Sustainable Agriculture and Education Grant

Sustainable Agriculture and Education Grant

Summary

Small forest landowners and agency professionals are being brought together for a three-part collaborative workshop series. This nine-month project will be an extremely powerful tool for anybody who is in the beginning stage of exploring the formation of a forestry co-op or local association. Forestry agency professionals accompany almost every group in attendance; by requesting this demographic mix, we are concentrating on a train-the-trainer focus. Attendees will be exposed to case studies and to experienced and knowledgeable co-op and industry professionals who will provide assistance to their specific projects.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objectives:

1. To conduct three two-day workshop series over the course of nine months for community leaders, agency professionals and forestry professionals focusing on forestry co-ops and landowner associations.
2. The curricular focus will be on:
· Feasibility analysis and business planning
· Leadership, members and markets
· Operations, finances and performance measurement

Performance Targets:

1. Select focus group Jun. 2004
2. Convene group and construct report July – Aug. 2004
3. Finalize logistics and curriculum Aug. – Sept. 2004
4. Conduct first workshop in Ellensburg, WA Oct. 2004
5. Interim work for attendees, i.e. conference calls, etc. Dec. – Jan. 2005
6. Conduct second workshop in Olympia, WA Feb. 2005
7. Interim work Feb. – Mar. 2005
8. Conduct third workshop in Okanogan, WA Apr. 2005
9. Follow-up to workshops Jun. 2005

Accomplishments/Milestones

The following events were held in 2004:

1. Eric Bowman hired as Project Manager, January 2004.
2. Conducted survey and authored survey report, January to February 2004. (See Appendix A)
3. Formed focus group, convened and authored focus group report, June to August 2004. (See Appendix B)
4. Secured funding from Community Trade and Economic Development, August 2004. (See Appendix G)
5. Hired E.G. Nadeau as an instructor, June 2004. (See Appendix D)
6. Created website for project at http://www.nwcdc.coop/Forest_landowners.htm.
7. Inclusion of project updates in newsletters. (See Appendix C)
8. Conducted first workshop in Ellensburg, WA, October 2004. (See enclosed black notebook)

Work Yet to Accomplish:

1. Conduct second and third workshops at three-month intervals and the subsequent interim work and follow-up for participants.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The primary outcome of this project will be the progress of the attendee’s respective groups. We will track group progress from their starting point at the first collaborative workshop to where the groups are in ten months after the follow-up support that will be provided.

Attendee progress will be measured by cataloging their assignments. At the first workshop the attendees submitted a preliminary project report on the status of their group. During the first workshop they received basic training in co-ops and an introduction to feasibility studies; from this they are creating Initial Action Plans, which they will share at the second workshop.

After the second workshop, they will author a Revised Action Plan. Assignments are designed to lead them toward their Final Report; which will consist of a feasibility analysis or a preliminary business plan to be completed by the end of June 2005. In order to provide a service that best suits the participants, an open communication channel has been maintained (See Appendix E).

There are specific outcomes for the groups and we are providing the attendees with the tools they need to complete each step. The groups who participated in the workshop will be increasing their chances of success in future cooperative ventures. With the proper information at their disposal, future co-op members and leaders will greatly increase their chances of long-term social entrepreneurial success.