RCC – SBC E-News – “We’ve Gone Green!!!!”

We’ve gone “Green” with our newsletter!!!! 

December 2010 SBC E-News

We’re always looking at ways to reduce cost, and at the same time be effective.    As of this month the SBC will no longer mail out our brochure.  We’re now making the information available via an E-newsletter.  Not only are we cutting the cost of printing and mailing, we’re saving trees!!!  We’ll also be sending via email to your email address on file at the SBC…

By reducing our carbon footprint, we’re not only saving dollars, we’re helping our environment.  So here’s the December E-News.  We’ll be publishing each month with a bunch of information for you.  The seminar information will always be there, as well as, here on the blog.

So check it out -SBC Newsletter 201012

REAL Ag-Entrepreneur Class for Farmers and Aspiring Farmers

The RCC Small Business Center is excited to announce the first class specifically designed to assist our farmers and aspiring farmers with the business end of their venture.

This is an eight-week class meeting once a week for three hours.  Debi Joyce, SBC Counselor has received training through the NC REAL Institute to facilitate these classes.

 NC REAL has trained 46 REAL Facilitators in the new REAL Ag-Entrepreneurship Curriculum throughout the state. The REAL Ag-Entrepreneurship Curriculum was developed through a grant from the NC Tobacco Trust Fund.

We will cover many aspects of business as it relates to an agricultural enterprise.  The main topics to be covered will be:

REAL Ag-Entrepreneur Course

• Site Feasibility
• Market Feasibility
• Financial Feasibility
• Business Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Operational Plan
• Financial Plan
• Completing a Business Plan 

We will have guest speakers from the agricultural community to provide valuable information and answer questions you may have about your venture.

The class is scheduled for:

Section # 19299

01/06/2011 – 02/24/2011

6:00pm – 9:00pm

Thursday

Rm: BLLC 106

Cost: $65.00

Class size is limited, so please call Cathy Wheeler at 336-342-4261 Ext. 2316 or email her at wheelercc@rockinghamcc.edu to reserve your seat!!!

World Wise

Image via Wikipedia

Just below our feet lies a constantly present energy source – The Earth. 

It’s clean, it’s accessible, and it never shuts off. 

In fact, geothermal energy is an industry that could reach $122 billion by 2030.

Now, more than ever, you need to be world wise.

Economic Innovation Grants Program

Image by * debris * via Flickr

The North Carolina Rural Center’s Economic Innovation Grants Program is designed to spur business activity, job creation and public/private investment in North Carolina’s rural communities by supporting innovative economic development projects. Funds for the program are provided by the North Carolina General Assembly and are available for local and regional projects. Proposals are evaluated based on the innovative nature of the project and the project’s ability to generate measurable outcomes for business and job expansion.

Priority funding areas for this program for 2010-2011 include:

• Rural Manufacturing Innovation
• Growth of the Green Economy
• Community-based Economic Innovation

Within these priority areas, two types of grants are available:

• “Seed” grants address new, creative practices and strategies that are being tested in communities for the first time. The maximum award for these grants is $75,000.
• “Scale” grants support large-scale projects that have regional implications or that intend to take an innovation proven to be successful in one place, rural or urban, to scale in rural North Carolina. Scale grants have a maximum award amount of $400,000.

Eligible applicants are units of local government, nonprofit organizations or educational institutions located within North Carolina’s 85 rural counties. Also eligible are statewide and regional organizations and agencies serving rural counties. Businesses are not eligible for Economic Innovation Grants.

The funding process for this grants program involves two steps: the submission of an Intent to Apply form and, if invited by the Rural Center, the completion and submission of a full grant application. Intent to Apply forms are due October 15, 2010.

Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by November 1, 2010, and full applications will be due December 15, 2010. Awards will be announced no later than March 1, 2011.

More details, including program guidelines and application materials, can be found on the Rural Center’s website at www.ncruralcenter.org/grant-applications-and-reporting-forms.html#Economic.

Rural Center contact:

Brett Altman

Senior Policy Associate

North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center

4021 Carya Drive

Raleigh, NC 27619

919.250.4314

baltman@ncruralcenter.org

The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop sound economic strategies that improve the quality of life in rural North Carolina, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.

Rockingham County Local Food Coalition Member Meeting

This is a great organization to be a part of if you are interested in local food, agriculture, agribusiness,…  And a great opportunity to meet individuals with the same interest and desires …  You can learn a lot about the Rockingham County farmers, entrepreneurs, businesses who are working to make Rockingham County the place to buy locally produced products….Also, the www.piedmontlocalfood.com initiative will be discussed.

  Check them out and attend this membership meeting…..

 

“If each North Carolinian spent 25 cents/day on local food (just 2.5 percent of the $3600.00 that we spend on average on food consumption per year), it would mean $792 million for the state’s economy”—

 THINK WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR PIEDMONT FARM FAMILIES!

YOU are invited to the next meeting of the Rockingham County Local Food Coalition.

 Mission:  To establish an organization for marketing and distribution of a locally-grown supply of fresh, quality products to preserve small family farms through environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture.  Through these actions, this organization embraces seasonality, preserves diversity and, with good agricultural practices, supports local economics in Rockingham County and consumers throughout the region

 Please join us on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at the Ag Building (525 Hwy 65, Reidsville NC) for regular membership meeting.  Agenda includes:

 Membership Opportunity

• Update on www.piedmontlocalfood.com project by Sandra Wesson
• Interactive opportunity with purchasing chef (hopefully!)
• Comments by Kathryn Holmes, Horticulture Agent
• Announcements and Networking Opportunities

 Beverages and paper products will be provided.  You may bring food to share!

You are also invited to bring products or information to exhibit and share or sell!!!

 RSVP and contact with any questions or agenda items:

Brenda Sutton, County Extension Director  brenda_sutton@ncsu.edu  342-8230

or

Sam Thompson, President  llamalea@earthlink.net