Section 7 Project Impacts

Impact on food insecurity & regional economic development plans

24. Describe how project will impact food insecure communities and aligns w/regional economic development strategy.

ECCG aligns with three key public sector strategic plans to advance regional economic development and positively impacts food insecure communities.

1. Capital Region Economic Development Council (CREDC) 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

Investment in ECCG holistically advances all three of the CREDC Strategic Plan’s regional priorities:

• “Economic Growth” (e.g., sustaining growth in legacy industries such as agriculture, while also supporting newer creative arts, food and tourism (CRAFT) industries);

• “Social and Economic Integration” (e.g., increasing economic integration between urban and rural communities in the region); and 

• “Community Vibrancy and Sustainability” (e.g. investing in projects in “Catalytic Communities” that “draw new residents to the area and offer quality of life amenities and other opportunities that encourage them to establish roots in the region” and minimize urban sprawl by fostering economic vibrancy in concentrated and connected areas).

CREDC recognizes downtown Schenectady as a “Catalytic Community” and recommends investment in projects prioritized in approved Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) plans.

2. NY State DRI Schenectady Strategic Investment Plan 

Schenectady’s DRI Strategic investment Plan prioritizes investment in ECCG because it advances key DRI priorities:

• Support retail options that increase access to healthy food;

• Support existing businesses and increase new retail in strategic location; and

• Support smaller entrepreneurial/incubator opportunities that target the local workforce and promote local economic growth.

3. Schenectady County Healthy & Equitable Food Action Plan

In 2017, Schenectady County Public Health Services completed its first Healthy & Equitable Food Action Plan, which prioritizes “[a]attracting new grocery stores to underserved areas.” The lack of neighborhood-based grocery stores was the primary concern reported by focus group participants and neighborhood association members participating in the planning process. 

Benefits to Farmers

25. Describe how the project will create improved benefits to farmers in the agricultural sector.

At the average food co-op, local products comprise 20% of total sales, compared to only 6% at a typical conventional supermarket. The average food co-op partners directly with 157 local vendors. ECCG will exceed these numbers by partnering closely with the neighboring Schenectady Greenmarket (located only ⅓ mile away). A longstanding regional farmers market welcoming over 130,000 customers and over 80 vendors each year, the locally grown foods that Greenmarket visitors know and love are only available for 4 hours each Sunday. ECCG will serve as an anchor for local and regional farmers to retail their goods 7 days a week at a convenient location near highway I-890.

Previously, we only briefly described how our pricing strategies - Fresh Deals, Flash Sales, Co-op Basics, and Co+op Deals - will benefit farmers and other producers in our region. 

Fresh Deals will be published weekly and includes six to twelve sales focused on what’s in-season, shining a spotlight on local and regional products. New sales begin each Wednesday morning and are advertised through digital, social, and print. The store will partner with local and regional farmers and producers to tell stories about their products through the Fresh Deals program and collateral advertising.

Flash Sales will be quick, exciting bursts, typically occurring for two days (weekends), or even shorter product-dependent timeframes.This gives local and regional farmers and producers the opportunity to move product quickly and generate excitement around seasonal goods.

Co+op Basics will be our everyday low price program, offering competitively low prices on local New York State milk, yogurt, eggs, bread, apples, and seasonal produce.  Co+op Deals will rotate on a bi-weekly basis.

Because local purchasing decisions will be made in-house, ECCG will be nimble in working with regional farmers to quickly move surplus goods, advertise a particularly exciting harvest, and tell timely stories about the farmers who nourish our region.

Co-Benefits (e.g. Employment Opportunities)

26. Please describe other anticipated co-benefits, including creation of employment opportunities  

We anticipate that ECCG will generate co-benefits including multiplier effects–the process by which money spent locally generates additional economic activity. Here’s how this can happen:

1. Expanded Employment Opportunities. 

ECCG will create 20-25 quality jobs for local people that are representative of the community. At steady state, the forecast supports $154,000 for staffing per month. This averages at an hourly rate between $25.80 and $32.25 for full-time employees. 

2. Local Supply Chains

By prioritizing local procurement, the co-op supports upstream suppliers in the region. These suppliers, in turn, reinvest in their operations and in their communities.

3. Direct Local Spending

Local employees are likely to invest their earnings in nearby businesses, such as cafes, boutiques, and services. 

4. Increased Foot Traffic

ECCG will restore retail balance and support a more walkable downtown that attracts shoppers who are more likely to spend money at other nearby businesses. 

5. Community Wealth Building

As a member-owned grocery, profits will be reinvested into the business, distributed to members, and/or used to fund community projects. This keeps wealth circulating locally, rather than being siphoned off to external shareholders.

6. Enhanced Property Values

By contributing to a thriving downtown, ECCG will help increase property values and local tax revenues, enabling municipalities to reinvest in infrastructure, parks, and other public amenities.

7. Environmental Savings and Economic Health

A walkable downtown reduces the need for car travel, keeping more money in the local economy rather than being spent on gas or vehicle maintenance. It also fosters active living, potentially lowering healthcare costs and increasing disposable income for other local expenditures.

In summary, the food co-op becomes an anchor institution that stimulates a cycle of spending, employment, and reinvestment, amplifying the flow of money within the local economy and strengthening community ties.