ACEnet News Story Archive

This 2-day virtual* training will take place 8am – 4pm on January 20th & 21st.

*Exam must be completed in person individually or in small groups.

Registration is $100 for ACEnet members, $125 for non-members and will include:

o   2-day virtual training

o   Slideshow presentation style including video presentations

o   Testing materials will be provided

Attendees will receive their ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification.

Register today! Please see event page or contact me if you have any questions about registration or the event. Sincerely, Adam Kody Food Enterprise ... Read More

Ohio All-Counties Relief

Governor DeWine recently announced $429.5M of CARES Act Funding to benefit Ohio Small Businesses, Bars, and Restaurants. Of funding announced, $125M will be allocated toward small business assistance and $37.5M will be allocated for bars and restaurant assistance.

The Ohio Development Services Agency will administer these grant funds.

Each county in Ohio has been allocated funds to award fifty $10,000 grants in the first 3 weeks, and grants will be awarded on a first-come/first-served basis, ... Read More

ACEnet facilities, including the Food Ventures Center in Athens & the Food & Farm Enterprise Center in Nelsonville are and will remain open until further notice. ACEnet staff is available (remotely) for our various business counseling services. Please email your needs to LeslieS@acenetworks.org and you will be connected with a staff member who can assist you. We will continue to update this page with Covid-19 Relief Resources for Small Businesses, Individuals & Nonprofits as they become ... Read More

GROWING GREEN 2020: Investing in Conservation and Local Food Conference

Friday-Sunday, March 13th-15th, Yellow Springs, Ohio

Come to Growing Green 2020 to hear from climate experts and farmers about the impacts of climate change and what can be done to overcome these challenges, regional successes in food systems and Farm-to-School activities, funding and support for farmers to implement conservation practices, and discussions on strengthening our local food system and healing the climate using healthy soil. Hosted by ... Read More

[ATHENS, Ohio] — ACEnet was awarded a $6,000 grant from Farm Aid to assist Appalachia Ohio farmers in accessing the financial resources, processing infrastructure, and marketing skills to diversify their farms into profitable businesses that support sustainable livelihoods. This is ACEnet’s 7th grant from Farm Aid.

This grant will increase ACEnet’s Food Ventures staff’s capacity to provide livestock and specialty crop farmers in Appalachia Ohio the resources and assistance they need to reach new market opportunities. ... Read More

Share your ideas! Join ACEnet, Project for Public Spaces & the Athens Farmers Market for a public workshop to discuss future site plans for the Athens Farmers Market. Thanks to a federal grant from the USDA, the Athens Farmers Market may have a permanent home. The City of Athens and ACEnet seek community input for the development of a ten acre plot of land on the Community Center property.

As part of the grant, a national ... Read More

Check out our new 3-part blog series – Running a Small Business in Southeast Ohio takes Hard Work in our Community Updates section!

Meet the entrepreneurs & hear their stories; blog series kicks off with Glouster’s Gina Gabriel and Congress Run Greenhouse (1/3).

Part 2 of our blog series introduces you to Perry County’s Henry Jochem and Primaterra Farm  (2/3).

The third and final part of our blog series introduces you to Jackson County’s Derrick & Elise Allison ... Read More

Are you looking for affordable office space or warehouse space? ACEnet has some openings in both our Athens & Nelsonville facilities! Check out our Available Rental Space page for more info & virtual tours.

We are excited to invite you to ACEnet’s 3rd Annual Women in Business conference on May 17th, 2019 from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM at The Lodge at Hocking College in Nelsonville! This free event will unite women entrepreneurs in all stages of business development for a one day conference that has three main objectives:

To provide a space for networking so women entrepreneurs can create and feel a greater sense of community. To provide professional development ... Read More

ACEnet receives Farm Aid funding for 2019!

The Farm Aid grant program, started by country and rock stars Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp, is providing 2019 funding to Athens-based non-profit ACEnet to keep family farmers on the land. The money, $6,000, has been awarded to ACEnet’s Food & Farm Enterprise program.

This $6,000 Farm Aid grant will increase ACEnet’s Food Ventures staff’s capacity to provide livestock and specialty crop farmers in Appalachia Ohio the resources ... Read More