Extension
It Starts With Us
Building a diverse economy that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and small business and community development
Job and Infrastructure/Community Vitality
Lindie Huffman, ANR; Kenna Knight, FCS; Shelley Meyer, 4-H
Community Engagement
Business Retention and Expansion
Arts Engagement
Agritourism Planning
There are 340,746 small businesses in Kentucky (2014). With 17% of these employing 19 or less, 16% employing 20-99, and 14% employing 100-499 employees there are over 1,000,000 people employed in small and medium sized businesses.
Kentucky Cooperative Extension is often the first place small business owners look for assistance in rural areas.
Small businesses, including farms, are the backbone of communities across America, especially in rural communities of Kentucky. They support many community, school, and youth programs, as research suggests that for every $100 spent at locally owned business, $43 is returned to the community, compared to only $15 spent at large corporate box stores. However, small businesses and farms face a multitude of challenges to keep their doors open from marketing, business planning, limited resource availability, labor management, etc. Entrepreneurs are in need of business training and are continually researching ways to expand and promote their business, sometimes calling for diversification of operations with new economic opportunities.
While small businesses make a community increase the vitality of the community, industry and commercial retailers also create a number of jobs to support communities. When analyzing future locations, companies often take a look at the community organizations, recreational areas, and religious structures. Creating space and place for a residents to not only live, work and play is integral to the health and vitality of the community. Through efforts to strengthen tourism, community leadership, recreation areas, etc. citizens will become more in tune with their individual social capital and devote time to becoming a true citizen of the community. Pendleton County has few places for residents to “play”, though a multitude of opportunity exists for eco and agri tourism.
•Economic evaluation confirms that agritourism contributes substantially to the economic viability of farms and rural communities.
•Increase and in sustained locally owned businesses
•Small business enterprises and employment increases
•Small business and farm profitability increases
•Sustained farmer/grower cooperatives and organizations
•Revitalization of Main Street/Downtown
•Key community events intentionally have arts and artisans involved
•A critical mass of leadership/support exist for the arts
•The arts are seen as critical to community development and economic growth by key non-arts leaders
•The arts contribute to local and regional economic viability
•There is viable income for individual artisans
•Increase the number of employees
•Expand products or services
•Increase return customers, sales, and/or profit
•Reinvest in community (i.e. donate or support non-profits, volunteer, mentor new business owners)
•Products and services will be accessible to residents, especially those with limited resources (i.e. transportation)
•Recognize the social and economic benefits from a stronger local economy (i.e. support of youth program, increased property value or tax base)
•Small business development network forms and meets regularly
•Increased number of loans and grants administered to qualified small businesses and farmers
•Groups for arts advocacy and planning are established in communities
•Leadership focuses on collaborations and coalitions with other community groups
•Key community events include arts and artisans
•Arts activities and events are intentionally inclusive of all age and socio-cultural groups
•Informal arts activities are held in various venues
•Track the change in sales on days when local advertising includes or features products or services in your company
•Critique which featured product/service or promotion provided the greatest positive impact on customer traffic, sales, or profits
•Plan and employ a new marketing strategy
•Participate in local marketing campaign to maximize reach of marketing budget
•Increase (by one or more) local businesses where you purchase products or services from prior year
•Choose to continue shopping at a local business due to quality of service, value of services, prices or other
•Recommend a local business to others
Increase employability of residents
Workforce readiness increased
•Community has a better understanding of the obstacles to small business development
•Community/elected officials rapidly respond to red flags
•Small business owners and farmers better understand the market for their product
•Small businesses and farms feel more integrated into the community
•Elected officials better understand their role in relation to small business and farm development and expansion
•Basic understanding of community development through the arts
•Basic Community leadership capable of organizing a group of arts supporters
•Community members have a greater sense of place and community history
•Recognize the social, economic, and environmental benefits of strengthening local business
•Observe and review local marketing efforts
•Identify products or services offered that would attract new customers
•Identify local businesses
•Discover variety of products and services available locally
•Recognize the social, economic, and environmental benefits by shopping locally
•Motivated to consider local purchases before shopping outside of the county
•Identify products and services lacking in local community
Identify Soft skills training needed for employability
Intermediate Outcomes:
•Small business development network forms and meets regularly
•Increased number of loans and grants administered to qualified small businesses and farmers
•Groups for arts advocacy and planning are established in communities
•Leadership focuses on collaborations and coalitions with other community groups
•Key community events include arts and artisans
•Arts activities and events are intentionally inclusive of all age and socio-cultural groups
•Informal arts activities are held in various venues
•Increase the number of employees
•Expand products or services
•Increase return customers, sales, and/or profit
•Reinvest in community (i.e. donate or support non-profits, volunteer, mentor new business owners)
•Products and services will be accessible to residents, especially those with limited resources (i.e. transportation)
•Recognize the social and economic benefits from a stronger local economy (i.e. support of youth program, increased property value or tax base)
Indicator: Sustained main street business operations, brick and mortar artisan centers, increase in Chamber of Commerce membership, % change of sales, increase in tourists to area, number of local businesses, number of industry, decreased unemployment rate
Method: observation, shop like a local sales logs, business owners participating in activities, artisans participating in activities, youth participating in activities, reviewing data annually or as new data is released, pre and post surveys of program efforts, community feedback and visual witnessing
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcomes:
•Small business development network forms and meets regularly
•Increased number of loans and grants administered to qualified small businesses and farmers
•Groups for arts advocacy and planning are established in communities
•Leadership focuses on collaborations and coalitions with other community groups
•Key community events include arts and artisans
•Arts activities and events are intentionally inclusive of all age and socio-cultural groups
•Informal arts activities are held in various venues
•Track the change in sales on days when local advertising includes or features products or services in your company
•Critique which featured product/service or promotion provided the greatest positive impact on customer traffic, sales, or profits
•Plan and employ a new marketing strategy
•Participate in local marketing campaign to maximize reach of marketing budget
•Increase (by one or more) local businesses where you purchase products or services from prior year
•Choose to continue shopping at a local business due to quality of service, value of services, prices or other
•Recommend a local business to others
Indicator: Sustained main street business operations, brick and mortar artisan centers, increase in Chamber of Commerce membership, % change of sales, increase in tourists to area, number of local businesses, number of industry, decreased unemployment rate
Method: observation, shop like a local sales logs, business owners participating in activities, artisans participating in activities, youth participating in activities, reviewing data annually or as new data is released, pre and post surveys of program efforts, community feedback and visual witnessing
Timeline: Throughout the year
Initial Outcome:
•Community has a better understanding of the obstacles to small business development
•Community/elected officials rapidly respond to red flags
•Small business owners and farmers better understand the market for their product
•Small businesses and farms feel more integrated into the community
•Elected officials better understand their role in relation to small business and farm development and expansion
•Basic understanding of community development through the arts
•Basic Community leadership capable of organizing a group of arts supporters
•Community members have a greater sense of place and community history
•Recognize the social, economic, and environmental benefits of strengthening local business
•Observe and review local marketing efforts
•Identify products or services offered that would attract new customers
•Identify local businesses
•Discover variety of products and services available locally
•Recognize the social, economic, and environmental benefits by shopping locally
•Motivated to consider local purchases before shopping outside of the county
•Identify products and services lacking in local community
Indicator: Sustained main street business operations, brick and mortar artisan centers, increase in Chamber of Commerce membership, % change of sales, increase in tourists to area, number of local businesses, number of industry, decreased unemployment rate, increased sales, more local shoppers
Method: observation, shop like a local sales logs, business owners participating in activities, artisans participating in activities, youth participating in activities, reviewing data annually or as new data is released, pre and post surveys of program efforts, community feedback and visual witnessing
Timeline: Throughout the year
Audience: Consumers / Business Owners / Tourism Operations
Project or Activity: Small Business Support
Ewenique Art Walk - Sept. (FCS,ANR,4-H)
•Farmers Market – May – November (ANR)
•Agritourism/Ecotourism Workshops – February (ANR, FCS)
Content or Curriculum:
•CEDIK Community Profiles
•Grant Writing
•Business Plan Workshops
Inputs:
•Local Business Owners
•Billboard
•Shop Like a Local Log Book
•Social Media Platforms
•Yard Signs
•County Government
•Chamber of Commerce
•Tourism Council
•Fiscal Court
•UK Publications
•Community Organizations
•Public Services
•Community Action Council
Date: Listed by program
Audience: Artisans/Crafters
Project or Activity: Arts in the Community
•Winter Wonderland – November (FCS)
•Chamber of Commerce – Monthly (FCS)
•Farmers Market – All Year (ANR)
•Tourism Council – All Year (ANR, FCS)
•Creative Arts – Four a year (FCS)
•Project Days – April (4-H, ANR, FCS)
Content or Curriculum:
•CEDIK
Inputs:
•Local Business Owners
•Local Artisans
•Billboard
•Social Media Platforms
•County Government
•Chamber of Commerce
•Tourism Council
•Fiscal Court
•UK Publications
•Community Organizations
•Public Services
Date: listed above
Date: All year
Audience: Farmers / Young Farmers / New Farmers / Youth
Project or Activity: Agricultural Diversification Courses
•Hemp: More than a Fiber – February (ANR)
•Hemp Field Day – June/July (ANR)
•Aquaculture: Shrimp Harvest – September (ANR)
•Aquaculture: Diversification Program (ANR)
•Bee Keeping Courses – All Year (ANR)
•Greenhouse/High Tunnel Field Day – September/October (ANR)
•Vineyard Field Days – March & June (ANR)
•Ag Reality- December (4-H, ANR)
Content or Curriculum:
•Hemp Production
•Aquaculture
Inputs:
•USDA Resources
•UK & KSU Extension Publications
•County Agents and Specialists
•Technology (drones, tablets, smart phones, apps, etc.)
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:
Audience: Adults, Farm / Land Owners
Project or Activity: Farm Planning
Content or Curriculum: UK resources and publications,
•Farm Taxes – January (ANR)
Inputs:
•Extension Specialist
•Agents
•UK Publications
•Lawyers
•KSP
•County Officials
Date:
Audience: Farmers Market / Horticulture Producers (AG, FCS)
Activity: Develop an organization to allow participants a networking system to enhance production and profitability through various programs and activities.
•Farmers Market – All Year (ANR)
•Farmers Feast – August (ANR, FCS)
•GAP Training – March/April (ANR)
•Home-Based Processing Training – March/April (ANR, FCS)
•KY Proud – February/March (ANR)
•KY Plate it Up Sampling and Demos – All Year (ANR, FCS)
•flAG tours (Familiarizing Locals with Agriculture) – June (ANR)
Ewenique Art Walk (September) FCS, ANR, 4-H
•SR/WIC FMNP – March/April (ANR)
Ag Reality- December (4-H)
Content or Curriculum:
•GAP Training
•Home-Based Processing Training
•KY Proud
•KY Plate it Up
•KY Farmers Market Handbook
•SR/WIC FMNP, USDA Publications
•Extension Publications
Inputs:
•Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•FSA
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
•KY Plate It UP
•KY Proud
•KDA
Date: All Year, Heavy in Production Season
Audience: Youth and Adults
Content or Curriculum: UK resources and publications,
Project or Activity: Workforce Readiness and soft skills trainings
Youth Soft skills workshops – Fall and Spring (FCS, ANR and 4-H)
Resume Writing and Interviews – Spring (FCS, ANR and 4-H)
4-H Communication Events – Spring (4-H)
Youth Leadership Development– school year – (FCS, ANR, 4-H)
Inputs
•Extension Specialist
•Agents
•UK Publications
•County Officials
County Schools
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Local Food Systems
It is estimated that food travels approximately 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate. Many of Kentucky's Farmers are part of the larger food economy, but communities across the Commonwealth are moving towards smaller food systems, that often come with higher premiums for agricultural products for the farmers.Pendleton County ANR Agent is working alongside farmers and the foodservice industry to cultivate relationships that offer restaurants and groceries with top-quality freshness while p
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership - ANR
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about," according to best-selling leadership author Margaret J. Wheatley. One could argue that one must know oneself and understand their "why" before engaging in their community. Cultivating and growing community through leadership development is a key aspect of being a county extension agent.The Pendleton County Seeds of Change professional development seminar was developed by the Pendleton Co
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Local Food Systems
Farmers' Market Returns to it's Roots with Permanent Pavilionby Lindie HuffmanPlanning Unit: Pendleton County CESMajor Program: Local Food SystemsThe Pendleton County Farmers' Market is a longstanding market (est. 1988) that has seen tremendous growth over the last ten years. In 2013 with just 6 vendors, the market found a new home in a vacant lot on Hwy 27. With leadership of county ag agent, market began finding ways to become more engaged with community, establishing a p
