Incubators Aren't Just for Business... Farm Incubator Programs

We've done features on business incubators, and food business incubators, but did you know that there are farm incubators, too?  Various programs have popped up to start new farmers in the business with  (small) grants of funds, land (leased), and consultation and training to help urban farmers get a good start. 

For instance, the city of Cleveland, Ohio has a Gardening for Greenbacks program that gives grants of up to $3000 for those who go through the market garden training program, or have contracts for produce, or a member of a farmer's coop or a community supported agricultural program.  For more information, contact Jennifer Scofield at 216.664.4310.

The nearby Kinsman Farm leases out quarter acre lots to newbie farmers and mentors them and helps them develop business plans.  In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Tilian Center provides quarter acre lots with access to equipment and consultation to help them get their feet wet in farming.

For the closest thing to a national directory of farm incubators, try this searchable website provided by the National Incubator Farm Training Initiative.   

They warn that it's not being updated, but it is as close to a directory as we can find.  You might also try googling the phrase "farm incubators" and the name of your state.  

More Microlending for Small Business--Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream

Just ahead of the big announcement by the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) that they are opening an office in Toledo and bringing their business microloan programs to northwest Ohio (most of their operations have been in Columbus), here's a bit of info about a microlending aimed at food and beverage businesses.  Samuel Adams, the craft brewery that grew to a force in the beer business, is partnering with several nonprofits engaged in microloans across the country to provide loans ranging from $500-$25,000 to start or grow a business. 

Besides the loan program, they also host some "speed counseling" and other educational events.  They also include a list of regional business resources that include lending, food incubators and shared kitchens, educational programs and business associations.

It's not an exhaustive list, but here's more on microlending, business incubators, and food business incubators.   Try them all out.

Getting Help From Business Incubators

A few weeks ago, we had an entry on culinary incubators--organizations that give food entrepreneurs the space, equipment and support they need to create food products for market.  But there are general incubators, too, that help various types of businesses take off with space, equipment, access to funding, and other types of support.  Some provide free or inexpensive office space, or lab equipment for high-tech businesses.  Many offer access to loans or other types of funding.  They may offer mentoring or help writing a business proposal. 

Business incubators are different than small business development centers in a couple of ways.  SBDC do not provide space, equipment, or networked service, which many incubators do.  Also, small business centers are required to help any small or new business that requests their help, whereas business incubators often require you to apply for admission into their program.  Many business incubators only provide start-up space and help for certain kinds of businesses in which they specialize.  For instance, the Toledo, Ohio incubator at the University of Toledo specializes in renewable fuels, information technology, and other high tech businesses.  Many specialize in nuturing the type of business that takes a fair amount of research and development before they can bring a product to the market.  Techtown in Detroit, from their material, seems more broadly based and offers services and/or space to all sorts of start-ups. 

You can find an incubator near you at the National Business Incubators Association website.  Howevever, sometimes the links are not terribly helpful.  They may lead to an incubator's main site--like a university--with no link to the actual incubator activity.  In those cases, you might want to google the incubator's name and see what you can find.