With nearly 1500 Owners and a premier location, we need your help to build our store. Our Community Investment Program (CIP) is your opportunity to invest and build a thriving business that will serve our community for generations to come. The more our community invests, the less we need in costly bank loans, and the better our financial outlook.
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Keep your money local and allow PFC to pay returns to you, rather than paying interest to a bank.
The Goal
We need to raise $3.1 million to secure traditional financing for this $4.4 million project by December 15, 2021. This deadline is set by the developers of our store's location and we will lose the site if we do not make this goal. Prairie Food Co-op is counting on our Owners to invest so we can build our store!
As of Summer 2021, we have raised $1.1 million via a mix of Owner investments and donations. That is an amazing show of support from our community! We will be launching a 2nd Fund Drive in Fall 2021 to raise the remaining $2 million. We have several avenues from which to seek funding and are actively pursuing them all. However, we cannot overstate the importance of our Ownership investing in this project - that support will ultimately open our doors. With nearly 1500 Owners, if 30% invest an average of $4500, we will meet our goal. This is achievable and in line with historical averages for Owner investments.
We are also in the process of securing a $1.2M traditional bank loan in partnership with West Suburban Bank and LEAF. Lenders, conservative by nature, have vetted our financials, market study, and business plan and have high confidence in our project.
The Co-op Difference
Our CIP offers Owners like you a way to invest in PFC, just as you would in any other start-up business - except with better! Co-ops have an 85% success rate versus 30% for other small business types.
The ability of co-op owners to invest in a project like this is part of the co-op difference. It’s a win-win investment: PFC gains capital for construction and start-up costs; you have the opportunity to earn a return while improving our community in a way that aligns with your values, and most importantly, opens our store!
Our Co-op, Our Community
Why invest in your Co-op? We need to raise $3.1M of the overall $4.4M project to fund renovations, hire employees, stock our shelves, and open our doors. CIP investments are required to obtain bank funding, decreasing our risk and ensuring that interest payments go back to you, our Owners, instead of to some far-off corporation. And unlike Wall Street investments, we will see our investments make a real impact right here in our community, from the local tradespeople who build our store to the local farmers and employees who fill our shelves and nourish our families. It’s all part of our mission to build a thriving local community and economy.
In the end, it’s about our community, our families’ food, and our values. What could be more important?
Next Steps
- Check out your Investment Options
- Download a copy of our CIP brochure
- Get started by contacting our CIP Coordinator, Kathy Nash via phone 630-446-0010 or email [email protected], to request your Community Investment Program packet today
- Go over our Frequently Asked Questions about the CIP
We are not soliciting Owner capital in any form at this time. Owner loans will be available only to Illinois Owners, Preferred Shares will only be available to Illinois residents, and only pursuant to complete offering documents when and if a capital campaign is approved by the board.