Specifications include, but are not limited to: Support the development of a cooperative and/or non-profit grocery store in an underserved area of Austin. This project will incorporate organizing, cooperative, or nonprofit development, business feasibility analysis, and pilot store planning and implementation. The core goals of this contract include the following: • Development and implementation of an outreach plan to residents in the “Eastern Crescent” of Austin around community-owned grocery needs and preferences; • Education and organizing of residents around a community-owned grocery store; • Development of recommendations on location, characteristics, and development process for a community-owned grocery store; • Identification of a core group of community-owned grocery store users, greater than or equal to 300 in number; • Identification and training of an initial leadership cohort for the grocery store who may serve as a founding Board of Directors; • Creation of business planning documents for a community-owned grocery store, including pro forma financial budgets, a formal business plan, capital campaign planning, contacts with lenders, general manager search process, and site selection criteria; • Facilitating a pilot-scale launch of a cooperative or nonprofit grocery store; and, • Financial disbursements and management of funds to member stakeholders and/or pilot grocery store program.
