Annual Courses

All the resources, information, and materials you need to develop and strengthen your farm or food business.

Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned business in need of a fresh perspective, this 6-week course offers an in-depth exploration of the components of a business plan.

Offered annually from January-March, this course consists of five instructor-led virtual classroom sessions hosted on Zoom in addition to 12 supplemental learning modules. Topics covered range from operations and financial planning to marketing and consumer insights, and a lot more in between!

Participants will learn on their own schedule throughout the week, in between the classroom sessions, using content housed on Google Classroom. Participants should expect to spend 5-10 hours per week in between classroom sessions, using the program’s structured curriculum of recorded videos, readings and assignments, and interacting with instructors online. Classroom sessions will bring the group together to connect with instructors, share with their peers, ask questions, and practice the application of what they have learned. Come prepared to work, connect, and progress!

Deep dive into your go-to-market strategy! Covering topics in branding and marketing, this course will prepare students to strategize their marketing plan to ensure it speaks to the brand and provides resiliency, room for growth, and sustainability.

Offered the first Wednesday of each month from November to March, this course consists of 3 intensive modules and requires approximately 4 hours of learning and activities per module. Participants can complete this course at their own pace at any time of year, or they can join virtual classroom discussions hosted on Zoom annually and receive additional support from CADE staff with each module, as well as the comradery of going through the course with peers.

Participants will leave the course with a comprehensive marketing plan that supports their goals and that they can take to market. Participants who complete all activities, attend all workshops, and submit a completed marketing strategy for feedback will be eligible to receive website copy and design support from CADE.

Looking for more?

Check out all our upcoming courses and events, and make sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter so you don’t miss out on the latest CADE programs, events, and more!

“This workshop helped me understand marketing and get my ducks in a row when it comes to strategy. Because our business is in pre-development, that means I will be so much more prepared to hit the ground running when land access/tenure falls into place and I’ll be able to focus more of my time on what matters most to me—growing food for our community.”

– Go-To-Market Strategy Course Participant

“Even though I’ve run a business for quite a bit of time… I feel much more confident both in what I’m putting together and in my ability to create a business plan.”

– Business Planning Course Participant

“I’m extremely grateful for the farm business planning class for breaking down what is a challenging task into steps and fostering a community of people at similar business stages.”

– Business Planning Course Participant

Participation Requirements

Participants will need computer and internet access to successfully complete our courses. To get the most out of the program, you will be encouraged to turn on your computer’s video camera and interact virtually with the other participants and instructors.

We realize that not everyone has equal capacity to participate in our online programs and we are committed to making our resources accessible to all who can benefit. Please contact us for other ways to access CADE resources.