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Today, the coffee sector has tremendous unmet educational and technical needs for producers and professionals and is facing challenges globally around climate, labor, finance, and inadequate access to needed technical knowledge which is putting the consistent supply of quality coffee at greater risk. Although CQI is a small organization with limited discretionary funds, it plays a key role in promoting coffee quality globally, as it has done for the last 30 years.
For most of CQI's history, our work has been focused on what's in the cup. In recent years, the concept of quality has expanded beyond the cup to include considerations of social inclusion, economic profitability, and environmental protection. We are eager to expand our work on coffee quality in partnership with organizations committed to advancing these goals as part of their work.
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Both programs can be used to support the same four categories of activities:
CQI will work with applicants to support projects designed to address supply stream challenges identified by the applicant and related to the broad concept of coffee quality described above.
CQI will support the delivery of classes and/or courses from the CQI Post-Harvest Processing education catalog to groups of learners to improve processing and quality.
Scholarships to expand access for select individuals to attend CQI Post-Harvest Processing classes and/or courses.
Fellowships for coffee professionals seeking to become certified instructors in CQI’s Post-Harvest Processing Program.
Across all four categories , CQI will promote the development and strengthening of local capacities in a systems approach to the provision of transformative coffee education and technical assistance.
GCF will prioritize:
Activities that aim to impact the greatest number of producers through funding to suppert long-term relationships with organized farmers and farmer enterprise leaders;
Interventions that address systemic problems and seek to empower producers through education that enables producers to improve quality, expand market access, and/or lower buyer risk; and
Partnerships with buyers who encourage adoption of GCF-funded practices by creating value in the form of commitment to create value for producers through consistent feedback, steady business, and profitable prices.
Coffee industry actors including private companies, national coffee governing agencies, coffee academies, coffee related service providers, producer organizations. With the exception of scholarship applications, which should be directed to the Project Fund, these programs are not for individuals.
Applicants must work in the coffee industry and be in a position to positively impact sector participants. All projects must benefit producers and must do no harm.
Incomplete applications will be disqualified. Applicants will be notified about the status of their application. CQI reserves full discretion on the approval process.
Applications will be reviewed as quickly as possible to expedite the review process given the time sensitivity of the coffee calendar. The initial review will consider if the application is complete and fulfills eligibility requirements. If the application is found to be incomplete or otherwise not qualified for review, CQI will notify the applicant in a timely manner. Applicants must have a documented track record and be currently active in the coffee sector. The application should define what constitutes success and how it will be measured. CQI requires a reference from a reputable company/organization known to CQI or a CQI educator who knows the applicant well enough to provide a meaningful reference. All applications must be consistent with the mission and values of CQI.
