Are you a young, beginning, or small farmer, looking to develop your dreams further? GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth program can be the right fit for you.
Devon Rosebrugh, a Financial Services Officer in Traverse City, said “I’ve seen the program be so beneficial for folks who just want to go out and get these certifications or even just learn a little bit more about the industry they’re a part of.” Like Devon said, just a little bit of growth can propel any operation forward.
Each year GreenStone awards grants up to $1,000 for current customers and up to $500 for non-customers. Devon has seen grants used for cider making, business certifications, or even GreenStone’s tax and accounting services. To use the grant, it must fall under our intended use categories like agricultural education events, first time use of GreenStone resources such as tax services, or non-GreenStone services like farm consultants. The grant program offers a multitude of different opportunities tailored to fit exactly what you and your operation are looking for.
GreenStone has also designed an emerging loan program for producers. This program is useful when it is not cost-effective to obtain an FSA guarantee, or you do not have a personal guarantor readily available. This program can offer up to $100,000 in operating loans and $100,000 in long-term financing. Having an emerging loan and attending educational programs or events can bring down your interest rate by 0.50% upon completion!
We know some of the most valuable education can come from those around you. That's why we also have an 18-month mentorship program where a mentor and mentee are placed together to learn from one another. As a mentee, you can have the opportunity to learn key industry dynamics and networking with many individuals in your same industry. This program includes site visits to both operations with multiple opportunities to connect and conversate. We are kicking off our next mentorship now and cannot wait to see what experience is gained!
Devon concluded, “After customers begin the different aspects of the CultivateGrowth program, I hear about how much it impacts them. It’s nice to have a program like that at GreenStone.” To learn more about our CultivateGrowth program click here.
