Emerging Leaders Institute
The AgriRoots Emerging Leaders Institute is a comprehensive agribusiness finance program designed to drive your business toward success. Offered online, this self-paced program provides certification in agricultural lending fundamentals, helps you craft a strong business plan and more. With cohorts starting every six weeks, participants can engage in follow-up sessions to foster continuous learning and accountability, while success coaches offer personalized guidance throughout the journey.
Institute Course Outline
What Will I Learn?
Participants in the Emerging Leaders Institute will gain valuable tools and resources to build and refine their business plans while learning the fundamentals of financial planning, fiscal management and cash flow management. Through expert-led sessions, you’ll hear insights from leaders in the agricultural industry and have the opportunity to engage with peers, fostering collaboration and shared growth. This program equips participants with the knowledge and connections to take their agribusiness to the next level.
Session 1
Business Planning and Goal Setting
Session 2
Building Your Financial Team
Session 3
Financial Documentation Deep Dive
Session 4
Did You Make a Profit?
Session 5
Business and Personal Balance Sheets
Session 6
Cash Flow Analysis
Member Stories
“I have enjoyed participating in ELI and I am grateful that Capital Farm Credit created such a great program. The easy-to-follow modules were the perfect road map that made building my business plan and financial statements a simple and painless process. This program was the exact boost that I needed to help my growing operation prosper!”
Jaime Halfmann, Halfmann Cattle Company
Member Stories
“The application process helped me reflect on my business and clarify my goals. The Emerging Leaders Institute pulled together concepts I’d been learning in bits and pieces—like business structure, bookkeeping, and management—and clearly explained key reports like profit-and-loss, balance sheets, and cash flow. Answering the essay questions also helped me really reflect on what we do and where we plan to go with our bees.”
Charlie Agar, Charlie Bee Company
Member Stories
“The Emerging Leaders Institute provided me with a foundational blueprint through its business plan training, which was essential for building and structuring our farm business. The financial training not only allowed me to track where our money is going to help make informed business decisions but also gave me the confidence to work with our local Capital Farm Credit loan officer to apply for operating loans. This support has been critical in helping us grow our business and meet our goals.”
Matt Barattino, Wild Texas Farm
Meet Your Hosts
Laura Martinez and Ben Wilson
“I want folks, when they walk away from this series, to have the confidence to be able to build their financials for their business, as well as put the team in place to allow them to execute on their financial plan.”
Laura Martinez, CFC Relationship ManagerHow to Participate
Join an Online Cohort
- Fill out the application, and once accepted, you’ll gain access to the online cohort. Applicants can expect to hear about their application status within 3-4 business days.
- Once accepted, applicants will start the course with a cohort of other individuals. Cohorts start every six weeks throughout the year.
- If you apply while a current cohort is completing the course, you will need to wait until the next six-week program starts to begin your course.
Other Educational Resources
The “It’s Your Money” course is a free interactive financial literacy simulation designed to help young individuals develop essential money management skills. Participants gain hands-on experience with budgeting, saving and making informed financial decisions, all within a real-world context — without the real-world consequences.
Learn More