Challenge
Increasingly, cities and counties are balancing economic development resources between using tax incentives to recruit new business relocation and supporting the formation and growth of home-grown entrepreneurs and small businesses.

At the same time, foundations with missions around enablement of specific groups (veterans, women, people of color, etc.) or specific issue areas (water, soil, sustainable farming, job creation in underserved areas) are considering ways to help entrepreneurs in their focus lens get started, get funded, and succeed.

Result
​​Foodshed Investors can help  both economic development entities and foundations help their clients start and run successful businesses via our outsourced Innovation Center. 

With no up-front capital, no fixed cost, no employees, no need to develop curriculum or program materials, and the ability to easily terminate, we'll help you:
  • Create jobs
  • Enable entrepreneurs in your geographical area or domain of interest.

Services
  1. We'll work together to define the kinds of companies you'd like to assist, your budget, and your success metrics.
  2. We'll help you create content for your website, print, and social media introducing and promoting your new Virtual Innovation Center.
  3. Via your website, social media outreach, and in-office staff, you'll refer entrepreneurs within your qualification criteria to Foodshed Investors' Virtual Business Partner, Funding Readiness, or Farmer Rancher services.
  4. We'll double check with you that each specific client is qualified and approved.
  5. We'll help them, but at reduced cost to them. You'll pay us the difference between our standard rates and what the company pays. We use the monthly retainer method of billing, allowing cost predictability for both client and for you. You can set a budget per client, or per time period, or in some other way we mutually agree.
  6. We'll provide you with the previously agreed upon success metrics, as well as stories and updates on "your" companies that run through the process and eventually join our Extended Family.
  7. We'll collaborate with you should you decide to seek outside grant or programatic funding for your Virtual Innovation Center.