Manager Fellowship

 

 

The New Agrarian Program is excited to launch a year-long ManageR Fellowship, beginning in November 2024. 

Applications for the Manager Fellowship are currently closed. They will be open to any beginning/mid-career livestock producer in the US (with a preference for those in the West) each September/October for the next fellowship season, which runs November-November.

Many beginning agrarians develop strong production skills through employment in their first few seasons, but continue to face hurdles when working to develop the business management and financial skills needed in order to launch an enterprise or successfully secure management-level employment. Particularly for the type of agriculture practiced in the arid West, management training programs often require substantial investment of time and money. In response to this, we’ve put together a management-level training program that meets early career ranchers and graziers where they’re at so that they can successfully move into management and entrepreneurship. 

Questions? Reach out to newagrarian@quiviracoalition.org.

The program contains the following elements:

  • In-person kickoff event: two full days at a ranch, to introduce fellows to the program, and provide training on business planning and leadership development. Fellows will walk away with a new or updated business plan to help guide the development of their business or career for the upcoming season. Fellows will connect and build relationships with one another. 
  • Monthly small group discussions: fellows will be placed in groups of 4-6, based on geography and/or business type, and will meet virtually each month to discuss fellowship curriculum as well as the challenges and successes that they are experiencing throughout the year.
  • Required trainings during the winter months: business planning, business structures, financial management, leadership skills, and livestock markets
  • Elective modules during the production season: team management, accessing capital, direct marketing strategies, navigating USDA and other grant opportunities, and land access strategies
  • Small group site visits during the production season: small groups will meet once in-person, at a fellow’s ranch, to do a ranch visit and tour during the production season.
  • Access to experienced ranchers: fellows will be introduced to a group of mentors who are excited to provide coaching and share advice on a range of topics related to successfully operating a ranch business. Coaching will focus on business and leadership topics rather than production topics.
  • Access to scholarships: these will help offset program-related travel expenses or cover additional training, technical assistance, or equipment needs.

FAQ

Who is eligible to participate in the program?

Ideal candidates will have two or more full seasons of production experience, and are interested in growing their business, financial, and managerial skills to become a successful leader. Participants are expected to be invested in fully participating in the program, to further their own career development and business goals, as well as those of their fellow early career agrarians. Participants must be working in production agriculture, either running their own business or enterprise, in a ranch management position, or actively working toward entrepreneurship or ranch management. Participants may be located anywhere in the U.S., but preference will be given to those who are in the western region. 

What is the cost to participate in the program?

Registration for the program is $1,499. This includes food and lodging at the kickoff event, access to all training modules and associated office hours, and additional coaching and advice from program mentors as needed. A significant portion of program expenses are being covered by grant funds. We recognize that $1,499 may be a financial burden for some participants, and will also offer a sliding scale registration fee so that no one is excluded for lack of funds. Applications will be evaluated without consideration of a candidate’s ability to pay full tuition, meaning that requesting reduced tuition will not have an impact on your application. 

Will participants be expected to cover any additional expenses?

Fellows will be responsible for getting themselves to and from California for the kickoff event (either arriving at the ranch in Paicines, CA, or to one of three major Bay Area airports). Quivira will cover transport to and from the airports, as well as all food, lodging, and instructor expenses at the event. Fellows will also be expected to cover travel to and from the in-person gatherings that happen during the production season (these are expected to be shorter, 1-1.5 day trips). Scholarships will be available on an as-needed basis for those who need additional travel support in order to make these trips possible.