Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: technical assistance
Proposal abstract:
This project will train 45 Extension educators and other service providers to meet the business development needs of food and farm businesses in the North Central SARE region. Our past work with the Heartland Regional Food Business Center (HRFBC) project has shown us that many service providers either lack awareness and understanding of the specific needs of small food and farm businesses serving local and regional markets, or do not have a background in small business development and struggle to provide impactful support to these business owners. We will organize and deliver an in-person,1.5 day-training at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City, NE, where educators will receive in-depth knowledge, tools and resources to support small food and farm businesses in their area. This learning will be enhanced with five webinars and three field days hosted by food hubs or other food system infrastructure operators in the region that provide a deep dive into specific topics identified at the in-person training as areas where more training is needed. Participants in these trainings, webinars and field days will receive a digital package of tools and resources (e.g. enterprise budgeting tools, capital resources and lenders in each state) to use in their work supporting sustainable farm businesses as well as building important connections networking with other educators and service providers in this field. Outcomes include educators reporting increases in confidence in their ability to meet their clients' needs, greater connectivity across service providers in the North Central Region, and increased business success.
Project objectives from proposal:
Outputs: Products and participation listed below.
Products developed:
|
Product |
Audiences |
Outputs |
|
Needs assessment survey and report |
Service providers and planning team |
Service Provider Needs report; training design to address those needs |
|
Training design and digital resource packet including tools/activities and assessments. For each stage of business development, we will identify key existing resources to include or to modify. |
Training participants and those they may train in their state or organization. |
55 (participants and speakers) packets created and used during the training. 100 downloads up digital resources |
|
Service provider map |
Service providers anywhere. Small farm and food-related businesses |
Number of hits, time on page |
|
Additions to training design and resource packet from presenters, follow-up webinars and field days. We will also curate modifications to existing materials and other additions as they are added. |
Service providers anywhere. Small farm and food-related businesses |
Number of resources added, downloads. Feedback. |
|
At least 5 recorded and posted Webinars and related resources |
Service providers anywhere. Small farm and food-related businesses |
Number of registrations and attendees and feedback, downloads of related resources |
|
At least 3 field day protocols and related materials |
Service providers anywhere. Small farm and food-related businesses |
Number registered and attending, feedback, and downloads of materials. |
|
COP site with posted resources and opportunities for asynchronous interaction |
Service providers anywhere. |
Number of hits, comments, and feedback |
Participation: We are planning for 45 participants in the initial 1.5 day in-person training, with 10 farmers/processors/aggregators as presenters. We expect at least 30 of the original 45 participants plus an additional 25 service providers will participate in follow-up activities.
Activity: Planning process
|
Who will participate and how? |
Anticipated outputs |
|
The core planning team will include: · 6 service providers who will create the training and follow-up activities and the materials to support them · 4 Agency staff will consult on resources and opportunities · 5 Farmers/processors/aggregators will consult on specific sessions |
Complete training design and materials packet with access to additional digital materials. Completed evaluation design and tools for data collection. Follow-up activities set up, logistics, content, and support materials. |
Activity: In-person Training
|
Who will participate and how? |
Anticipated outputs |
|
Up to 45 service providers, 10 farmer/processor/aggregators, and 4 agency representatives |
40 participants will report they learned new things, developed additional connections, and planned how they will use what they learned to support food and farm-related businesses |
Activity: Follow-up activities (webinars and field days)
|
Who will participate and how? |
Anticipated outputs |
|
45 participants from the in-person training and an additional 30 service providers will participate in at least one follow-up activity.
At least 10 farm or food producers or aggregator will participate in a follow-up activity |
70% of service providers report they acquired useful and actionable knowledge, accessed a new tool or technique, and developed a plan on how to implement what they learned.
At least 7 will report they learned new things and developed a plan for how to use the new ideas/tools. |
Activity: Evaluation - see evaluation sections below.