2003 Annual Report for ENC02-069
Business Planning for Alternative Enterprises - Train the Trainer Program
Summary
This project developed a training curriculum to help educators deliver business planning workshops. Four one-day workshops were conducted for educators and agricultural professionals. The curriculum includes PowerPoint presentations, an instructors notebook, and a video interview with a farm family discussing the challenges and benefits of developing a business plan. The curriculum helps educators learn how to effectively use the "Building a Sustainable Business Guidebook" and the FINPACK Business Planning software. Educators are provided tools and materials so they can deliver business planning workshops to producers.
Objectives/Performance Targets
1.Develop a replicable train-the-trainer workshop using business planning software and the guidebook. This will build a link between MISA’s Building a Sustainable Business guidebook and the FINPACK Business Plan software.
2.Four train-the-trainer workshops will be conducted in Minnesota to equip educators to teach a business planning workshop using the software and the guidebook. The goal will be 70 participants at the workshops.
3.One North Central regional workshop will be conducted describing how to use the software and the guidebook in training workshops.
4.An instructor’s guide will be developed including discussion questions to help educators conduct workshops. The instructor’s guide will help educators teach the FINPACK Business Plan software and the "Building a Sustainable Business guidebook" to groups of producers.
5.Five sample business plans will be developed that reflect different sustainable farming operations and that can be used by farmers looking for an example of how to start a business plan.
6.Educators that participate in the train-the-trainer workshops will deliver workshops to producers describing how to develop professional business plans that communicate and present alternative enterprises and business activities.
Accomplishments/Milestones
1.A train-the-trainer workshop was developed to help educators effectively use the "Building a Sustainable Business guidebook" and the FINPACK Business Plan software to help producers develop business plans. The one day workshop curriculum will help educators and other agricultural professionals deliver business planning workshops and help individual producers with business planning.
2.Four workshops were held throughout Minnesota. These one-day workshops were attended by 45 educators and agricultural professionals.
Participants did rate the sessions well in the end of session evaluations. The evaluation summary follows: (scale 5 = very much and 1 =none)
A.How much has your ability to help producers develop a business plan improved as a result of attending this session? 3.91
B.How much has your ability to use the "Building a Sustainable Business guide" and the FINPACK Business Plan software improved as a result of attending this session? 3.82
3.A North Central workshop is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the joint North Central and Southern regional Farm Management Triennial Conference in June in Louisville, Kentucky. This conference attracts a diverse audience of 150 – 200 educators.
4.An instructor’s guide was developed that includes PowerPoint presentations, discussion questions, and a 15 minute video tape interview with the farm family that is used as the example in the "Building a Sustainable Business guidebook." The notebook, PowerPoint presentations, and the video discussion create a useful set of tools and materials to help educators deliver business planning workshops.
5.Four sample business plans are nearly complete. The video interview regarding the challenges and benefits of developing a business plan was developed in place of a fifth sample business plan.
6.Some of the educators who attended the train-the-trainer workshops have subsequently delivered business planning workshops. The number of workshops is not yet known and will be evaluated later in the project.
Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes
1.Nearly 50 educators and agricultural professionals are more equipped and have the tools and training to help producers develop professional, holistic business plans that communicate the validity of sustainable and alternative agricultural activities.
2.A set of materials has been developed that is readily available to agricultural professionals throughout the region and country to help deliver business planning training. Programs in several other states have inquired regarding the use of these materials.
3.Sample business plans have been developed that illustrate sustainable farms. These plans represent a direct market organic beef farm, the Minnesota Buckwheat Growers cooperative, a grain producer transitioning to organic production, and an organic vegetable producer who direct markets to metro area retailers.