Midtown Farmers Market Advisory Committee — Meeting Notes from 2/20/19

Market Updates

Development

Internally, we are revamping how we organize and track the market’s financials. We plan to work with Robert (accountant) to better align incoming monies and expense categories.
On the grant front, we were not awarded the MRAC grant and will be meeting with their director on 2/22 to discuss why and how we can do better next season.
We did get the B-tap grant, which will help us provide more comprehensive training program and resource sharing with the TryIt! Program. This is executed and managed by the CNO Economic Development Committee.
We are waiting to hear from the Good Food Access Grant (MN Dept. of Agriculture), which would fund Moon Palace site renovations; the Allina Health Grant, which would fund the YWCA Zumba program for Tuesday market days; a Wells Fargo grant, which would fund site renovations; the Carolyn Foundation, which would fund arts and cultural programming; and the Hub, which would fund a bike rewards punch card program; and we are submitting a Great Streets BDS Grant next week (due 2/28).
Sponsorships are slowly happening (six small commitments so far).

Marketing / Merch

T-shirts and bags will be ready for pick up by March 1st from Tee Squared!
Waiting for a quote from Griffith Printing for posters, yard signs, flyers, stickers (ideally ready by March 1st).

Vendor Applications

We have about 35 applications in right now.
Mark your calendars for the spring vendor meeting on Saturday, April 6th 9 – 11am.
looking for prepared food vendors – (Jam, cheese, etc)

Market Site

Renovations (electrical installation, paving) are grant-pending with the Good Food Access Grant, Wells Fargo Grant, and the Great Streets BDS Grant. Jamie at Moon Palace has plans to complete these projects in April regardless, and expects the projects will only take a week or so to complete.
Move-in day will happen on a weekend day prior to Opening Day (ideally two weeks beforehand), we will share the date and time when confirmed.
Will connect with Boker’s Inc. again to inquire about using their lot for parking.

Special Themed Market Days – Calendar (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

__ Opening Day 5/4

__ Urban Agriculture Day 5/11

__ Bee + Pollinator Day 6/1

__ Youth Leadership/Poetry 6/8

__ Bike Day 7/27

__ Indigenous People’s Day 10/12 – *Trying to integrate throughout year, not just one day

__ Halloween + Oktoberfest 10/26

Market Programming

Market Stage, Community Tables

Market Science and Master Gardeners have both signed up for the whole year!
Less room than before, we’ll have to think about this…
Kate is reaching out to orgs that are on theme for special event days.
Musician and performer apps are rolling in
Kate met with Nona who books music for Moon Palace and got several new names and contact info for DJs and performers.
Hoping to get more student performances this year, and will work on collaborating on story times with Moon Palace.

Other

YWCA Zumba on Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm – May 28th-August 27th – Allina Health grant / Great Streets grant would help fund this.
Cooking Demonstrations with Open Arms of MN – handful of times throughout the season, TBD
Cooking Matters market tours – handful of times throughout the season, TBD
Bicycle Rewards Program with the Hub – punch card system, pending the Hub grant proposal
Senior Living / Adult Day Centers – possibility of coordinating transportation on Tuesdays, pending Great Streets grant

Volunteers

Moon Palace has a signup sheet at the front desk, volunteer asks are out on neighborhood organizations’ websites, social media platforms, etc.
Sophia has flyered a bunch in the South Minneapolis area. Flyers may be working! Got an inquiry from someone who saw them at the library.
Sophia has helped to start a volunteer “manual” and written orientation to send out before folks show up day of.
Will ramp up advertising volunteering in the coming weeks.

Subcommittees or Projects

Communications and PR

*Riverview Theatre AD – it’s live!

*Wayfinding signs – we need project help!

*Radio / Newspaper stories – working with Gerry; the Farmers Markets of Minneapolis will have some collective PR efforts throughout the season

Partnerships and Outreach

*Flyering – we need project help!

*Tabling – we need project help!

*Cultural / Arts partnerships – we need project help!

Development and Grant Writing – we need project help!

Du Nord Fundraiser Monday March 4th 5-10pm

Activities

Info Table with new merchandise, signup sheets, donation bucket, etc.
Trivia 7-8pm (thank you, Claire!)
Meat raffle at 9pm
Dead Media will play throughout the event
Donations of meat from Herbivorous Butcher and Sheepy Hollow and possibly Seward Coop
Catering from Vittles

Roles

Set Up will be at 4:30pm (Kate and Jenna)
Info Table 5-7pm, 7-9pm (2 hour shifts, 2 people each)
Raffles 5-7pm, 7-9pm (2 hour shifts, 2 people each)
Please share the event on social media, through email, and invite your friends, families and neighbors!

Fundraising

Engaging individual, “sustaining” donors will be key to our longevity.
Let’s think of strategies to make this happen! Will talk about this at our next meeting.

AC Recruitment