Move beyond basic financing. Learn how to structure loans, grants, and equity into a capital strategy that supports real growth—from hiring your first employees to building facilities or expanding production.
Investment: $250
Includes live instruction + a 1:1 consulting session.
Comparable advisory engagements often exceed $1,000.
What You’ll Gain
Financing a farm business rarely follows a simple path. Most growth requires combining multiple funding sources—from traditional loans to community lenders, grants, and creative equity structures. In this training, you’ll learn how to:
- Match the right type of capital to your specific business goals
- Understand what banks, alternative lenders, and investors are really looking for
- Build a capital stack that supports sustainable growth
- Avoid costly missteps when taking on debt or outside investment
Common Growth Scenarios
That We Work On
- Expanding into value-added production (co-packing or building a facility)
- Structuring financing to support hiring and operational growth
- Improving bookkeeping to guide day-to-day and strategic decisions
- Entering farming as an investment or second career with available capital
🤝 Partner 🤝
Organizations
We welcome referrals of growth-ready farmers seeking to raise capital and scale their operations.
What to Expect
Funding your Farm with Grants
- Understand the types of grant opportunities available to farm businesses
- Learn how to identify grants that align with your project and goals
- Gain practical tips for preparing stronger grant applications and managing grant funds effectively
Funding your Farm with Loans
- Understand traditional lending—and its limits
- Explore alternatives like CDFIs, regional loan funds, and utility-backed financing
- Learn when and how to use debt effectively
Funding your Farm through Equity
- Evaluate when grants are worth pursuing—and when they aren’t
- Understand equity in a farm context, including structures that protect long-term ownership
- Identify the right investor fit based on your goals and values
One-to-One Consulting
- Apply what you’ve learned to your specific business
- Get feedback on your financing approach
- Identify next steps to move forward with confidence
This Training Is Designed for Farms That Are Ready to Grow
You’ll get the most value if:
You’re generating $100K–$250K+ in annual sales
At least one person is working in the business full-time
You’re preparing to hire staff or transition into a management role
You’re exploring investments like equipment, processing, or facilities
You’re actively seeking capital and open to debt or outside investment
You want your financial systems (QuickBooks, Xero, etc.) to inform decisions—not just report results
Who This Is Not For:
This may not be the right fit if:
1. You’re pre-revenue or still validating your business model
2. You’re looking for introductory funding basics
3. You’re not yet ready to pursue growth through outside capital
(Consider starting with Financial Foundations for Farms.)
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Come with questions, leave with a plan
How do I dig out of a financial hole if I’m already in one?
Can I afford to quit my town job?
Can I afford to hire—and what do I need to know first?
How can better bookkeeping improve my daily decisions?
How do I access capital to seize a growth opportunity?
This training is designed to help you answer critical growth questions:
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What you’ll walk away with
By the end of this program, you will:
Have a clear capital strategy aligned with your goals
Understand the tradeoffs between loans, grants, and equity
Know where to look beyond traditional banks for funding
Be better prepared to communicate with lenders and investors
Have a defined next step—whether that’s raising capital or refining your plan
Have a 1-year Unlimited Learner Pass for our on-demand courses
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What comes next
This training is the first step for farms preparing to raise meaningful capital.
Many participants continue with Food Finance Institute through 1:1 consulting and technical assistance to execute their financing strategy and move from planning to implementation.
Participants Say …
“With our trainer’s background in banking, they knew what a loan officer would be looking for when a farmer is applying for financing. This really helped me as a young small business owner to be more aware of the whole picture of financing, banking and lending. We recently got a $95,000 loan for a refrigerated vehicle through RFSI, which is helping us grow our business.”
— Ryan Sullivan, Sullivan Family Farm
Meet Your Instructor: Anna Thomas
FFI Farm Finance Specialist Anna Thomas is an entrepreneur and finance professional with deep experience in building and scaling food businesses. Her work focuses on helping farm and food entrepreneurs strengthen financial management, access capital, and develop the systems needed for sustainable growth.
Anna founded and operated Landmark Creamery for more than a decade, gaining firsthand experience in launching and growing a value-added food business. During that time, she managed all aspects of the company, including business planning, pricing, financial management, distribution, and brand development. She also secured bank financing, grant awards, and worked with equity investors, building practical expertise in capital strategy and business operations within the dairy and specialty food sectors.
Earlier in her career, Anna worked as a project manager for financial institutions and healthcare organizations, overseeing complex projects involving budgets, timelines, and cross-functional coordination. She also served as a Financial Specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, supporting projects that redeveloped contaminated land for commercial use.
In addition to her operational and financial work, Anna has contributed to food and agriculture journalism, including a decade writing a weekly column and feature stories for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, covering farmers, food businesses, and regional food systems.
At the Food Finance Institute, Anna works with entrepreneurs to strengthen financial systems, evaluate funding strategies, and build businesses that are both profitable and resilient.
Outside of her professional work, Anna enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, and visiting farmers markets. She lives in Verona, Wisconsin, with her family. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Urban Studies at Brown University.
Ready to Build Your Capital Strategy?
Secure your spot and start making financing decisions with clarity and confidence.
Scholarship opportunities are available, learn more.