Please provide a brief update on your progress toward your proposed CWB goals in the last reporting period:
Grower Apprenticeship programming in April focused on the following areas: ==Farm focus: Spring Planting/Seeding; Irrigation ==Cooperative business development focus: Decision Making Wednesday, 4/3/24, 6-7:30p - Coop/Solidarity Economy (Decision Making) Saturday, 4/6/24, 9:30-11:00a - Farm Workshop: Crop Planning/Greenhouse Seeding Wednesday, 4/10/24, 6-7:30p - Technical Assistance: Bed Building Saturday, 4/13/24, 9:30-11:30p- Farm Workshop: Drip Irrigation Wednesday, 4/17/24, 6-7:30p - Applied Learning - Group Farm Work Saturday, 4/20/24, 9:30-11:00a - Farm Workshop: Seeding & Transplanting (Spring Crops) Wednesday, 4/24/24, 6-7:30p - Applied Learning - Group Farm Work Saturday, 4/27/24, 9:30-11:00p -Technical Assistance: Direct Seeding/Transplanting
What constraints or limitations, if any, did you experience in the last reporting period?
Urban Growers Collective is preparing for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) food saftey training in May. GAP is a voluntary certification program that verifies that food is produced, packed, handled, and stored safely to reduce the risk of microbial contamination. GAP audits ensure that producers, packers, and distributors adhere to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recommendations for minimizing microbial food safety hazards. This will ensure that as additional producers utilize our processing shed to support their farm operations, we are training them and keeping them accountable to GAP standards early on within their farm operating experience.
What opportunities, if any, did you take advantage of in the last reporting period?
Urban Growers Collective has begun utilizing the South Chicago Farm Processing Shed that the City of Chicago funds were used to develop. This allowed UGC to harvest and process 615.2 lbs of produce at our South Chicago Farm, including Mustard greens, Carrots, Herbs, Arugula, Beets.
Did you establish new CWB relationships/partnerships in the last reporting period?
No
Please describe the relationships you established pertaining to your CWB work.
Did you collaborate with other TA providers in the last reporting period?
Yes
Which TA provider(s) did you work with?
Upside Down Consulting
Please share on behalf of whom / which projects you collaborated with the TA providers above:
Upside Down Consulting partners with UGC to provide Coop/Solidarity Economy workshops monthly for Grower Apprentices. On Wednesday, 4/3/24, 6-7:30p the Coop/Solidarity Economy curriculum focused on Decision Making within cooperatives
Did you attend the Working Group meeting last month?
No
How would you rate the usefulness of the working group to your project last month? (on a scale of 1-5)
5 extremely useful
Optional Space
Community Area(s) (select all that apply)
| Community Area | Participants Served in this Community Area |
|---|---|
| South Chicago | 16 |
Race / Ethnicity of Participants (select all that apply)
Gender identity of Participants (select all that apply)
Age Range of Participants (select all that apply)
How many sessions of one-on-one consulting to Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. one group or individual with one training provider)?
0
How many group workshops for Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. convenings, workshops, events, etc.)
5
How many hours of support to CWB Pre-Development Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you provide this reporting period?
8
How many hours of support to existing Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you provide this reporting period?
0
How many co-op businesses did you develop last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)
0
How many jobs were created overall last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)
0
Please list the Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers Organizations you worked with this reporting period.
Other organization (please specify):
Developing Grower Apprentices
What type(s) of Technical Assistance did you provide to Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers this reporting period? Select all that apply.
Did you provide education to any Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers this reporting period?
Yes
How many hours of cohort education/training did you provide last month?
8
How many hours of popular education/outreach did you provide last month?
26
Number of curriculum material(s) created last month
8
How did you market your services and conduct outreach in the last reporting period? Select all that apply.
Please enter, How did you market your services and conduct outreach in the last reporting period?
Internal schedule for Grower Apprenticeship Program Participants
What are the greatest needs that your WC clients/partners expressed in this reporting period?
n/a
What are the greatest gaps in service or resources in Chicago's CWB ecosystem?
n/a
Please share any direct testimonials from Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers clients or storytelling about the impact of your work this period:
See below!
Please upload media (document with testimonials, photos, or video links) from WC workshops or events held.
Did your organization provide any additional TA support this reporting period that was NOT covered in the previous tabs?
Yes
Please describe the type(s) of organizations you supported (i.e. nonprofits, business service orgs, etc.)
Grower Apprentices
How many total organizations or entities did you support (that were not covered in the previous tabs)?
0
How many total hours of support did you provide to these organizations?
0
Please share any other relevant details about the support you provided these organizations:
