Louisville, Ky. (October 29, 2026) – Metro United Way and Canopy today announced the pilot of Mission Marketplace, a new approach to nonprofit funding in the Greater Louisville region, at Canopy’s 6th Annual Good Business Summit. Under the Mission Marketplace model, local nonprofits sell mission-aligned products and services that businesses already buy, and every purchase helps fund the nonprofit’s mission. Still in its early stages, the pilot will be refined with input from nonprofit, business, and community partners.
Mission Marketplace responds to a growing strain on the nonprofit sector. According to the Kentucky Nonprofit Networks’ 2026 More Than Charity Report, 77% of Kentucky nonprofits report increased demand for services, while 69% report declining funding. Mission Marketplace is exploring how earned revenue and business-nonprofit collaboration can help close that gap.
“Our nonprofits are being asked to do more with less every single year, and that calls for us to get creative about how we support them,” said Adria Johnson, president and CEO of Metro United Way. “Mission Marketplace helps them fund their missions through work they’re already great at, while businesses get the same value with a much greater return for our community. We’re still building this with Canopy, and we want to hear from businesses and nonprofits who can help us get it right.”
In practice, the Mission Marketplace model helps nonprofits develop and grow mission-aligned products and services, then connects them with customers, partners, and market opportunities. The concept was shaped in part by Metro United Way’s early investment in Zest, Feed Louisville’s line of prepackaged, nutritious food products sold at local businesses and coffee shops. In the five months following that investment, Zest grew its retail distribution partners by 200%, boosted revenue by 54% and increased sales by 41%, with net revenue covering the cost of 2,656 meals for food-insecure neighbors. Building on those early results, Zest is now Mission Marketplace’s first pilot partner.
“Mission Marketplace reflects the ideas, passion, and hard work of many people committed to rethinking how businesses and nonprofits work together,” said Scott Koloms, Founder and CEO of Canopy. “By building partnerships that benefit both, we can create greater stability and deliver more consistent, lasting impact in our communities.”
Mission Marketplace, a Metro United Way initiative in partnership with Canopy, is currently piloting its model and preparing to expand access across Greater Louisville. Lessons from the pilot will shape how the initiative grows, with more updates to come in the months ahead. Businesses, nonprofits, funders and community members interested in following along can sign up for updates at metrounitedway.org/program/mission-marketplace.
About Metro United Way
For more than 100 years, Metro United Way has been improving lives and our community, which includes Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham, and Shelby counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana. We are uniquely positioned to harness the power of donors, volunteers, thought leaders, experts, other nonprofits, and government at all levels to ensure positive, sustainable change for every person in our seven-county region. Now more than ever, we are focused on three priorities: thriving kids, strong households, and an equitable community.
About Canopy
Canopy strengthens Kentucky businesses by providing the education and connections required to turn community impact into a path for sustainable profit. We provide practical tools that help businesses build employee well-being and community impact directly into their business models.
