Forming or expanding a farm, rural business, or cooperative requires several types of professional assistance before the business goes into operation. The Laulima Center offers general business development and draws on partner organizations and consultants for specific areas of technical project feasibility, business planning, legal advice, and other needs. Here are some helpful organizations with specific expertise to help clients form their businesses:
Agribusiness Incubator Program Provides agricultural business development including business plans and feasibility.
Agriculture Extension Production, processing, and marketing expertise available from extension agents. Technical feasibility can be researched by professors.
Small Business Development Center No cost assistance is available to look at the financial feasibility of your cooperative’s business and develop a business plan.
Rural Conservation Districts Assistance with natural resource conservation and economic development projects.
- Big Island Rural Conservation & Development
- Tri-Isle Rural Conservation & Development
- O‘ahu Resource Conservation Development Council
- Garden Isle Resource Conservation & Development
Economic Development Boards
- Hawai‘i Island Economic Development Board
- Maui Economic Development Board
- Kaua‘i Economic Development Board
Natural Resource Conservation Service The branch of USDA, which conserves natural resources in agriculture and the environment. They have service centers located all around Hawai‘i.
Kuha‘o Business Center Moloka‘i A helpful center to create and maintain your business in a useful and effective manner.
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is a U.S. Treasury certified Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a HUD-certified housing counseling agency, and a national intermediary providing capacity building services to support Native Hawaiian organizations and communities.
Hi‘ilei Aloha LLC is a non-profit sub-entity of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and provides business development and grant programs to native Hawaiian entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Hawaii State Bar Association provides confidential referrals to attorneys licensed to practice in the State of Hawai‘i.
Sustainability
There are many groups focused on sustainability and business development in Hawai‘i, including:
- SLIM Maui
- Sust‘āinable Molokai
- Mālama Kaua‘i
- GoFarm Hawai‘i
- Maui Food Innovation Center at UH Maui College
How to Work with Consultants for Co-ops A fact sheet on working with consultants produced by the Ontario Co-operative Association.
Business accelerator programs are ideal for businesses developing an innovation or seeking venture capital, such as: