By SARA LAWSON
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) – Three local businesses are getting some help from the United States Department of Agriculture.
A grant, through USDA Rural Development, has been awarded to the Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Central Missouri. A USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant, in the amount of $30,010, is being used to help market and grow three local businesses, Terra Templates LLC, Summer Sky Organics, and Wilderness Brewing Company LLC.
A group of UCM students at the Small Business and Technology Development Center will assist the businesses with research, product development and marketing, according to a news release.
The grant was announced May 6 on the UCM campus by Tim Rickabaugh, assistant to State Director Janie Dunning.
The grant is being used to help these businesses in areas such as advertising, social media, marketing, industry research, website development, sustainability strategies and product development.
The small businesses that were chosen deal with grain products and are organically based.
“This grant is a little different because it was for a specific type of business,” said Darrell Brammer, director of the SBTDC. “USDA had specific target companies.”
Brammer said Terra Templates has been getting more hits on its website, and in the next few months a new website for Wilderness Brewing Company LLC will be released, but it will probably be August before Summer Sky Organics will see much change.
Terra Templates is a business that plans the layout of vegetable and flower gardens and other outdoor landscaping.
Summer Sky Organics provides organic skin care products.
Wilderness Brewing Company employs local artisans to brew beer with locally available ingredients.