Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market

What Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market does

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market (RVGCM) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 in Medford, Oregon, that operates an open-air farmers market platform serving farmers, ranchers, food producers, and artisans based in Jackson, Josephine, and Siskiyou counties. The market runs three weekly sessions during the outdoor season (March through November): Tuesdays at the ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum parking lot in Ashland, Thursdays at Hawthorne Park in Medford, and Saturdays on Oak Street in downtown Ashland, plus a Winter Market Series held on select Tuesdays in December at Phoenix Civic Center and Rogue X. Approximately 150 vendor-members participate across Grower, Food Processor/Concessionaire, and Crafter categories, subject to an exclusive three-county sourcing requirement that defines the market's hyper-local value proposition.

The organization does not operate proprietary technology; its operational infrastructure consists of a website maintained by sponsor Rogue Media, email newsletters, Instagram and Facebook pages, and an SMS text-alert system (customers text "RVGCM" to 541-313-5313 for closure and event updates). Core revenue is generated through vendor membership and booth fees, supplemented by sponsorships (Medford Food Coop, Leaf Home, Medford School District, Market of Choice, Rogue Media, ACH Foundation), grants (Farmers Market Fund for Double Up Food Bucks; All Care Health CCO for Protein Match), and community donations. The market is governed by a Board of Directors (President Mike Driggs, Vice President Emily Ehrlich Inget, Secretary Anna Stevens, and members Peter Salant, Sean O'Ceallaigh, and Tony King) and staffed by a Market Manager (Flavia Polo) and Operations Manager (Nickole Schulz).

The market's primary customer segments are local Rogue Valley community members (including working families, students, commuters, and retirees), Southern Oregon visitors, and SNAP/EBT, WIC, and Senior Farm Direct Nutrition Program participants. The market layers SNAP/EBT token acceptance with Double Up Food Bucks matching (up to $20/day), a $10 Protein Match, an Emergency Market Money program deployed in November 2025 during a federal SNAP interruption, and Farm Direct Voucher acceptance. Customer acquisition relies on word-of-mouth, community presence, newsletter, organic social, and text alerts. RVGCM is not a technology or venture-backed entity; it is a community-rooted nonprofit marketplace whose defensibility is grounded in 38 years of operating history, exclusive local sourcing, multi-stakeholder sponsorship, and program partnerships rather than scalable technology.

Name

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market

Legal name

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market

Website

https://rvgrowersmarket.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market is a nonprofit, 38-year-old open-air farmers market in Southern Oregon operating three weekly markets in Ashland and Medford, serving approximately 150 local vendors and Rogue Valley community members, including SNAP recipients, through membership fees, sponsorships, and food-access programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farmers Market Operations

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAHAHAE

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Fresh Food Specialists (Produce, Meat, Seafood)

SECONDARYCRAHAGAO

Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

Keywords

• Farmers market operations
• Local produce sales
• Artisan craft marketplace
• Food access programs
• SNAP matching programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vendor Membership and Booth Fees: Farmers, ranchers, food producers, and crafters pay membership/participation fees to sell at the market. Vendors are categorized as Grower, Food Processor/Concessionaire, or Crafter and must be based in Jackson, Josephine, or Siskiyou counties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market operates a network of three weekly open-air farmers markets in Ashland and Medford, Oregon (March–November) plus a Winter Market Series in December, connecting approximately 150 local vendors — farmers, ranchers, food producers, and crafters — with community consumers. Vendors must be based in Jackson, Josephine, or Siskiyou counties, ensuring hyper-local sourcing. The market complements operations with food access programs including SNAP/EBT tokens, Double Up Food Bucks matching (up to $20/day), Protein Match, and Emergency Market Money, targeting underserved populations.

Product overview

Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market operates a network of three weekly open-air farmers markets in Ashland and Medford, Oregon (March–November), plus a Winter Market Series in December. The core offering is the physical marketplace connecting approximately 150 vendors—including farmers, ranchers, food producers, and artisans—with community members. The organization complements its market operations with multiple food access programs: SNAP/EBT tokens, Double Up Food Bucks matching (up to $20/day), Protein Match, Emergency Market Money, and Farm Direct Voucher acceptance. A text alert system provides operational updates to customers. Vendor membership is structured around three categories: Growers (minimum 75% self-grown products), Food Processors/Concessionaires, and Crafters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open-Air Farmers Markets Three weekly open-air farmers markets (Ashland Tuesday at ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum, Medford Thursday at Hawthorne Park, Ashland Saturday in downtown Ashland) operating March through November, featuring approximately 150 vendor members offering locally grown produce, plants, flowers, specialty foods, cheese, meat, baked goods, and handcrafted items from Jackson, Josephine, and Siskiyou counties.
• Winter Market Series Seasonal indoor market series held in December at the Phoenix Civic Center and Rogue X, providing continued access to local vendors during the off-season, with Peter Salant of Salant Family Ranch as a pilot vendor.
• SNAP/EBT Market Tokens Program allowing SNAP/EBT beneficiaries to redeem benefits at the market information booth in exchange for $2 market tokens accepted by all eligible vendors for food purchases (excluding hot foods and alcohol).
• Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Grant-funded matching program administered by Farmers Market Fund that doubles SNAP dollars up to $20 per market day, exclusively redeemable for fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, beans, herbs, and vegetable starts.
• Protein Match $10 SNAP/EBT match funded by All Care Health CCO, enabling customers to purchase complete proteins including fish, eggs, meat, nuts, hummus, and cheese in addition to Double Up Food Bucks.
• Emergency Market Money Emergency food support distributed during SNAP benefit interruptions, providing $40 in market credit per day regardless of benefits balance, funded through community donations and organizational commitment.
• Farm Direct Vouchers Acceptance of Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program vouchers (WIC and Senior Nutrition checks at $4 each) for fresh, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, and cut edible herbs at participating vendor booths.
• Market Text Alerts Text message notification system keeping customers informed of weather-related closures, changes to market hours or location, and special events such as cooking demos and live music; customers opt in by texting 'RVGCM' to 541-313-5313.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farmers Market FundcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 November 2025Farmers Market Fund administers the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) grant program at the market. In November 2025, they released discretionary grant funds to cover the DUFB program during a SNAP benefit interruption. They provided $11,760 in DUFB funding to support the community during the emergency.
• All Care HealthcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 November 2025All Care Health CCO has administered the Protein Match grant program for 4 years. In November 2025, they provided $5,000 in Protein Match funding, offering a $10 SNAP/EBT match that customers can use to buy complete proteins (fish, eggs, meat, nuts, hummus, cheese).
• Double Up Food Bucks OregoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministered by Farmers Market Fund, this state-level nutrition incentive program matches SNAP benefits dollar-for-dollar up to $20 per market day for fresh produce purchases at the market.
• Oregon Department of Human Services / Oregon WIC ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe market accepts Oregon Trail cards (SNAP/EBT) and Oregon WIC/Senior Farm Direct Nutrition Program vouchers ($4 vouchers for fresh produce from authorized farm vendors).
• Medford Food CoopminorOthersCommunity sponsor of the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market, listed among sponsors on the market's website.
• Leaf HomeminorOthersCommunity sponsor of the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market, listed among sponsors on the market's website.
• Medford School DistrictminorOthersCommunity sponsor of the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market, listed among sponsors on the market's website.
• Market of ChoiceminorOthersCommunity sponsor of the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market, listed among sponsors on the market's website.
• Rogue MediaminorOthersWebsite developer and marketing sponsor for the market. Built and maintains the market's website.
• Oregon Farmers Markets AssociationminorOthersStatewide farmers market association listed as a sponsor on the market's website.
• ScienceWorks Hands-on MuseumminorOthersThe Tuesday Ashland Market is hosted at the ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum parking lot (1500 E. Main St., Ashland). The museum serves as the venue host for the market's Tuesday operations.
• City of AshlandminorOthersThe Saturday Ashland Market operates on city-owned property (Oak Street between E. Main St. and Lithia Way). The market coordinates with the City of Ashland for the use of downtown public space. The city is also engaged regarding alternative market locations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oregon City Farmers Market: Nonprofit farmers market in Oregon City operating Saturdays year-round and Wednesdays seasonally. Comparable as an Oregon-based, vendor-membership-driven open-air farmers market with similar SNAP/DUFB programming.
• Salem Public Market: Long-running historic public market in Salem, Oregon hosting farmers, food producers, and artisans under one roof year-round. Comparable as an Oregon-based multi-vendor market connecting local growers and makers to consumers.
• Corvallis Farmers Market: Nonprofit farmers market in Corvallis, Oregon operating Saturday and Wednesday markets with a vendor membership model. Comparable as an Oregon-based, multi-day-per-week open-air farmers market with similar grower/crafter vendor categories.
• Bend Farmers Market: Central Oregon nonprofit farmers market operating weekly markets with a grower/crafter vendor membership structure. Directly comparable as an Oregon-based, multi-day-per-week, open-air farmers market serving a regional community.
• Portland Farmers Market: Oregon's flagship nonprofit farmers market organization operating multiple weekly markets (Portland State University, Hillsdale, King, Hollywood, Lents International, Eastbank) with a vendor membership model. Highly comparable as a multi-market, nonprofit, vendor-fee-funded farmers market serving a similar Oregon consumer base with comparable SNAP/EBT and DUFB programming.
• Hollywood Farmers Market: Year-round nonprofit farmers market in Portland's Hollywood District, operating weekly with a vendor membership structure and SNAP/DUFB acceptance. Comparable in mission, programming, and operational structure to RVGCM.
• Hillsdale Farmers Market: Sunday-only farmers market in southwest Portland run as a nonprofit vendor cooperative. Comparable as a small-scale, vendor-membership-driven open-air market with similar sourcing rules and direct-to-consumer model.
• Lane County Farmers Market: Nonprofit farmers market in Eugene, Oregon operating multiple weekly markets (Saturday Downtown, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and smaller venues). Comparable as a multi-market-per-week Oregon farmers market with similar SNAP match programming.
• Hood River Farmers Market: Nonprofit growers-only farmers market in Hood River, Oregon operating Saturdays May–November with strict local-sourcing rules. Comparable as a small, rural-Oregon, vendor-membership-driven market with hyper-local sourcing requirements similar to RVGCM.

Others

• Medford Food Coop: Member-owned grocery cooperative in Medford, Oregon selling local and natural foods. A current sponsor of RVGCM and a relevant adjacent/overlapping player in Southern Oregon local-food retail; serves as a year-round complement to the seasonal farmers market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rvgrowersmarket
• Instagraminstagram.com/rvgrowersmarket
• Xx.com/rvgrowersmarket
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rvgrowersmarket

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market