Capacity Building

Economic and Business Analysis

Make use of your data.
Is your data currently just sitting in an excel spreadsheet on your desktop? We can analyze and organize your data to help you share the story of your market. Professors and students at UW Madison can help you dig deeper into the meaning of your qualitative and quantitative data to identify opportunities for understanding and leveraging knowledge of your market. Understanding your market can help you communicate to new and existing partners, know your shoppers, and increase the likelihood of grant funding.

Featured Economic analysis work
In Spring 2020, Farm 2 Facts did an in-depth analysis of a market organization in the D.C.-metro area. In addition to the vendor analysis below, F2F staff created recommendations for market management based on these data.

In the Fall of 2020, we worked with the Fondy Farmers Market in Milwaukee to support the Comprehensive Plan Update and Visioning of the Fond du Lac and North Area Plan. You can read about the work at the following links:
https://farm2facts.org/fondy-farmers-market-from-farmers-market-to-desired-city-place/
https://farm2facts.org/21st-century-place-the-milwaukee-fondy-farmers-market-visioning-plan/
https://fondy-market-plan-uw-mad.hub.arcgis.com/

We can calculate your market’s economic impact in dollars on the community using a local food impact calculator. We can also calculate the percentage of individuals at your market who are food secure. In addition, our software can show you the demographics of your market participants. All of this is helpful for applying for grants, especially through the USDA, and advertising your markets to stakeholders.

Community impact analysis work we have done…

• Brown Deer
• Waupaca

By using our quantitative data analysis and implementation skills, we were able to increase SNAP usage benefits at Brown Deer Farmers Market by over 500%!

We are also experienced in qualitative research — things like conducting interviews with stakeholders. The information we gather from this research can help you understand your impact and tell the story of how your market contributes to the local food community, whether you do this through market programs, supporting low-income shoppers, or other activities. This is helpful for any market who wants to play a bigger role in supporting their community, or is interested in telling the story of the social life of the market.

Our team does the research so that you can better comprehend and convey the impacts you have in your community or how your market is making a difference.

Marketing and Rebranding Support

Does your market need a facelift?

Our award-winning graphic designers are at your service. Combined, our marketing team has over a decade of experience in various aspects of business development and marketing. We also provide social media strategy assistance, template design, and analysis services on a contract basis.

Custom Metric Development

Curious as to how your market affects certain aspects of your community? Our team of research professionals at the University are able and willing to develop a new metric that you may have in mind. We believe that context matters, and we want to respond to site-specific questions and opportunities that your market organization wants to address.

Customized metrics F2F has developed/are developing:

• Ecosystem services
• LGBTQ+
• Minority- and women-owned businesses
• Anything else you would like to measure!

Farmers Market and Vendor Audits

We provide services to farmers markets to ensure transparency and accountability for the market. This includes farm visits for vendors at farmers markets to verify farms are producing the products that they sell. We begin by conducting a farm stall audit and then visiting the farms.