Community Farmers Market Sponsor Opportunities

Quintessential Richmond! Richmond, Virginia is ranked nationally as a top food town destination where the abundance of fresh local ingredients paired with innovative culinary talents makes an unbeatable combination for food lovers. And without a doubt, one of the top foodie experiences in Richmond includes a visit to one of its many great farmers markets, where local growers, cheese makers, bakers, flower growers, food artisans and craft beverage producers all come together to create a vibrant marketplace experience featuring some of the freshest food on the Eastern Seaboard. Did you know? Our farmers markets are operated by RVAg, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization run by highly trained paid staff and governed by an all-volunteer board. Our markets operate without any county or federal funding (we run Virginia’s ONLY state-sponsored market). We rely solely on vendor fees, sponsorships and fundraising efforts to run our seasonal and pop-up markets and low cost/no-cost educational programs. How sponsorships support our mission RVAg’s Staff and Board of Directors are dedicated to both farmer and consumer education as a critical component of building and sustaining sales for local agriculture. Vendor fees cover the basic cost of operating the markets, but in order to keep vendor fees as low as possible and still fund educational and cultural outreach, RVAg solicits sponsors to support its programming goals, which include market events and programs, the Chef at the Market series, our POP (power of Produce) program for kids, our Be Green program, our SNAP It Up! Double SNAP Program, and our Weekly Concert Series. Since its inception of our flagship market (Manakin Market) in 2011, RVAg has proudly operated its’ vibrant farmers markets, which contribute to the success of local food growers and producers, strengthening our food economy and serving as community gathering places. By becoming a sponsor of RVAg, your organization shows a shared commitment to fostering an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable community. Donations in the form of sponsorships can help us off-set the cost of these popular programs.  You can specify which program your sponsorship dollars will go toward, or the money can go into our General Market Fund. RVAg operates four farmers markets throughout Central Virginia RVAg is a leader in local food systems – locally, regionally and statewide, we are a top-notch organization and an outstanding partner for businesses looking to connect with the Greater Richmond and Central Virginia communities in a meaningful way. We’d be happy to speak with you about our sponsorship program. Businesses really benefit by investing in our market! If you don’t see a program that works for you, we can always create one that does!

Join us as a Community Farmers Market Sponsor today!

Download our Sponsorship Program and Cover Letter including Metrics now!

Contact Lisa Dearden, RVAg’s Executive Director, for details: [email protected] or 804-314-9141