New Growth MO Community Development

10/20/2026

Taxes, legal protections, and important business decisions. Get your questions answered and gain practical knowledge through these upcoming workshops and free recorded trainings for small business owners.

📅 October 27 | 11:30 AM
2026 Tax Changes for Small Business Owners
Learn about tax updates, recordkeeping, and planning.
https://hub.catalyzerapp.com/public/events/new-rules-same-business-what-2026-tax-changes-mean-9-2016

📅 October 28 | 8:30 AM
Protect What You're Building: IP, Contracts & Founder Agreements
Explore legal protections, contracts, and AI-related considerations.
https://hub.catalyzerapp.com/public/events/protect-what-you-re-building-ip-contracts-founder-9-2146

📅 November 4 | Noon
Buying & Selling a Business
Learn about due diligence, managing risks, and documentation.
https://hub.catalyzerapp.com/public/events/buying-selling-a-business-9-2015

Can't make a live training? Learn on your schedule!

The New Growth Women's Business Center also offers free recorded trainings featuring area experts on:

✔️ Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents
✔️ Cyber Safety for Business
✔️ Business Startup Legal Structures

Explore our growing library of on-demand trainings, available whenever you have time:
https://www.newgrowthmo.org/event/recorded-business-tr

10/19/2026

🌱 Nominations Needed for the 2027 Farm to Fork Champion! Who is making a difference in our local food system? We want to recognize them!

We're looking for individuals and organizations who are strengthening connections between farms, food, and communities across west-central Missouri.

Farmers, educators, business owners, community leaders, advocates, and behind-the-scenes changemakers all deserve recognition for their work.

🏆 The 2027 Farm to Fork Champion will be honored at the Farm to Fork Summit on March 5 in Nevada, Missouri.

Know someone who deserves recognition? Nominate them! Self-nominations are welcome, too.

Learn more and submit a nomination:
https://www.newgrowthmo.org/post/nominations-needed-for-2027-farm-to-fork-champion

10/14/2026

A fence might seem like a small thing. But for Andrea, it’s a big step toward building a licensed child care business in Butler, Missouri.

With years of child care experience and a home thoughtfully prepared for young learners, Andrea saw an opportunity to meet a real need in her rural community.

Through a New Growth Women’s Business Center microloan and connections to the Family Child Care Champions program, she’s getting support to turn that opportunity into a growing business.

Because expanding rural child care means investing in the entrepreneurs and professionals who provide it.

❤️ Read Andrea’s story and see what a difference the right support can make.

https://www.newgrowthmo.org/post/turning-a-home-into-a-child-care-business

Family Child Care Champion Program

10/12/2026

🌱 The weather has made a challenging growing season for farmers and growers, especially this year!

What worked? What didn't? And what can we learn from each other to prepare for next year?

Join New Growth, Cultivate KC, and Missouri Farmers Union for Resiliency in Action, a FREE virtual workshop bringing farmers and growers together to share experiences and practical strategies for navigating changing weather conditions.

Hear from three farmers:
🌾 Liz Graznak, Happy Hollow Farm
🌾 Jason Hirtz, Box Turtle Farm
🌾 Andrew Geiser, Table Top Farms

Then connect in small-group conversations to exchange ideas and learn from fellow growers.

📅 Wednesday, November 18, 2026
⏰ 1–3 p.m. CT
💻 Virtual via Zoom
✅ FREE to attend!

Whether you grow on a quarter acre or hundreds of acres, your experience matters.

Learn More and Register: https://www.newgrowthmo.org/event/resiliency-in-action

10/08/2026

Employers in Henry, St. Clair, Cedar, and Polk counties: Could Child Care Works be a valuable benefit for your employees?

Child Care Works combines employer contributions with state matching funds to make childcare more affordable for working families while supporting employee recruitment and retention.

Learn how the program works and run the numbers for your business at an upcoming hybrid event in Clinton, Missouri.

📅 Wednesday, October 28 | Noon–3 p.m.
📍 Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce
200 S. Main St., Clinton, MO
💻 Attend in-person or virtually

Drop by anytime during the event, schedule a time by calling 660-885-8166, or participate online.

Learn more and get Zoom room access: https://www.newgrowthmo.org/event/child-care-works-for-staff-retention-oct-28-2026

10/06/2026

Women farmers and agricultural leaders are shaping the future of rural communities.
Missouri Farmers Union is putting their voices at the center of its 2026 Annual Meeting, celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

The evening features Denise O’Brien, founder of Women’s Food and Ag Network, and Jolie Foreman, founder of Shelby County Cares, along with Missouri farmer panelists Jan Judy of Green Pastures Farm, Brittany Sullivan of Sullivan Farms, and Janett Lewis of Rustic Roots Sanctuary.

📅 Tuesday, November 10
📍 CCUA | 1769 West Ash Street, Columbia, MO
🚪 Doors open at 5 p.m.
🍽️ Dinner at 5:30 p.m.
🌾 Annual Meeting from 6–8 p.m.

🎟️ $30 MFU members | $70 non-members | Dinner included

Learn more and purchase tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/missouri-farmers-union-annual-meeting

10/01/2026

Using Quickbooks or thinking of using Quickbooks for your business? Register today!

QuickBooks Online training next weeek! Register today!

Intro to QB's: https://missouri.ecenterdirect.com/events/26990
Advanced QB's: https://missouri.ecenterdirect.com/events/26992

10/01/2026

Does your high tunnel need an update? Get hands-on experience replacing an aging wooden sidewall with metal at Green Gate Family Farm near Wheatland, Missouri.

Dr. Cary Rivard of K-State and Katie Nixon will walk through the step-by-step process of replacing a 10-year-old wooden sidewall. The day also includes a farm tour, lunch, and time to connect with other farmers.

📅 Thursday, October 8 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
📍 Green Gate Family Farm | Wheatland, Missouri
💲 No cost to attend | Lunch included

Space is limited, so register soon!

Learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/high-tunnel-sidewall-workshop-at-green-gate-family-farm-tickets-1996231452010

09/21/2026

Does your high tunnel need an update? Learn how to replace aging wooden sidewalls with metal at this hands-on Missouri workshop.

Join Dr. Cary Rivard of K-State and Katie Nixon at Green Gate Family Farm on Thursday, October 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will walk through the step-by-step process of replacing a 10-year-old wooden sidewall with a metal one.

The day will also include a farm tour and lunch.

- Thursday, October 8 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Green Gate Family Farm | Wheatland,
No-cost event | Reserve a spot

Learn more: https://www.newgrowthmo.org/event/high-tunnel-sidewall-workshop-farmers-meetup

09/21/2026

A job may be close to home, but childcare are may not be. That’s a workforce problem.

In rural communities, families may have to travel significant distances to find child care, if an opening is available at all. That can affect whether parents can work, whether employers can fill positions, and whether communities can grow their workforce.

A new paper, Childcare as Workforce Infrastructure, looks at child care through an economic development lens and explores practical, Missouri-specific tools communities can use to help expand capacity, including public financing, partnerships, mission-driven capital, and local planning strategies.

On September 30, a free webinar, Unlocking Economic Development Tools to Fund Child Care Facilities, will take a deeper look at the paper. Kara Lubischer of Kids Win Missouri will moderate a panel featuring Sheridan Garman-Neeman of New Growth and Lamar Miller of IFF to discuss the tools and strategies outlined in the paper and how they could be put to work in Missouri communities.

Get the paper or register for one of the free Sept. 30 webinars: https://www.newgrowthmo.org/post/child-care-as-workforce-infrastructure