Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
we are looking for local businesses to partner with to sponsor our upcoming theatre season, concert series, and special events! As a non-profit, local, community theatre, we are able to make events happen in our community through donations and sponsorship support. With your help, we can continue to provide quality live theatre, concerts, and more! Interested in becoming a season or show sponsor? We take donations at any level! For more information about sponsorship levels, visit the sponsorship page on our website here: SPONSORSHIPS – Hendersonville Theatre
Online: Zoom
No cost due to sponsor support
Have you been thinking about building an online store to sell your physical or digital products? Building a Website that can handle Ecommerce, taking payments, calculating shipping and tax, and managing subscriptions is easier than you might think. In this class we’ll walk through the basics of Ecommerce as well as answer some more advanced questions pertaining to taking an online store to the next level. Don’t lock yourself to Etsy or Shopify and put up with their built-in fees. Build it yourself on WordPress and WooCommerce which has now become the leader in online Ecommerce platforms.
Speaker(s): Boomer Sassman
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
Webinar information will be emailed after registration.
Online: Zoom
No cost due to sponsor support
**(You do not need to have attended Part 1 to attend Part 2)** Instagram is one of the fastest growing and biggest trending social media for business these days. And it’s always evolving! Join us for this session as we continue our dive into Instagram. We will continue to touch on: – The difference between Instagram and Instagram for Business – Visual tour of Instagram for business – Best Practices for posting – Explore the different sub channels of Instagram In part 2 we will also: – Learn how to use video to maximize your Instagram presence – Explore using hashtags as a powerful and free way to grow visibility for your business – What is tagging a user or business? – Live Q&A
Speaker(s): Aaron Wesley Means
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
Webinar information will be emailed after registration.
Join us virtually for the 4th annual gathering of the Asheville area’s pollinator conservationists, advocates, and enthusiasts! Participants will be invited to celebrate their 2022 successes, share pollinator projects they’ve engaged in this year, plans for 2023, and opportunities for collaboration. Together, we can make the greatest impact for pollinators!
Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you have exciting projects to share or would just like to listen and learn.
Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website, buncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.
We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.
School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants
For the past 30 years, the Organic Growers School Spring Conference has served as a gathering place for growers in Appalachia to connect, learn from one another, and deepen connections to land and community. The Spring Conference began as an entirely volunteer-run and free event and has expanded to support an organization of ten staff with year-round programming. As we have grown, we have experimented with different approaches to keeping the event affordable and accessible while also working on compensation for our speakers and supporting our growing staff. We encourage you to check out our recent blog post exploring this in more depth. This year, we are excited to be experimenting with sliding scale ticket pricing for the first time, and we wanted to take some time to explain how this works and why we decided to implement it this year.
Looking beyond scholarships
Over the past several years, we have started implementing different scholarship options. We have set aside around $3000 in our internal budget for scholarships, and we have increased our outreach to other groups in the area who have funding to support individuals to attend conferences. We also offer work-trade opportunities for people who are interested in helping out with our event in exchange for attendance. We have around 100 work-traders access the conference each year through these opportunities, but we have never used up our entire scholarship fund for the event. We know that there are many individuals in our community that we are not reaching through our scholarship opportunities. We began to wonder if scholarship applications were creating a barrier to participation and started researching other options, landing eventually on sliding scale as our preferred model.
How alternative pricing models address accessibility
The sliding scale model, which offers the opportunity for participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model. Most importantly, it is a seamless way for attendees to access the price that meets their needs. So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. While many of our community members need financial support, there are also members of this community who have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we are not able to secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value that this conference has to them and about what they are able to pay for at this time. Thank you for being on this journey of discovery with us!
More than 400 local businesses could benefit from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. According to reports from the Federal Government’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Buncombe County businesses may be eligible for $15.8 million and your small business could receive full or partial loan forgiveness. “Small businesses were under huge stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face challenges with supply chain issues and inflation. PPP loan forgiveness represents an opportunity for small businesses to gain additional relief, keep their doors open and continue to provide high quality jobs in our community,” explains Intergovernmental Director Timothy Love.
Wondering if your business is eligible? It’s definitely worth taking a moment to find out. “The process and requirements are quick. In many cases, detailed documentation may not be required during the application process. Typical documents include bank statements, tax forms, and business costs,” says Love. “PPP loan forgiveness may not require any additional work with your lender and you can apply for direct forgiveness through the SBA portal.”
To apply or learn more, please see the below links (Please note: This program is administered by the federal government)
- Apply here (Borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from loan origination.)
- FAQs
Registration is OPEN!
30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!
View the full Spring Conference schedule here.
Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference
OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023
So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.
While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.
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we are looking for local businesses to partner with to sponsor our upcoming theatre season, concert series, and special events! As a non-profit, local, community theatre, we are able to make events happen in our community through donations and sponsorship support. With your help, we can continue to provide quality live theatre, concerts, and more! Interested in becoming a season or show sponsor? We take donations at any level! For more information about sponsorship levels, visit the sponsorship page on our website here: SPONSORSHIPS – Hendersonville Theatre
Online: Zoom
No cost due to sponsor support
If you’re obsessed with Canva, you’re not alone! This session is for the small business owner who has started using Canva, but wants a deeper dive to learn more fun tools you can use to promote your business. In this workshop you will learn advanced techniques on the Canva platform, including creating designs from scratch, uploading your own graphics, Canva Pro features, presentations and much more.
Speaker(s): TenBiz
Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
Webinar information will be emailed after registration.
USDA, Extension, FSA, NRCS, Rural Development–at times, the acronyms and jargon associated with farming programs can seem overwhelming. Hosted by our partner, Stephen Bishop NC FarmLink Western Director, this presentation will provide a brief overview of the most common government farm assistance programs, as well as tips and advice on applying for assistance and where to get started.
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Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website, buncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.
We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.
School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants
The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!
In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.
The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.
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For the past 30 years, the Organic Growers School Spring Conference has served as a gathering place for growers in Appalachia to connect, learn from one another, and deepen connections to land and community. The Spring Conference began as an entirely volunteer-run and free event and has expanded to support an organization of ten staff with year-round programming. As we have grown, we have experimented with different approaches to keeping the event affordable and accessible while also working on compensation for our speakers and supporting our growing staff. We encourage you to check out our recent blog post exploring this in more depth. This year, we are excited to be experimenting with sliding scale ticket pricing for the first time, and we wanted to take some time to explain how this works and why we decided to implement it this year.
Looking beyond scholarships
Over the past several years, we have started implementing different scholarship options. We have set aside around $3000 in our internal budget for scholarships, and we have increased our outreach to other groups in the area who have funding to support individuals to attend conferences. We also offer work-trade opportunities for people who are interested in helping out with our event in exchange for attendance. We have around 100 work-traders access the conference each year through these opportunities, but we have never used up our entire scholarship fund for the event. We know that there are many individuals in our community that we are not reaching through our scholarship opportunities. We began to wonder if scholarship applications were creating a barrier to participation and started researching other options, landing eventually on sliding scale as our preferred model.
How alternative pricing models address accessibility
The sliding scale model, which offers the opportunity for participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model. Most importantly, it is a seamless way for attendees to access the price that meets their needs. So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. While many of our community members need financial support, there are also members of this community who have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we are not able to secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value that this conference has to them and about what they are able to pay for at this time. Thank you for being on this journey of discovery with us!
More than 400 local businesses could benefit from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. According to reports from the Federal Government’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Buncombe County businesses may be eligible for $15.8 million and your small business could receive full or partial loan forgiveness. “Small businesses were under huge stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face challenges with supply chain issues and inflation. PPP loan forgiveness represents an opportunity for small businesses to gain additional relief, keep their doors open and continue to provide high quality jobs in our community,” explains Intergovernmental Director Timothy Love.
Wondering if your business is eligible? It’s definitely worth taking a moment to find out. “The process and requirements are quick. In many cases, detailed documentation may not be required during the application process. Typical documents include bank statements, tax forms, and business costs,” says Love. “PPP loan forgiveness may not require any additional work with your lender and you can apply for direct forgiveness through the SBA portal.”
To apply or learn more, please see the below links (Please note: This program is administered by the federal government)
- Apply here (Borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from loan origination.)
- FAQs
Registration is OPEN!
30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!
View the full Spring Conference schedule here.
Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference
OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023
So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.
While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.
we are looking for local businesses to partner with to sponsor our upcoming theatre season, concert series, and special events! As a non-profit, local, community theatre, we are able to make events happen in our community through donations and sponsorship support. With your help, we can continue to provide quality live theatre, concerts, and more! Interested in becoming a season or show sponsor? We take donations at any level! For more information about sponsorship levels, visit the sponsorship page on our website here: SPONSORSHIPS – Hendersonville Theatre
Calling all BIPOC owned businesses!
As part of their 2023 Pay it forward campaign Spectrum Reach will be distributing 15 free advertising schedules each worth $7,500 for businesses in Asheville and the surrounding market. That is $112,500 worth of free advertising that will be awarded to BIPOC businesses.
Each winner will receive the following:
A three-month TV advertising schedule
A free :30 commercial produced by Waymark
Support from local marketing experts
Access to on-demand educational resources & top industry insights
Invitations to exclusive marketing events
On January 26th at 5:30pm, come learn more and register to win. During the event, you’ll have time to connect with other businesses, learn more about the giveaway from Spectrum’s team as well as have time to register.
This is open to all BIPOC owned businesses in Asheville and the surrounding market. Chamber membership is not required.
Food and drinks will be provided, registration is required. This event is held in partnership with Black Wall Street.
Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website, buncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.
We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.
School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants
For the past 30 years, the Organic Growers School Spring Conference has served as a gathering place for growers in Appalachia to connect, learn from one another, and deepen connections to land and community. The Spring Conference began as an entirely volunteer-run and free event and has expanded to support an organization of ten staff with year-round programming. As we have grown, we have experimented with different approaches to keeping the event affordable and accessible while also working on compensation for our speakers and supporting our growing staff. We encourage you to check out our recent blog post exploring this in more depth. This year, we are excited to be experimenting with sliding scale ticket pricing for the first time, and we wanted to take some time to explain how this works and why we decided to implement it this year.
Looking beyond scholarships
Over the past several years, we have started implementing different scholarship options. We have set aside around $3000 in our internal budget for scholarships, and we have increased our outreach to other groups in the area who have funding to support individuals to attend conferences. We also offer work-trade opportunities for people who are interested in helping out with our event in exchange for attendance. We have around 100 work-traders access the conference each year through these opportunities, but we have never used up our entire scholarship fund for the event. We know that there are many individuals in our community that we are not reaching through our scholarship opportunities. We began to wonder if scholarship applications were creating a barrier to participation and started researching other options, landing eventually on sliding scale as our preferred model.
How alternative pricing models address accessibility
The sliding scale model, which offers the opportunity for participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model. Most importantly, it is a seamless way for attendees to access the price that meets their needs. So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. While many of our community members need financial support, there are also members of this community who have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we are not able to secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value that this conference has to them and about what they are able to pay for at this time. Thank you for being on this journey of discovery with us!
More than 400 local businesses could benefit from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. According to reports from the Federal Government’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Buncombe County businesses may be eligible for $15.8 million and your small business could receive full or partial loan forgiveness. “Small businesses were under huge stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face challenges with supply chain issues and inflation. PPP loan forgiveness represents an opportunity for small businesses to gain additional relief, keep their doors open and continue to provide high quality jobs in our community,” explains Intergovernmental Director Timothy Love.
Wondering if your business is eligible? It’s definitely worth taking a moment to find out. “The process and requirements are quick. In many cases, detailed documentation may not be required during the application process. Typical documents include bank statements, tax forms, and business costs,” says Love. “PPP loan forgiveness may not require any additional work with your lender and you can apply for direct forgiveness through the SBA portal.”
To apply or learn more, please see the below links (Please note: This program is administered by the federal government)
- Apply here (Borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from loan origination.)
- FAQs
we are looking for local businesses to partner with to sponsor our upcoming theatre season, concert series, and special events! As a non-profit, local, community theatre, we are able to make events happen in our community through donations and sponsorship support. With your help, we can continue to provide quality live theatre, concerts, and more! Interested in becoming a season or show sponsor? We take donations at any level! For more information about sponsorship levels, visit the sponsorship page on our website here: SPONSORSHIPS – Hendersonville Theatre
Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website, buncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.
We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.
School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants
The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!
In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.
The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.
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For the past 30 years, the Organic Growers School Spring Conference has served as a gathering place for growers in Appalachia to connect, learn from one another, and deepen connections to land and community. The Spring Conference began as an entirely volunteer-run and free event and has expanded to support an organization of ten staff with year-round programming. As we have grown, we have experimented with different approaches to keeping the event affordable and accessible while also working on compensation for our speakers and supporting our growing staff. We encourage you to check out our recent blog post exploring this in more depth. This year, we are excited to be experimenting with sliding scale ticket pricing for the first time, and we wanted to take some time to explain how this works and why we decided to implement it this year.
Looking beyond scholarships
Over the past several years, we have started implementing different scholarship options. We have set aside around $3000 in our internal budget for scholarships, and we have increased our outreach to other groups in the area who have funding to support individuals to attend conferences. We also offer work-trade opportunities for people who are interested in helping out with our event in exchange for attendance. We have around 100 work-traders access the conference each year through these opportunities, but we have never used up our entire scholarship fund for the event. We know that there are many individuals in our community that we are not reaching through our scholarship opportunities. We began to wonder if scholarship applications were creating a barrier to participation and started researching other options, landing eventually on sliding scale as our preferred model.
How alternative pricing models address accessibility
The sliding scale model, which offers the opportunity for participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model. Most importantly, it is a seamless way for attendees to access the price that meets their needs. So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. While many of our community members need financial support, there are also members of this community who have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we are not able to secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value that this conference has to them and about what they are able to pay for at this time. Thank you for being on this journey of discovery with us!
More than 400 local businesses could benefit from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. According to reports from the Federal Government’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Buncombe County businesses may be eligible for $15.8 million and your small business could receive full or partial loan forgiveness. “Small businesses were under huge stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face challenges with supply chain issues and inflation. PPP loan forgiveness represents an opportunity for small businesses to gain additional relief, keep their doors open and continue to provide high quality jobs in our community,” explains Intergovernmental Director Timothy Love.
Wondering if your business is eligible? It’s definitely worth taking a moment to find out. “The process and requirements are quick. In many cases, detailed documentation may not be required during the application process. Typical documents include bank statements, tax forms, and business costs,” says Love. “PPP loan forgiveness may not require any additional work with your lender and you can apply for direct forgiveness through the SBA portal.”
To apply or learn more, please see the below links (Please note: This program is administered by the federal government)
- Apply here (Borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from loan origination.)
- FAQs
Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.
We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our website, buncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.
All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.
We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.
School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.
Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants
The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!
In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.
The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.
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