• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, August 1, 2011

The program spans a Facebook-based grant contest, other community project grants, a community toolkit and a limited-edition blend of coffee.

Pomegranate Center, based in Issaquah, Wash., is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to community-generated design and development in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. According to the Center, most modern U.S. communities lack town squares, commons or central gathering places, which are critical to community health.

"We believe coffee is an inherently communal experience," and Tully's' goal is "to help people in communities gather together, make personal connections and ultimately improve health and quality of life," sums up Karen Yacos, director of domestic community outreach, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. Tully's is one of Green Mountain's specialty coffee businesses.

The community that wins the Facebook contest will be awarded a 2012 Pomegranate Center grant, funded by Tully's, for up to $100,000 worth of services and equipment needed to design and build a social gathering place.

Through Aug. 31, communities can enter through Tully's Facebook page by submitting a short essay and photo about what makes their community special and how a gathering place would help transform the community. The entries will be judged on need, potential for helping the entire community/neighborhood, and creativity/originality/thoughtfulness.

Ten finalists will receive a Keurig Brewer and supply of Tully's K-Cup portion packs.

In addition, Tully's will give each of the first 500 contest entrants two free bags of coffee, including a bag of Tully's Community Spaces Blend, a limited edition created to tie in with the philanthropic initiatives. Bags of the special blend also will be distributed among volunteers from the grant project communities.

Tully's and Pomegranate also developed a free online tool kit/ resource guide to help communities initiate their own projects, accessible through the brand's Facebook page.

The contest grant and toolkit expand a Tully's commitment that began earlier this year. Tully's has already funded Pomegranate Center grants to four communities to revitalize public gathering spaces: Hunter Farm Gathering Place (Wedgwood, Wash.), Mercer Island Library Discovery Trail (Mercer Island, Wash.), Sumner Alley Gathering Space (Sumner, Wash.), and 132nd Square Park Gathering Place (Kirkland, Wash.).

Those projects are now in development by teams of community volunteers and Pomegranate Center staff.