Below is a curated collection of resources to support good food entrepreneurs.
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Growing Michigan’s Good Food Future: An Evaluation of the Michigan Good Food Fund 2015-2019
Mission-fit Scorecard
Download the Michigan Good Food Fund’s Mission-fit Scorecard, now available for others working on healthy food-related financing projects. We use this tool to evaluate mission-alignment of businesses against five key impact areas.
Food Trends 2019
Whether you are focused on introducing your brand to unreached demographics, creating new on-trend recipes, or getting a jump on trade or consumer pitching opportunities, this guide is intended to help support marketing efforts for your brand in 2019.
Case Study: Imperial Fresh Markets
Learn how Michigan Good Food Fund partner Capital Impact Partners helped this family-run grocery store expand its footprint and offer more fresh, locally sourced food.
Case Study: Ken’s Fruit Market
Read how Michigan Good Food Fund partners helped a family-owned grocery chain through financing and business assistance.
Detroit Ecosystem Data Summary
A topline report that compiles and communicates survey results through infographics plus key takeaways from the convening.
Detroit Financing & Technical Assistance Ecosystem
Another view of survey results in a user-friendly grid, providing a quick reference guide of providers and their offerings.
Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities
Recent findings and research on the economic opportunity of investing in regional food systems, featuring a case study about the Michigan Good Food Fund.
Funding sources for food-related businesses
Developing Large-Scale Sustainable Local Egg Markets
A guide to help local egg growers develop large-scale markets.
Beyond the Numbers, Food Business Decision Making Series: Buying or Leasing a Food Hub Truck.
A guide to the pros and cons of buying a food hub truck for distribution.
Beef or Hogs? Or Deer?
Simple principles to aid small meat plants in deciding when to process one species over another.
Loan Process Checklist
A guide to the Michigan Good Food Fund application process as well as a checklist of information that will be requested along the way.
Grower, Packer, Distributor Overview
Learn how the Fund can support the growth of your growing, packing, or distribution business.
Detroit Food Academy Wins Big at Crain’s Food Summit
Detroit nonprofit wins Michigan Good Food Fund Impact Award at first ever Crain’s Food Summit. Read more about the event and Detroit Food Academy.
Sample PowerPoint Slides
Slides with talking points you can use to spread the word about the Fund. Use them all or curate a selection for your audience.
Mission Alignment
The Michigan Good Food Fund is a mission-driven fund with the following goals and priorities. Help us understand how your business aligns with them.
Competitor Grid Template
A template grocery store entrepreneurs can use to evaluate market competitors.
Grocery Resource Guide
This document contains links to resources about mission/concepts, market analytics, workforce, product and infrastructure for grocery store entrepreneurs.
New Funding Sources for Food Related Businesses
This directory provides an overview of various sources of financing that may be available to food hubs and local food related businesses. This directory is a partial listing of what may be available across the United States; some examples may not be a good match with your particular circumstances. The format for this directory was informed by a listing of funding resources for food-related businesses found on the Food+Tech Connect website, a media and research company building a network for food innovators and entrepreneurs. Most of the funding sources listed in this directory are available for food hubs and local food-related businesses across the United States, but several additional funding websites are specifically for Michigan. All the information for each funding entity has been researched through its own website.
Michigan Good Food Fund Consultant Network Application
Michigan Good Food Fund is building a network of preferred consultants to provide business assistance to Michigan-based good food enterprises.
Consultants are needed with expertise in a variety of areas including: Accounting / Financial Management; Business Planning; Retail / Grocery / Co-op Operations & Management; Food Processing / Production / Manufacturing; Food Safety Compliance; Licensing; Logistics & Operations; Marketing; And more. Preferred consultants will help fuel entrepreneurship across Michigan while growing their businesses in a mutually beneficial partnership.
To start the conversation about becoming a preferred consultant, follow the above link to access the application form. Email your completed application to info@migoodfoodfund.org. A Fund representative will review it to determine availability and fit. Note: A completed application does not guarantee a contract for work.
Policy Brief: Financing for Healthy Foods
Nearly 30 million Americans live in communities without access to supermarkets and affordable, healthy foods. Michigan Good Food Fund partner Capital Impact Partner’s new policy brief examines the federal government’s Health Food Financing Initiative to combat this shortfall through its support of Community Development Financial Institutions. The report also highlights success stories of projects that have expanded access to healthy foods in low-income communities.
A Holistic Approach to Healthy Food Financing
Op-ed by Scott Sporte, Chief Lending Officer at Capital Impact Partners, a core partner in the Michigan Good Food Fund.
Michigan Good Food Fund Press Release
Michigan Good Food Fund Press Release – June 9, 2015.
Michigan Good Food Fund Program Guidelines – Overview
Program guidelines overview detailing requirements eligible applicants must meet along with priorities.
Michigan Good Food Fund Program Guidelines
Full program guidelines detailing requirements eligible applicants must meet along with priorities.
Michigan Good Food Fund Infographic
An infographic showing how the Michigan Good Food Fund responds to key challenges with a financing opportunity.
Garden to Cafeteria: A Step-by-Step Guide
This Garden to Cafeteria Guide provides an approach for school garden educators and stakeholders, both experienced and newcomer, to successfully source products from school gardens for use in the cafeteria or food program.
Food Systems: Cultivating Thriving Communities
Public Management, the magazine of the International City/County Management Association, published a special issue on sustainability topics in June 2012. CRFS’ Laura Goddeeris contributed an article on motivations and opportunities for local governments around food systems, touching on themes such as resiliency, entrepreneurship and place-making.
Food Innovation Districts: An Economic Gardening Tool
Food innovation districts are places where food and agriculture-based businesses are encouraged to cluster together for greater synergy. This guide can help planners and other stakeholders in developing food innovation districts that promote positive business environments, spur regional food system development, and increase access to local food.
Food Hubs: An Overview Webinar
This webinar is presented by Rich Pirog of CRFS and Marty Gerencer of Morse Marketing Connections, the co-conveners of the Michigan Food Hub Learning and Innovation Network. The presentation, designed for those with little to no knowledge of food hubs, discusses what a food hub is, their importance, an example, and the Michigan and national food hub networks.
Food Hubs and Food Safety Webinar
In the first of two portions of the Food Hubs and Food Safety webinar hosted by the Michigan Food Hub Network, Byron Beerbower, with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, provides an overview of the proposed rules for the Food Safety Modernization Act, as it relates to Michigan, and the Food and Drug Administration’s comment process for these rules. The second of two recordings of the Food Hubs and Food Safety webinar hosted by the Michigan Food Hub Network, this portion of the webinar included several presentations.
Food Hub Zoning and Michigan Growth Initiative Webinar
On June 13, 2013 the Michigan Food Hub Learning and Innovation Network hosted a webinar examining zoning and land use issues in identifying and developing sites for food hubs. The second portion of the presentation provided an overview of the state of Michigan’s $3 million Strategic Growth Initiative, which has an emphasis on building Michigan’s food processing industry, coordinated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Food Hub Startup: What We’ve Learned in Iowa
Nick McCann talks about his experiences as Iowa State University’s Food System Value Chain Coordinator in Northeast Iowa and the successes and challenges of starting up a small food hub in rural Iowa. His business-oriented approach focuses on managing growth and maintaining cash flow. McCann also shares his expertise in distribution, logistics, meat processing, new product development, product aggregation and distribution, and accessing urban markets.
Food Hub Benchmarking Study 2014 Webinar and Presentation
Originally hosted in September 2014, this webinar describes financial and operational lessons learned from the NGFN 2014 food hub benchmarking study. The presentation highlights how successful food hubs across the nation have achieved their mission and goals through financial and business metrics. Both were presented again by Chad Gerencer, Program Manager at Morse Marketing Connections, LLC, at the Michigan Food Hub Network statewide meeting in Ann Arbor on November 20, 2014.
Findings of the 2013 National Food Hub Survey
In early 2013, CRFS and the Wallace Center at Winrock International conducted the National Food Hub Survey to identify economic growth trends for food hubs across the nation and monitor changes in services offered and the variety of customers served by food hubs. The 2013 National Food Hub Survey represents one of the most comprehensive data sets on food hub operations to date and details findings on topics such as the financial state of food hubs, the numbers and types of farmers and ranchers that they work with, and the types of customers they serve.
Financing Michigan’s Sustainable Agriculture
Seeking to determine the role that capital could play in assisting the growth of viable, smaller scale, diversified farm operations in Michigan, the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems (now CRFS) at Michigan State University surveyed financial institutions, loan funds, and public entities in Michigan in order to determine familiarity and engagement between financing institutions and beginning farmers. The survey results, available in the report below, show that although there is financial capital available in Michigan, farmers face challenges accessing it.
Financing Farms and Food Hubs Webinar
The Michigan Food Hub Learning and Innovation Network hosted a webinar about two farm and food hub financing projects, the Shade Fund (part of The Conservation Fund) and the Northwest Michigan Farm and Food 20/20 Fund, in April 2013.
Financing Farming in the U.S.: Strengthening Metrics and Expanding Capital Access
Financing Farming in the U.S. is a national project of CRFS designed to help increase the flow of capital into the small- and mid-scale farming sector. The project’s second report, Financing Farming in the U.S.: Strengthening Metrics and Expanding Capital Access, illustrates successful lending practices among community development financial institutions and their strategic partners, and summarizes steps to expand capital in the sector.
Financing Farming in the U.S.: Improving Small and Midsized Farms through Strategic Financing
This report chronicles six working sessions, in 2009-2010, of a diverse group of people from across the country. Over a six-month period, the group explored the gap between an emerging sector of smaller-scale agriculture producers and access to capital, and devised workable strategies to create successful farmer-lender relationships.
Financing Farming in the U.S.: Financial Institution Lending in the Farm Production Sector
In June 2011, Financing Farming in the U.S. network members Susan Cocciarelli, with CRFS, and Patty Cantrell, of Regional Food Solutions, Inc., interviewed lenders from community development financial institutions and other organizations with experience in the small and midscale farm sector. This report details those interviews, which addressed a range of considerations involved in entering and participating in the sector as a lender, along with analysis of select loans, both successful and unsuccessful.
Financing Farming in the U.S.: Bolstering Community Lending Capacity for Small to Midsized Farms
Financing Farming in the U.S. has explored financing and data issues with stakeholders across the country since 2009. This document reviews learnings from several years of FFUS-convened research and dialogue on financing production for regional food systems.
Financing Farming in the U.S.: A Report on Six Working Sessions
The report below on financing farming in the United States was developed based on six meeting sessions, organized by the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems (now CRFS) at Michigan State University and The Carrot Project, held with stakeholders from across the country and designed to explore the reasons for the chasm between an emerging sector of smaller-scale agriculture producers and access to capital, and workable strategies to create successful farmer-lender relationships.
Farmer Visit to Olivet Community Schools for Farm to School Month
In this educational video, Olivet Community Schools hosts a farmer, Duane Morelan of Veges from the Ledges, in the cafeteria for Farm to School Month. The video is one in a series highlighting Farm to School best practices and innovations in Michigan, for use by Farm to School practitioners and community stakeholders.
Farm to School Sales Webinar
Michigan farmers and food service directors talk about their experiences with Farm to School sales as part of the Hoophouses for Health program in this educational webinar.
Farm to School Opportunities in Michigan: What do Food Service Directors Say?
“In 2004, a survey sent to 664 FSDs across Michigan with 383 responding (58% response rate) consisted of twenty-four items assessing the following areas: purchasing practices; local sourcing; interest in local sourcing; and motivation, concerns and barriers to local sourcing.”
Farm to School in Michigan: Still Going Strong
CRFS’ fourth survey of schools’ interest in local food purchasing, conducted in 2013, shows that activity increased — up from 54% in the previous survey, 68% of school food service directors reported purchasing local foods through one or more channels — and interest in purchasing local foods in the future remained high. This brief outlines motivators and barriers to local food purchasing in schools, and details top food items in which schools are interested.
Farm to School in Michigan: Statewide Response Shows Widespread Activity
The Michigan Electronic Grants System Plus (MEGS+) is an online application system for schools/districts participating in the National School Lunch Program. This brief outlines results of a two-part optional question on local food purchasing that the Michigan Department of Education added to the 2014 MEGS+ online application. Over half of the applicants (54%) responded affirmatively that they currently purchase local foods for their school food program.
Farm to School in Michigan: Growing Interest & Greater Participation
In the fall of 2009, the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems (now CRFS) at Michigan State University conducted a follow-up survey to the 2004 Survey of K-12 School Food Service Providers in Michigan. The 2004 survey showed that Michigan K-12 School Food Service Directors (FSDs) were “ready and willing to make linkages to Michigan agriculture.” The 2009 survey, based on responses from 270 people (nearly one-third of all FSDs in Michigan), shows that many FSDs have since acted on this interest and are making Farm to School a reality.
Farm to School in Michigan: 2012 Survey Shows Interest in Purchasing Local Foods Continues to Grow
As of February 2013, CRFS had conducted three surveys of schools’ interest in local food purchasing. The results summarized in this brief show that the 2012 survey indicate that Farm to School efforts continue to expand in Michigan.
Farm to School in Early Childcare in Michigan: Opportunity for Local Food Access and Awareness
This survey summarizes Michigan early childcare and education programs’ interest in increasing good food access and awareness through Farm to School initiatives, from a 2012 survey of such programs.
Farm to Institution: A Summary of Research on Local Food Purchasing by Institutions
This document summarizes the results of several CRFS surveys on interest in local food purchasing by a variety of institutions in Michigan, as well as farmers’ interest in selling to such markets.
Farm to Institution Marketing: 2012 Survey Shows Interest from Michigan Vegetable Farmers
CRFS surveyed Michigan vegetable farmers about their interest in and willingness to sell their products to institutional markets (K-12 schools, hospitals and colleges/universities), and motivators and barriers associated with this type of marketing; this document summarizes the results.
Emerging Farmers Initiative and Agriculture Individual Development Accounts
The Emerging Farmers Initiative (EFI) supported beginning farmers in completing a year-long instruction program focused farm production and management classes. Upon course completion, the farmers had the opportunity to participate in a matched savings program (called Agriculture Individual Development Accounts) to generate equity in their farm businesses. Information on EFI and the success of the program can be found below.
Economic Impacts of Local and Regional Food Systems: Response to Questions from May 20, 2013 Webinar
In May 2013, CRFS and the Union of Concerned Scientists hosted a webinar on the economic impact of local food. The large number of participants prevented the hosts and experts from answering each question posed during the time allotted for the webinar; this brief provides responses to those unanswered questions. CRFS coordinated responses from six economists who participated in the webinar. The brief also includes a bibiography compiled by Jeff O’Hara, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, featuring recent studies that examine the economic impact of local food.
Economic Analysis of Local and Regional Food Systems: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead
This brief, by CRFS and the Union of Concerned Scientists, provides a summary of the discussion that took place among economists and local food researchers at a meeting in early 2013. They gathered to examine how economic analyses of local and regional food systems are currently conducted and considerations for future studies. The brief includes recommendations for questions those commissioning a economic impact analysis of local or regional food may want to ask.
Economic Analysis of Local and Regional Food Systems Webinar
To address the current state and future direction of economic analysis with regard to local and regional food systems, CRFS and the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Food & Environment Program convened a meeting of a group of economists and local food researchers in early 2013. This webinar provided a synopsis of the meeting outcomes, with a focus on questions one should consider when conducting or commissioning a study on the economic impacts of local and regional food systems.
Eat Fresh and Grow Jobs, Michigan
Increased fresh market sales of Michigan fruits and vegetables have been demonstrated to have the ability to significantly boost employment and personal income across the state through improve the profitability of the state’s valuable farmland, grow job opportunities across the economy, and improve public health. Eat Fresh and Grow Jobs examines the impact when existing farmers have doubled or tripled their sale of fruits and vegetables to fresh produce markets.
Detroit Public Schools Garden to Cafeteria Program Video
Learn about Detroit Public Schools’ extensive garden to cafeteria program, part of their Farm to School efforts. This video features Drew Farms, a school for cognitively impaired adults. It is one in a series highlighting Farm to School best practices and innovations in Michigan, for use by Farm to School practitioners and community stakeholders.
Creating Change in the Food System: The Role of Regional Food Networks in Iowa
This report details the growth and achievements of the Regional Food Systems Working Group in Iowa since 2003. The policy, funding, and capacity gains facilitated by that group’s collaborative work are a valuable model of the power of networks and relationship-building.
Country Dairy Farm to School Video
In this educational video, released in 2012, Country Dairy shows how they bring milk to local schools from the dairy in New Era, MI. The video is one in a series highlighting Farm to School best practices and innovations in Michigan, for use by Farm to School practitioners and community stakeholders.
Business Assessment Toolkit and Whole Foods Partnership Webinar
The first part of this two-part Michigan Food Hub Network webinar is led by Darrow Isaacman-VanWertz, portfolio manager for Healthy Food Commerce Investments and presents the Food Hub Business Assessment Toolkit developed by Wholesome Wave and how it can be used to assess strengths and weaknesses of individual Food Hubs. Following, MaryAnn Nisley, Marketing and Community Relations Specialist at Whole Foods, discusses their partnerships with small farmers and possibilities for working with Food Hubs in a similar capacity.
Blueberries Tour 2014: A Cultivate Michigan Video
This Cultivate Michigan tour takes place at Barbara Norman’s Farm in Covert, Michigan and True Blue Farms Processing Plant in Grand Junction, Michigan. It features Barbara Norman, farmer and owner of Barbara’s Blueberry Patch, and Shelly Hartmann, owner of True Blue Farms Processing Plant. Norman and Hartman describe how their farms operate with a special kind of local connection that Cultivate Michigan strives to make more common.
Before We Seek Change, Is there a Demand for Local Meats?
This report gives the results of a national literature search that examined the most up-to-date studies of demand for locally produced meats. The authors suggest that the articles and publications highlighted in this document, which are specific to different regions of the United States and based on similar findings across the nation, likely echo some of the trends in similar socioeconomic regions in Michigan.
Bear Lake Summer Food Service Farm to School Video
Released in 2012, this educational video visits Bear Lake Schools, sharing how they use local food in the Summer Food Service Program. The video is one in a series highlighting Farm to School best practices and innovations in Michigan, for use by Farm to School practitioners and community stakeholders.
Better Choices Through Local Foods
This guide helps demonstrate how food purchases impact communities and the connections between a community’s economic, ecological and social well-being with that of agriculture and food production, processing, distribution, retail, preparation and consumption.
2013 National Food Hub Survey Questions
The 2013 National Food Hub Survey, conducted by CRFS and the Wallace Center at Winrock International, was opened for response to food hub managers during February and March 2013. The survey was constructed using Qualtrics Research Suite software and administered online. The survey is now closed, but the information and questions provided in the survey are listed in this document.
Michigan Good Food Fund Brochure
Learn more about the Michigan Good Food Fund, a new public-private partnership loan and grant fund created to finance healthy food production, distribution, processing, and retail projects that benefit underserved communities throughout Michigan.
2012 Local Government Survey Highlights
Recognizing that local governments have opportunities to support food systems that promote economic viability, equitable community development and environmental sustainability, CRFS partnered in a national survey to assess the status of current involvement. With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, CRFS worked with the International City/County Management Association to develop and administer a comprehensive survey on the status of food-related policies, programs, partnerships and plans. Survey results provide insight into the ways and lenses through which local governments engage in food systems, which may be of interest to good food advocates seeking municipal or county support for their efforts.