Awards

Do you know an outstanding food cooperator who deserves to be recognized?  Or have you been admiring the progress, growth, innovation, or resilience of a particular co-op.

Here is your opportunity to recognize them!

The CCMA Awards are the food co-op sector’s opportunity to recognize colleagues and cooperatives for their contributions, leadership, and commitment to cooperative values. Nominations are made by the food co-op community and reviewed by a panel of peers selected by CCMA steward, UW Center for Cooperatives.

If you know of a food co-op or someone in the food co-op community who deserves commendation, please nominate them!

See who has been honored with past awards.

Cooperative Excellence (Retailer of the Year)

Eligible nominees: Retail grocery cooperatives

Description: This award recognizes overall excellence in cooperative retail operations, grounded in cooperative principles and designed to serve both members and the broader community.

Evaluation Criteria

• Organizational Effectiveness: Demonstrates excellence in store operations, systems, and/or management practices; uses data, learning, and continuous improvement to strengthen performance and resilience.
• Business Results: Achieves consistent financial success while meeting member and customer needs and advancing cooperative principles, community benefit, and long-term sustainability.
• Leadership and Governance: Board and management work together to set clear priorities, make sound decisions, and execute strategies that position the co-op to respond effectively to a changing retail and food system environment.
• Customer & Member Experience: Prioritizes member and customer satisfaction through service excellence, member engagement, and cooperative education.
• Employee Engagement & Cooperative Culture: Fosters a positive, inclusive workplace grounded in cooperative values; engages and empowers employees through transparency, meaningful participation, and professional development opportunities, recognizing staff as essential to the co-op’s success.

Cooperative Service Award

Eligible nominees: Individual working at a retail food cooperative

Description: The Cooperative Service Award honors an individual whose above-and-beyond contributions, leadership, and commitment to cooperative principles have made a lasting, positive impact on their co-op’s operations, culture, and mission.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Exceptional Performance & Dedication: Consistently exceeds expectations, delivering results that enhance the cooperative’s operations, member experience, or workplace culture.
• Innovation & Initiative: Takes risks and introduces creative solutions that lead to positive, lasting change within the co-op.
• Champion of Cooperative Principles: Embodies the cooperative principles in everyday work.
• Impact & Influence: Demonstrates accomplishments that have improved the co-op’s effectiveness, reputation, and long-term success.
• Commitment to Community: Advances the cooperative’s mission to serve and uplift its members, employees, and the surrounding community.

Cooperative Board Service

Eligible nominees: Individuals serving on a cooperative board of directors

Description: The Cooperative Board Service Award honors a food co-op board member whose exceptional dedication, leadership, and commitment to cooperative principles have strengthened democratic governance and advanced the co-op’s goals through extraordinary contributions of time, talent, and service to both the co-op and its community.

Evaluation Criteria: 

• Exemplary Leadership: Demonstrates integrity, accountability, and a deep commitment to the cooperative’s mission, values, and democratic governance.
• Strategic Impact: Plays a key role in guiding the co-op toward meaningful progress in areas such as financial health, community engagement, equity, or sustainability.
• Exceptional Commitment: Contributes significant time, energy, or expertise beyond the expectations of board service to advance the cooperative’s goals.
• Mentorship & Collaboration: Encourages effective teamwork within the board and nurtures leadership among fellow directors, staff, and members.
• Community Stewardship: Demonstrates a strong connection between the co-op and its community, fostering collaboration and mutual benefit.

Cooperative Impact Award

Eligible nominees: Individual staff, board members, or cooperative champions who are working within or in service to cooperative enterprises.

Description: This award celebrates individuals who are helping redefine what’s possible in our sector—whose efforts have created meaningful change, inspired others, and contributed to a more just and thriving cooperative ecosystem.

Evaluation Criteria: 

• Transformative Impact: Has led or contributed to initiatives that resulted in significant, positive change for a cooperative, its members, or the broader cooperative movement.
• Innovation & Vision: Demonstrates creativity, forward-thinking approaches, or new models that strengthen cooperative operations, engagement, or visibility.
• Equity & Inclusion: Advances inclusion, justice, and community well-being through cooperative principles and practices.
• Inspiration & Leadership: Serves as a role model, mentor, or motivator who empowers others to lead and participate in the cooperative movement.
• Sustained Impact: Makes contributions that will have a lasting influence on the sector.

Please use the submittable platform to submit a nomination. Nominations must include:

• General background information on the nominee

• A description of how the nominee meets the criteria for the award

• At least three letters of recommendation

Nominations for CCMA 2026 are due March 13, 2026. 

Nominate!