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Writing a Business Plan
It is absolutely critical to have a good business plan for securing funding for you business. Moreover, it’s essential for your own planning and success. A business plan helps you figure out what is and isn’t necessary. Here are resources to help you get started.
Business Plan Basics
A tutorial and self-paced activity from the US Small Business Association.
Center for Dairy Profitability
The Center for Dairy Profitability offers tools for farmers such as sample budgets, decision-making tools, and spreadsheets for financial assessment.
Developing a Business Plan
Lenders require a formal business plan before they will loan money for a new business venture. But whether or not you are requesting a loan, the process of developing a concrete and comprehensive plan can reduce your risks and prepare you for the road ahead.
Purdue University Agricultural Innovation & Commercialization Center
A self-assessment tool will guide you, page-by-page, through the business planning process by asking simple questions, then compiling the answers into a business plan for you.
Resource Conservation and Development Councils
Each local district covers a 5-10 county region; provides some business planning and financing assistance from a whole farm/natural resources perspective.
SCORE Program (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
Local and regional volunteers provide business counseling services from retired business executives.
Starting a Value Added Farm-Food Business
New Farm Options, a program of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
US Small Business Association
A national organization to support small businesses with local branches here in Wisconsin, Madison and Milwaukee.
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Ag and Community Development Agents in your county provide general help with business planning and other farm management assistance.
Wisconsin Community Action Program – Job and Business Development Program
The Wisconsin Community Action Program coordinates regional agencies (16 across the state). It provides technical assistance, training in business planning and micro loans.
Wisconsin Department of Commerce
Provides financial assistance for business plan development; some planning grants are available as well.
Wisconsin Small Business Development Center
The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center has branches on all UW campuses. It provides classes and individual consulting. Some programs are free while others require a fee.
