Urbana sky Farm | Application Preview
Urbana Sky Farm is seeking a grant of $1.4 million to purchase 72 acres of land and fund necessary maintenance tools, cattle, and labor. The business will operate as a limited liability company (LLC), managed by the owners, Sultan and Heather Mansour. Sultan brings over a decade of experience with the United Nations and a background in agriculture, while Heather has a strong business management background.
The farm aims to serve the local community by providing organic vegetables, small farm animals, and educational activities focused on agriculture. Key products include corn, soybeans, fresh herbs, pumpkins, and various fruits. The farm will also feature community activities, a petting zoo, and a barn for events such as weddings and family reunions.
Urbana Sky Farm targets local families, schools, and retailers, with a pricing strategy that offers products at competitive rates while ensuring accessibility for visitors. The owners plan to create a family-friendly environment with fun activities, seasonal events, and a retail store for fresh produce and homemade goods.
The business aims to establish itself as a prominent community resource, generating revenue through events and fostering connections with local businesses. Over time, Urbana Sky Farm plans to expand its operations, enhance educational offerings, and create jobs, contributing to both local agriculture and tourism. The owners are keen on cultivating a successful legacy focused on community engagement and appreciation for farming.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: I am still waiting in my doc from Frederick county
Location: Frederick, MD, United States
Length of Operation: 0
Number of Employees:
Annual Gross Income:
Annual Gross Expense:
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
1200000 to buy the farm 72 acres 200000 for maintenance tools cattle and labor
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Business Plan
The Ownership The company will be structured as a limited liability company (LLC). The Management The company will be managed by the owner and manage the following areas: Farm operations and financials, planning and design, vendor management as relates to any support the farm will require (business consultants, agricultural supplies, builders for fences, barn, small livestock suppliers, legal counsel, farming equipment, etc.) The owner will manage all business relations as relates to start-up of the farm, sales, and services of farming goods, local community support of food, staff, payroll, legal, and upkeep and maintenance of the farm. The Goals and Objectives Urbana Sky Farm's goals are to give back to the local community by supplying local product and organic vegetables and small farm animals; to assist with retaining farms in Urbana, MD area; where the local community can come to enjoy the beauty of the farm, see the agriculture, and receive an educational and enjoyable day visit to the farm. The Product The company will focus to grow agricultural crops to meet the market needs such as Corn, soybeans, fresh herbs, grapes, pumpkins, potatoes, blueberry bushes, apple trees, pine trees, and wildflowers. The farm will have community activities to encourage the local families to visit and learn the importance of agriculture and livestock. The farm will have a petting zoo and other farm animals such as cattle, chickens, pigs. The farm will consist of a barn to hold special events such as Weddings, birthdays, family reunions, graduations. These elegant events would include meals consisting of the home-grown food, herbs from the farm. The farm will include some fun activities for families and children that focus on bringing enjoyable moments; to include, educational opportunities. The Target Market Urbana Sky Farm will target the local communities and surrounding areas with a special focus on families, schools, and educators. The farm will also market reputable American retailers to provide local markets products (corn, soy, potatoes, fresh herbs) and support feeding local livestock (hey, feed), and for the local community to have a place to enjoy the local farm and agriculture. Hayrides, pony rides, fun family farm activities, seasonal events, and school field trips will enhance the farm's success. Social media and networking with local businesses will assist in branding and marketing of the farm. Pricing Strategy The Urbana Sky Food at a lower cost than large chain-grocery and retail stores but remain competitive to support the farm's future success. Those visiting the farm will pay a small fee to visit and for seasonal products such as Pumpkins, apples, strawberry, and blueberry picking, wild-flowers cutting, and have a small country store to purchase fresh goods and homemade products (pies, jams, vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs). Special barn events (weddings, family reunions, milestone birthdays, graduations) will support the flow of revenues in the spring, summer, and fall periods bringing in additional monies and lasting memories for customers. The Company Business Sector The owners would like to start a business in the farming and agriculture sector. The owner grew up in an agricultural and livestock family and has experience with: Olive tree fields, plantation, maintenance, and cultivation and raising small livestock (sheep, goats, chickens). The owner's spouse comes from a long line of farmers in New England, where her great grandmother raised "Holstein" cows and was recognized as the first women-owned milk business; that delivered to local community in Orange, Massachusetts. Farming is a lot of work but is the foundation of the American heritage. Company Goals and Objectives Urbana Sky Farm will start with small milestone goals and will continue to build based on revenues generated; starting with specific strategies that will bring in the local communities interest and then step- by-step expanding into other key areas to ensure the farms overall success. The goal to have a family- owned farm that will be recognized as one of the largest farms where families have great memories and a country-store, barn, fruits and vegetables, that will be recognized in the local communities. Urbana Sky Farm will partner with other small business owners to assist one another and also give back to schools and families in need for food. By providing opportunities to enhance local demand to come out to the farm, enjoy the local goods, give memories to families, and create a barn for special events that are catered; the farm will strive to continue its success through generations and generations and assist Urbana to maintain land recognized and respected by the community and to retain local agriculture and livestock. Company Ownership Structure The company will be structured as a limited liability company (LLC) with two owners that are spouses; with the husband being the primary owner and manager of the farm. Ownership Background Sultan A Mansour (member): Originally from Palestine, Sultan Mansour was raised by farmers that included: Olive Tree fields, fruit and vegetable gardens and raised small animals and livestock. Sultan has a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology with a Master's Degree in International Affairs and Peacekeeping. Sultan worked for over 10+ years with United Nations as a Social Worker and Manager of Refugees; to include, being responsible for food aid distribution and food and health checks to support the local community in need. Sultan worked several years with ZalabTV as a producer for international filming where he travelled to Italy, Greece, Jordan, Spain, France, Sudan, Israel; and received International Awards in the Film area. Business Plan Page 5 of 7 After 360 social workers were laid-off due to lack of funding, Sultan has been working as a Store Manager at the local Frederick Cracker Barrel for over 11 years and has a passion to finally open his own business in farming. Heather Mansour is currently SVP, Human Resources & Training for a financial institution and has experience in many areas within business with emphasis on Strategic Planning, Executive Leadership and Management. Heather has a B.S in Business Management with a MBA-HR Management; where she received the President's Award from Capella University with a 4.00 GPA; while working full-time and raising 3 small children at the time. She also has experience with supporting community events to support local charities in the area. Company Management Structure The company will be managed by the Owners, with Sultan taking the lead on the farming business. Sultan will manage the business, work with farming and building consultants for the farm design, hire local builders to assist him. Both Sultan and Heather will manage the financials, revenues, expenses, all operations; to include, hiring a few workers for support. The owners have a network of business partners to support such as: Attorneys, accountants, bankers, managers, retailers, vendors, and farmers (friends and family members). Over the first five years, the organization will focus on areas that will quickly generate business starting small and continue to expand within their means and for the overall success of the farm. Within 8-10 years, the farm will continue to grow in size and a few managers may be hired on to assist to support the livestock, upkeeping and maintenance of the farm, and to support planting, care, and harvesting of crops. Organizational Timeline The owners first plan is to purchase farm land that is in a high demanding area within the Urbana Community. The owners are aware of two farms coming up in sales; and want to have an opportunity to purchase the land before the sale goes public. Once the land is purchased, then owner will hire a building and farming consultant to support the design and start building the fences, barn for events, small barn for petting zoo, and start planting main crops that will quickly generate revenues. Marketing will be done via networking and online to reduce overhead expenses. Over the next 5 years, the farm will focus on the quality of the farm and on keeping a steady revenue generation. Over the next years up to 10 years, Urbana Sky Farms is hopeful to be a well-recognized farm serving the local community with small retail store, barn events and catering, increase in educational farming activities for families and children, and to expand the agricultural fields and crops with local business partners that depend on the farms goods and fresh products. Owners would like to solely focus on farming as their full-time job with support staff to assist for future success.
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Self Identified Competition
The Competitors Frederick and local areas are recognized historically for farming and still have many that are open to the public. However, Urbana Sky Farm's will be more open-minded and recognized by providing creative from farming to the community activities will be a place for big production for foods and goods and other hand will have cattle and fun place for family will come and enjoy the nature. There are very few farms that offer a variety of goods and services year-round. The closest most competitive farm is 40 minutes south of Urbana, known as Butler's Orchard. Other local farms offer events; however, mainly seasonal during the month of October. Company Assets Our company is a start-up farm to serve our local community with fresh and organic produce, provide families an opportunity to learn more about farming and farm animals, help American families by Business Plan Page 6 of 7 providing local jobs and engaging the local communities by providing family events and fun activities that will be family memories. The Product The Product the company will focus to grow Agricultural crops to meet the market needs corn soybeans seasonal crops local vegetables raising cattle. The farm will have community activity for family and visitor from other cities encouraging domestic tourism. The farm will provide a place to hold a major occasion like a wedding in the barn in a classic way. Future Products community activity place for families and resident to provide a place for them to come visit with kids and have a nice time in nature life kids' can enjoy the animals or hayride, for example, this will the community to create more job for American and encouraging domestic tourism in Urbana like local restaurants.
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