Mission Statement
Skagit Valley Food Co-op is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide good food at a fair price.
As stated in the Co-op bylaws:
“The Co-op shall promote member welfare by utilizing their united effort for the purchase and distribution of commodities in accordance with the following criteria…”
Maintain the not-for-profit status of the Co-op
Offer high quality products that contribute to good nutrition
Support a low-impact, non-harmful approach to the environment
Support local suppliers and producers
A commitment to building a cooperative economy and supporting others who share that commitment
A commitment to educational programs relevant to members and non-members in the community
Bylaws
The Co-op’s Bylaws were most recently reviewed and updated in May 2021. Co-op owners voted to approve the Bylaw Updates proposed by the Board. Copies of the updated Bylaws are available to view below:
Strategic Direction
In 2020, the Board developed a vision of what the Co-op should look like in 2025. This statement is aspirational and lays the foundation for strategic planning efforts.
Along with the 2025 Vision, the board has also developed a series of overarching Principles that encompass the elements of the vision.
While these principles provide a template for how the Co-op should operate, many also lend themselves to specific goals. These goal-oriented elements have been expanded into a more formal Strategic Plan that includes specific metrics and targets.
The plan is not intended to define specific operational mechanisms, but rather to lay out the overall objectives and create ways to gauge our success in meeting those. Many activities can and will be taken on in each category to bring us to the goal. These specifics are in the purview of operational management.
We have developed a set of metrics that would allow us to understand whether we are making progress towards implementing the vision.
The Strategic Plan has four main themes. The following sections explain the themes and give an idea of the kinds of things that we feel we can monitor to provide a gauge for whether we are moving towards the future we envision.
Stewardship and Ongoing Viability
Nothing can be accomplished towards the vision unless the Co-op is fiscally sound and is managed successfully as an ongoing, viable organization. Metrics will include revenue growth, profitability, number of active members, cash in reserve, and the ratio of debt to equity. View our 2022 Financial Summary here.
Member Engagement
The Co-op should be important to the member/owners. We will be looking at the primacy of shopping at the Co-op, the number of patronage dividends, participation in Co-op decision making, and the general connection member/owners have through social media and other communications.
Employee Engagement
Our employees are important to the Co-op, and we continually hear from members that our employees’ knowledge, helpfulness, and commitment are a major element of why Skagit Valley Food Co-op is such a wonderful experience. We will be looking at metrics mostly related to employee retention and connection to the Co-op.
Community Engagement
It is imperative that beyond our own operations we must be a part of the overall community—supporting like-minded organizations and generally cooperating with the larger community to bring about a better future for all. Our metrics and goals here are related to our direct granting (through programs like 4% Friday), community outreach, and organizational partnerships.