Services
The Viability Program provides a range of services, from in-depth long-term business planning to short-term specialized assistance, including:
- Business Planning
- Enterprise Analysis
- Financial Record-keeping and Management
- Marketing and Sales
- Human Resources Management
- Management Coaching
- Retirement & Ownership Succession Planning
How it Works
The Viability Program matches participants with advisors who have the specific skills to meet their needs. The Viability Program contracts these advisors to provide on-site, one-on-one, custom-tailored assistance for participants. Services are provided free of charge following a $75 enrollment fee. In some cases, if the scope of work is larger than what the program can cover, participants will need to contribute to the consultancy fees. Participants who have completed the program may also be able to re-enroll in the Viability Program as their business evolves.
Review our confidentiality policy here.
Eligibility
The Viability Program’s one-on-one business advising is open to farms, food businesses and forest products businesses of all types and sizes, that fit the following criteria:
- the owner(s) is year-round Vermont resident, currently operating the business in Vermont
- the owner(s) is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business
- the owner(s) has at least two years’ experience managing the current business
- the business has grossed at least $15,000 in the most recent tax year
- for food businesses there is an added requirement that these businesses must be primarily involved in adding value to Vermont agricultural products
- for forest products businesses there is the added requirement that these businesses must be primarily involved in the harvesting, production, processing, storage, marketing, and/or distribution of local forest products
The sole eligibility for forestland succession planning is that the participating family own forestland in Vermont.
Why Enroll?
After participating in the Viability Program, more than half of participants report a high level of strategic planning skills, and almost all participants exit the program with a clear vision for where their business is going.
Participants routinely report they are able to place more energy on the quality of their work, and half report that they find themselves satisfied with their ability to balance workload and family life. Learn more in the video below, or by exploring our annual reports.
Questions? Get in touch with Calley Hastings, Program Manager, at c.hastings@vhcb.org.
If this does not describe you or your business, but you need support for your farm or forest business development, please reach out and we will help get you connected to the right resources!
More Information by Business Type:
Farm Business Advising
Once a farm business is matched with an advisor, or team of advisors, whose skills are a good fit for the farm’s needs, the farmer and business advisors conduct on-farm meetings for approximately one year. Together, they can also explore possible management and enterprise changes that could increase profitability. This process produces a written business plan for the farm, and in the second year of participation, farmers are provided with additional technical assistance and help updating their plans.
Food Business Advising
The Viability Program provides business planning and technical assistance to businesses in the Vermont food system, with the aim of strengthening the business management skills of enterprises throughout the local food value chain. Examples of eligible businesses include:
- slaughterhouses and meat processors
- grain/legume/vegetable processors
- on and off-farm value-added producers
- co-packers, and storage/distribution businesses that source locally produced food.
We also enroll key regional food systems organizations that are actively engaged in increasing farm to school and farm to institution activities in their areas of the state.
Advanced business management coaching is also available for businesses that require assistance managing their growth, managing some kind of business transition, or preparing to raise capital. For this assistance, select businesses that meet additional criteria will be matched with the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Business Coaching program.
Forest Products Business Advising
The Viability Program provides business planning and technical assistance to forest products businesses to bolster the economic viability of Vermont’s forested landscape. Examples of eligible businesses include
- maple producers
- consulting forestry firms
- Loggers
- Sawmills
- craftspeople and wood manufacturers
Once a business is matched with a business adviser whose skills are a good fit for its needs, the business owner and business adviser(s) conduct meetings for approximately one year to address the businesses strengths and weaknesses. Together, they can also explore possible management and enterprise changes that could increase net profitability.
