During the course, you will learn to:

• Assess whether or not a business idea is a good fit for you.
• Develop a marketing strategy to make a profit
• Use financial tools to evaluate if your business has the potential to be profitable

This 9-session business planning course will help set your farm up for success in a new business venture.  During the course you will learn to assess the viability of a business idea, start to put a realistic path together to move your business forward, develop a marketing strategy to sell what you produce (and make a profit) and finally how to use financial tools to evaluate whether or not your business is meeting its financial milestones and achieving profitability. 

Unit 1: January 8,15 and 22 (Liz Higgins): Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan, Developing an Enterprise Budget for the Business Venture

Unit 2: January 29, February 5 and 12 (Bonnie Nelsen): Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm Business

Unit 3: February 19, 26 and March 5 (Steve Hadcock): Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business

All course content is available online so you can work on it at your own pace.  There will be weekly webinars where you can meet other students and interact directly with the instructor on the content.  These webinars will be recorded. 

Do you need a business plan for your farm?  Do you have an idea for a new venture, but aren't sure if it will work? This program is for you!

This course is designed for existing farm businesses or those planning to undertake a new farm business venture. Students will work with their farm's data, and the goal of the class is for participants to have a draft of a written business plan for a specific business venture.  Because this is an on-line course, to participate you must have access to reliable internet and a computer.

During the course, you will learn to:

• Assess whether or not a business idea is a good fit for you.
• Develop a marketing strategy to make a profit
• Use financial tools to evaluate if your business has the potential to be profitable

This online course meets from January 7-March 4, 2025.  All course content is available online so you can work on it at your own pace.  There will be weekly webinars where you can meet other students and interact directly with the instructor on the content.  These webinars will be recorded. 

Questions?  Contact Bonnie Nelsen at bjn2@cornell.edu, or 315-980-9926

Registration link under Event Details to the right.

Scroll down for details on all 9 sessions.

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Are you planning to invest in projects like farm worker housing, irrigation systems, storage facilities, packing facilities, cideries, craft beverage production, cooling and refrigeration, renewable/clean energy, or greenhouses in the future?  Would you like to build them at a 50% discount?  It's possible with a farm grant!

Grants are an attractive funding alternative to commercial lending that are available to farmers from federal, state, local and private sources.  But grants aren't available for every project, nor are they "free" in the sense that you have to do nothing.  And finding appropriate grants and deciphering grant requirements can be challenging.

This free online workshop will help you identify and evaluate grant opportunities for your farm. The program consists of six online sessions that will increase awareness of farm grant opportunities and build skills needed to target suitable grants.  Participants will learn how to identify components of a project plan that may qualify for a grant, research available grant opportunities, understand selection criteria and grant requirements, and choose the best funding opportunity for their project. 

The first three sessions will build skills needed to identify suitable grant opportunities. The remaining sessions consist of three virtual panel discussions with speakers from federal, state, county, and private funders providing grants to farmers.  Panelists will offer insight into funding priorities and tips on making successful proposals. Farmers who have received federal, state, local or private grants will also be included in each session; these folks will describe their personal experience with the grant application and post-award management.

As a result of participating in the workshop, you will:

• Identify sources of federal, state, local and private farm grants
• Learn about the types of projects for which grant funding is available
• Learn to navigate grant portals and register for announcements about new grant opportunities
• Understand request for proposals
• Identify the requirements of a grant opportunity
• Determine if a grant opportunity is a good match for your farm

Workshop Schedule, start time 12pm

1. January 16, 2025
2. January 23, 2025
3. January 30, 2025
4. February 13, 2025
5. February 20, 2025
6. February 27, 2025

Save the date for 2025 Respirator Fit Testing Clinic.