A solid business plan is key to building a successful and sustainable urban agriculture enterprise. This section guides you through critical steps like choosing a location, identifying markets, analyzing your current business, and planning for transitions. You will also find supporting services from The Ohio State University to assist you in urban agricultural business development.
- Location Selection (coming soon)
- Zoning and Land Access
- Access to Natural Resources
- Market Identification
- Conducting a SWOT Analysis of Your Agricultural Business
- Planning for the Successful Transition of Your Agricultural Business
- Should I Continue Farming?
- Business Planning Services
Accessing the right funding is essential for launching, growing, and sustaining urban agriculture operations. This section highlights available grants, low-interest loans, and guidance to prepare you for grant application. You will also find additional funding opportunities provided by USDA.
- Grants and LowInterest Loans for Ohio Small Farms
- Starting and Operating a Microenterprise Loan Fund
- The Basics of Grant Writing: Becoming Grant Ready
- USDA Resources
Financial management is critical for the sustainability of urban farming. This section provides tools for evaluating your farm’s financial health and offers guidance on agricultural tax exemptions in Ohio.
- Balance Sheet
- Taxation
Urban farms face a variety of risks, from unpredictable weather to unexpected diseases in production. This section introduces USDA programs that help mitigate these risks through financial assistance.
- USDA Resources
Effective marketing and sales strategies are essential for urban farms to reach customers and grow the business. This section offers guidance on selling at farmers markets and beyond. You will find resources on marketing tools, branding programs, and certifications to help expand your market access and build trust with consumers.
- Farmers Markets
- Ohio Farmers Market Network
- Introduction to Nutrition Incentives (Nutrition Incentives Series)
- Types of Nutrition Incentives Offered at Ohio Farmers Markets and How They are Funded (Nutrition Incentives Series)
- Accepting SNAP Benefits at Ohio Farmers Markets
- Marketing and Promotion of Nutrition Incentives
- Management of Nutrition Incentives at Farmers Markets
- Marketing and certification
Effective workforce management ensures a safe and productive urban agriculture work environment. This section covers essential training and resources for worker safety and best practices for employee management. Supporting your team is critical to the success and sustainability of your operation.
- Worker Safety
- Employee Management
This section provides location-specific resources. Coming soon.
- Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) resources
- Franklin County (Columbus) resources
- Hamilton County (Cincinnati) resources