lease and building our store, we’ve been having more discussions about what it means to be a full service grocery store. In-depth conversations about delis, hot bars, and buffets may not sound exciting, but we’re making sure to thoroughly examine every choice to guarantee that we’re bringing you a store you love.
– It’s budget time again! Again, not the most exciting thing, but we go through every detail so you don’t have to! Each year we get better at assembling and projecting the next year’s budget, so by the time the store opens we’ll have this down pat!
– All of our business documents are close to being finalized, including our business plan, financial pro forma, and investment campaign documents.
– If you want to learn more about what your is doing, we invite you to join us at our next meeting on Wednesday, May 16th at 7pm at Millrace.

From the Board President: In the Home Stretch! Getting Ready to Enter the Third and Final Stage of Development

After years of planning, we’re finally getting ready for some of the most dramatic steps in the Co-op’s development, namely site selection, the investment campaign, and designing the store. It’s a very exciting time indeed!

 

This is not to say that writing bylaws and conducting a market study weren’t exciting in their own right, but the final stage is most exciting because this is where the vision turns into reality.

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