Progress 05/02/24 to 05/01/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project includes agricultural business owners/entrepreneurs (including but not limited to farming enterprises, agriculture/food product or service enterprises, and interested students in these areas). Efforts to reach this population include providing technical assistance to farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy, which will offer a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities, a "tournament of ideas" competition scholarship program for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance, and a model for supervised agribusiness entrepreneurship beyond training to incubate business ideas, and to provide workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. Changes/Problems: During the first quarter of the third project period (May 2024 - July 2024), there were a few setbacks in onboarding the Managing Director; onboarding was not complete until September 2024. Until that time, the ABIC had been administratively operating solely under the direction of the Lead PI (Jefferson-Moore) due to internal administrative challenges with onboarding administrative support. Unfortunately, this pushed the launch of the Center. It was determined that an extension should be requested. In addition, our partners also underwent significant changes. There were personnel changes with the initial PIs of the Alabama A&M University subaward. A new PI was approved in the fall of 2024. The initial PI at Kentucky State University accepted an administrative role and reduced their time and effort on the project. West Virginia State University had an administrative delay with hiring its agribusiness specialist. This position was placed in February 2025. During January 2025, a no-cost extension was requested and granted for an extended year, which would include hiring a Continuing Education Specialist and a University Program Specialist and continuing with the student hires. In addition, continued plans for launching the Center, establishing the Entrepreneurial Academy, and graduating the first cohort for the Badge and Certification Program. In the upcoming fiscal year, subject matter experts have been recruited to develop modules for the Entrepreneurial Academy through a collaboration with Continuing Education at North Carolina A&T and Instructional Technology Training and Development (ITTD) at the university. The team is working with SME with a timeline to complete development in September 2025, which is also the impending launch date. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training and personal development are planned for project period the extended year of the project (May 2, 2025 - May 1, 2026), which includes the official launch of the ABIC and the implementation of the entrepreneurial academy planned for October 1, 2025, which will offer (a) a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities and (b) a "tournament of ideas" competitive scholarship program for farms, firms, and students for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance. It also includes providing workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. Subject matter experts (SME) will be recruited to develop 6 modules for the badge and certification program in agribusiness entrepreneurship. The program will recruit its first class of participants staring in October 2025. These trainings will be offered in a hybrid format - both in person and online. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There have been no results disseminated to communities at this point of the project. These activities should be conducted during project's extended year, (May 2, 2025 - May 1, 2026). The ABIC official website was launched in April 2025. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the extended project period (May 2, 2025 - May 1, 2026), PDs plan to complete the establishment and launch of the Entrepreneurial Academy starting October 2025, and rehire three undergraduate interns, establish and assign advisor team subject matter experts, establish a professional development certificate program, course module development, organize and launch registration, implement a participant recruitment campaign, establish the "tournament of ideas" scholarship criteria, hold and graduate two classes of the certification program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1 of the Agriculture Business Innovation Center (ABIC) is to provide technical assistance to farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy. The stakeholder needs assessment and the official launch of the Center were the focal points of project period 2 (May 2, 2023 - May 1, 2024) including partner and stakeholder engagement, holding core team meetings, partner institution quarterly/bi-monthly meetings, onboarding students, and Advisory Board (STEAB) meetings, developing and implementing a website and communication, establishing the Entrepreneurial Academy at North Carolina A&T State University and on-boarding key personnel. Due to the delayed hiring of a Managing Director, these activities were the focal points of the project period 3 (May 2, 2024 - May 1, 2025). The project team was also able to successfully hire a University Program Specialist to assist with administrative tasks and activities. Objective #2 is to provide workforce-orientated entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. We have initiated this process by hiring an MS student and 3 BS student interns. During this period, we were able to engage the students by providing roles and responsibilities on the project by assisting with the website and communications development plan. Also, they were financially supported to travel to the annual MANRRS Conference. There, they were able to engage other students attending 1890 land-grant institutions and their interest in agribusiness entrepreneurship and career development.
Publications
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Progress 05/02/23 to 05/01/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project includes agricultural business owners/entrepreneurs (including but not limited to farming enterprises and agriculture/food product or service enterprises) among socially disadvantaged populations. Efforts to reach this population include providing technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy, which will offer a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities, a "tournament of ideas" competition scholarship program for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance, and a model for supervised agribusiness entrepreneurship beyond training to incubate business ideas, and to provide workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. Changes/Problems:During the second project period (May 2, 2023 - May 1, 2024), the HBCU ABIC had been administratively operating solely under the direction of the Lead PI (Jefferson-Moore) due to internal administrative challenges with onboarding administrative support. The HBCU ABIC supports a Managing Director, Agribusiness Entrepreneurship - Program Associate, and University Program Support personnel. The first two positions required UNC system approval and a longer process of approval. This process was initiated in the second half of the first fiscal year throughout the second project year. In anticipation of the establishment of a permanent administrative support position affiliated with ABIC, the Lead PI hired a temporary administrative associate on May 10, 2023. A budget revision was conducted during this period to transfer funds into the proper accounting line item for the administrative support position due to an internal processing error. During the first quarter of the second fiscal year (June 2023 - August 2023), core team members and partners attempted to organize Listening Sessions to deliver relevant programming. Unfortunately, with the timing of the academic year and availability of investigators and sub awardees, this activity is still pending. During the third quarter of the second fiscal year (December 2023 - February 2024), the first planned event for this quarter was to hold a quarterly partner meeting at West Virginia State University, hosted by sub awardee PI, Adam Hodges. Unfortunately, the meeting was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. Also, during this period, the Managing Director position was posted on January 19, 2024. Unfortunately, due to end of the year contract ending with the temporary administrative support personnel, the hire had to take an administrative separation from 12/22/2023 to 02/19/2024. This hindered progress tremendously to project implementation. During the fourth quarter of the second fiscal year (March 2024 - May 2024), the Managing Director position review committee interviewed four candidates via Zoom conference for the position (March 5 - 6, 2024). A favorable candidate was selected to begin the hiring process. Due to the volume of other hires across the university, the offer process did not occur during this period. Unfortunately, the Lead PI has not accounted for their time and effort against the project due their administrative responsibilities to the university. Moving into the 3rd year of the project, the Lead PI will try to do so. Full participation of partners has been quite challenging due to their respective administrative changes. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training and personal development are planned for project period 3 (May 2, 2024 - May 1, 2025), which includes the establishment of an entrepreneurial academy, which will offer (a) a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities and (b) a "tournament of ideas" competitive scholarship program for socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and students for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance. It also includes providing workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the third project period (May 2, 2024 - May 1, 2025), PDs plan to complete the establishment of the Entrepreneurial Academy, to complete the process of on-boarding personnel (including the Managing Director, Administrative Support Associate, a MS Candidate (rehire), and two undergraduate interns (1 rehire, and 1 new hire)), establish and assign advisor team subject matter experts, establish a professional development certificate (track 1 - farming enterprises and agriculture and track 2 - food products/services enterprises), course module development, organize and launch registration, implement a participant recruitment campaign, establish the "tournament of ideas" scholarship criteria, launch the HBCU ABIC Entrepreneurial Program, hold and graduate two classes of the certification program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1 of the HBCU Agriculture Business Innovation Center (ABIC) is to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy. The stakeholder needs assessment and the official launch of the HBCU ABIC were the focal points of project period 2 (May 2, 2023 - May 1, 2024) including partner and stakeholder engagement, holding core team meetings, partner institution quarterly/bi-monthly meetings, onboarding students, and Advisory Board (STEAB) meetings, developing and implementing a website and communication, establishing the Entrepreneurial Academy at North Carolina A&T State University and on-boarding key personnel. The hiring process for a Managing Director is currently underway. Objective #2 is to provide workforce-orientated entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. We have initiated this process by hiring an MS student and 3 BS student interns. During this period, we were able to engage the students by providing roles and responsibilities on the project by assisting with the website and communications development plan. Also, they were financially supported to travel to the annual MANRRS Conference. There, they were able to engage other students attending HBCU and their interest in agribusiness entrepreneurship and career development.
Publications
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Progress 05/02/22 to 05/01/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project includes agricultural business owners/entrepreneurs (including but not limited to farming enterprises and agriculture/food product or service enterprises) in socially disadvantaged populations. Efforts to reach this population include providing technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy, which will offer a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities, a "tournament of ideas" competition scholarship program for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance, and a model for supervised agribusiness entrepreneurship beyond training to incubate business ideas, and to provide workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. Changes/Problems:During the first project period (May 2, 2022 - May 1, 2023), the acknowledgement of funding was received in May of 2022, two months prior to expectation. Access to funding was not made available until October 2022. Partner distributions were also conducted in October 2022. Initial team meetings were held - 5 core team meetings, 2 partner quarterly meetings, and 1 stakeholder meeting. Due to the delay in beginning the project, anticipated expenses were not expended. However, PDs plan to request a budget revision to distribute over years 2 and 3. However, the project team is now underway and making great progress in fulfilling the objectives of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training and personal development are planned for project period 2 (May 2, 2023 - May 1, 2024), which includes the establishment of an entrepreneurial academy, which will offer (a) a professional development certification program providing entrepreneurial training, consultation, workshops, and other educational resources and activities and (b) a "tournament of ideas" competitive scholarship program for socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and students for business startup, marketing, and fundraising assistance. It also includes providing workforce-oriented entrepreneurial training through student experiential learning programs. The Center's Entrepreneurship Academy is set to launch in September 2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There have been no results disseminated to communities at this point of the project. These activities should be conducted during project period 3. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the second project period (May 2, 2023 - May 1, 2024), PDs plan to complete the establishment of the Entrepreneurial Academy, to complete the process of on-boarding personnel (including the Managing Director, Administrative Support Associate, a MS Candidate, and two undergraduate interns), establish and assign advisor team subject matter experts, establish a professional development certificate (track 1 - farming enterprises and agriculture and track 2 - food products/services enterprises), course module development, organize and launch registration, implement a participant recruitment campaign, establish the "tournament of ideas" scholarship criteria, launch the HBCU ABIC Entrepreneurial Program, hold and graduate two classes of the certification program.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1 of the HBCU Agriculture Business Innovation Center (ABIC) is to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farms, firms, and individuals with interests in agricultural and food systems through the development of an entrepreneurial academy. The establishment of the HBCU ABIC was the focal point of project period 1 including securing funding, gaining access to funding, distributing subawards, holding core team meetings, partner institution quarterly/bi-monthly meetings, and Advisory Board meetings, establishing the Entrepreneurial Academy at North Carolina A&T State University and on-boarding personnel. A search for Managing Director and an Administrative Support Associate are currently underway.
Publications
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