Pendleton County CES

Title:

Building a diverse economy that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and small business dev

MAP:

Strengthening Local Community & Economic Development Health

Agents Involved:

Lindie Huffman, ANR; Kenna Knight, FCS; Shelley Meyer, 4-H

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Farm Management

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Agritourism Planning

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Securing Financial Stability (general)

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Business Retention and Expansion

Situation:

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 agritourism.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• 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)

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

Initial Outcomes:

• 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

Evaluation:

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

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults, Farm / Land Owners

Project or Activity: Farm Planning

Content or Curriculum: UK resources and publications,

•Farm Transition Planning – November (ANR)

•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)

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: Forage / Beef Producers (AG)

Activity: Forage Programs

•Pasture Renovation - February (ANR)

•Have yourselves a Hay Day (Forage Testing Field Day) - July (ANR)

*Master Cattleman - August - October (ANR)

Content or Curriculum:

•Forage Production

•Soil/Fertility

•KDA Hay Testing Mobile Unit

•Forage Reports

•Stock Piling Fescue

•Fall Seeding

•Weed Control and Identification

•IPM

Inputs:

•UK Publications

•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists

•County Agricultural Board

•FSA

•NRCS

•local producers and general public

•Certified Volunteers

Date:

Audience: CAIP Menu Program (AG)

Activity: CAIP Menu Program

•CAIP Informational Meetings – August/September

•Assorted Educational Field Days (as mentioned in various activities)

•Farm Visits – All Year

•Client Consultations – All Year, As needed

Content or Curriculum:

•Educational Program Supporting CAIP

Inputs: KADF Resources, UK Publications, Breed Associations, Conservation District, Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists, County Agricultural Board, FSA, local producers and general public, Certified Volunteers

Date: All Year

Audience: Beef Cattle Producers

Activity: Production, Marketing, Networking, and Education Courses

•Master Cattleman - August - October (ANR)

•BQA Certification – February & September (ANR)

•Bull Selection – January/February (ANR)

•Cattle Handling & Care – February (ANR)

•Expected Progeny Differences – February & September (ANR)

•Herd Health Day – April (ANR)

•Have yourselves a Hay Day – August (ANR)

•Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluations – April (ANR)

•Shared-Use Equipment Field Day – May/June (ANR)

•Beef Tour – September/October – (ANR)

Content or Curriculum:

•Educational Program Supporting CAIP

Inputs: UK Publications, Breed Associations, Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists, County Agricultural Board, FSA, local producers and general public, Certified Volunteers, local veterinarians , Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists, Farms, Livestock Auctions, UK Meat Lab and Butcher Shop, County Agricultural Board, FSA, local producers and general public, Certified Volunteers

Date: All Year

Audience: Tobacco Producers (AG)

Activity: Tobacco Programs

•Tobacco GAP – February/March (ANR)

Content or Curriculum:

•Current Tobacco Issues

•Tobacco GAP Training

Inputs: Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists, County Agricultural Board, FSA, local producers and general public, Certified Volunteers

Date: February and March 2018

Audience: Home Horticulture and Consumers and Youth

Activity: Home Horticulture Programs

•What’s For Dinner Gardening Series – March – May and Aug-Nov  (ANR, FCS)

•Kitchen Gardening – April (ANR)

•Planning the Garden that is Right for You – February (ANR, FCS)

•Mediterranean Lifestyle Series - July (FCS, ANR)

Junior Master Gardening Pilot - September (ANR, FCS, 4-H)

•KY Plate it Up Sampling – All Year (ANR, FCS)

•Container Gardening – February (ANR, FCS)

•Utilizing Raised Beds – May (ANR, FCS)

•The Meat of the Matter: Purchasing Local Meats – November (ANR)

•Plant Propagation Series – November (ANR)

•Rain Barrel Workshop – May (ANR)

•Rain Garden Workshop – May (ANR)

•4-H Garden Club- monthly 4-H (4-H, ANR)

Content or Curriculum:

•Lawn and Gardening & Horticulture

•vegetables production

•home fruit production

•landscape design

•landscape management

•beneficial insects

Inputs:

•Extension Community Education Garden

•Monarch Watch Station Grant

•Leader

•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists

•County Agricultural Board

•FSA

•local producers and general public

•Certified Volunteers

Date: All year

Audience: Consumers / Business Owners / Tourism Operations

Project or Activity: Small Business Support

•Shop Like a Local Challenge – June – July (ANR, FCS)

Ewenique Art Walk - Sept. (FCS,ANR,4-H)

•Paint Our Town – Summer (FCS)

•Farmers Market – May – November (ANR)

•Agritourism/Ecotourism Workshops – February (ANR, FCS)

Content or Curriculum:

•CEDIK Community Profiles

•First Impressions - CEDIK

•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

•Holiday Open House – November (FCS)

•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 (ANR, FCS)

•Paint Our Town – Summer (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

Audience: Adults, Youth, Families, Farmers, Tourists

Project or Activity: C.R.A.N.E. (Conserving Resources through Agricultural and Natural Exploration) Various Programming

•Water Awareness Month – May (ANR)

•Canoe/Kayak Exploration – Kentucky River – May (ANR)

•Forest Fridays – May – July (ANR)

•Canoe/Kayak Exploration - Licking River – June (ANR)

•Canoe/Kayak Exploration - Ohio River – July (ANR)

•Canoe/Kayak Exploration - Little Kentucky River – August (ANR)

•CRANE Master Explorer Expedition - travel to KY State Park as culminating experience – September (ANR)

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications, Master Logger, Ag Water Quality Plan, CRANE Master Explorer Program, Project WET, Project WILD

Inputs: Agents, specialist, Volunteers, Conservation District, Department of Forestry, Department of Fish & Wildlife, Local Agri-tourism Businesses, State Park System

Date: Summer 2018

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.)

Audience: Grape Growers

Project or Activity: Production, Marketing, Business Planning Courses

•Vineyard Pruning Workshop - March

•Grape Growers Round Table - November

•Vineyard Scouting Field Day - June

Content or Curriculum:

•IPM

•Cultivar Selection

•Legal Operations

Inputs:

•USDA Resources

•UK & KSU Extension Publications

•State Grape and Wine Council

•Grants

•KY Proud

•County Agents and Specialists

•Technology (drones, tablets, smart phones, apps, etc.)

Success Stories