Building Businesses
We empower MEHKOs by providing wrap-around business education, operational resources, and funding to support culinary entrepreneurs with starting their small businesses.
We're thrilled to announce the launch of COOK Academy, our new education program offering each graduate $3,000 grant designed to empower home cooks to thrive in the culinary industry! This eight-week online curriculum will equip participants with essential skills to successfully operate their own MEHKO businesses, covering topics such as:
MEHKO regulations
Standard operating procedures
Personal vs. business finances
Menu pricing
Brand management
Social media and marketing
Food photography
And more!
We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2024 cohort. Classes will be held from April 5th to May 22nd, 2024 and will be virtual and available to watch at your own pace. The final class (graduation) on May 22nd from 5:30 - 7:30PM will be live over Zoom and require mandatory attendance. Graduates will receive a grant of $3,000 and be eligible to earn three units of college credit.
Please note that the first cohort will have limited availability. However, if you're not selected for the initial round, your application will still be considered for future cohorts. The deadline to submit the application for the upcoming Spring 2024 cohort is Monday, March 25th, at 11:59PM PST.
We will be running cohorts over the course of the next year and half, with spots and $3000 grants for 500 people! Please share this opportunity with your friends, family, neighbors, and community. Keep an eye out for regular announcements about future cohorts. Join us as we nurture a new generation of skilled culinary entrepreneurs!
Please note, COOK Academy is only accepting applications from residents of jurisdictions where MEHKOs are currently legal: Riverside, San Diego, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Imperial, Sierra, Lake, Amador, Santa Clara, Monterey, and Solano Counties, and the City of Berkeley.
Apply Now
Previous Grants & TRAINING for Home Cooks
The State of California awarded $1 million dollars for our San Diego Food Justice Project, a collaboration between the COOK Alliance, City Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC), REC Innovation Lab, Business For Good (BFG), and Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI). The San Diego Food Justice Project was a collaboration whose purpose was to serve the emerging needs of some of our most vulnerable entrepreneurs: micro-enterprise home kitchen operations (MEKHOs), sidewalk vendors, pop-ups and caterers, and immigrant owned restaurants. Upon completion of an eight session training program, entrepreneurs were awarded between $2,500 - $7,500 to pay for the costs of obtaining permits and supporting their business.
We successfully distributed $750,000 in micro grants ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 to 169 program participants, in addition to providing technical assistance and business education. The success of the G.E.T. Cooking Program, with training materials available in both English and Spanish, demonstrates the significance of accessible and inclusive small business training in empowering marginalized entrepreneurs.
Course Syllabus
Session 1. Orientation
Description: Learn about the structure of the 8-week program and the requirements needed to receive funding. Additionally, you will meet your fellow cohort members.
Optional College Credit Workshop: students can stay for an optional college credit orientation session to learn more about the process to receive college credit for their program participation.
Session 2. Business Strategy class
Description: Identify the necessary contracts, licenses or permits for starting and running a small business. Understand the difference between a Sole Proprietorship, LLC, and Corporation. Learn about hiring employees and independent contractors.
Deliverable: Create a One Sheet Business plan
Session 3. Financial planning class
Description: Understand bookkeeping, small business taxes, pricing products, and profitability. Learn how to create and improve internal business operations systems, policies, and procedures, through financial statements, budgets, etc.
Deliverable: Budget for business (including grant funds)
Session 4. Networking + Mentor Match
Description: Share the short, 1-line elevator pitch in front of your classmates you developed in your Business Strategy class. Additionally, you will meet potential mentors.
Session 5. Marketing class
Description: Understand market segmentation, branding, marketing channels, digital and social media marketing with a focus on engagement and consistency. Learn how to create and implement a digital marketing campaign and track key performance indicators.
Deliverable: Create at least two social media accounts for your business.
Session 6. Sales Class
Description: Explore sales and customer acquisition strategies, including e-commerce options, internet intermediary platforms, website design, and google maps placement. Learn how to implement your sales strategy.
Deliverable: Place your business on Google My Business.
Session 7. Additional Elective workshop
Description: Students have the opportunity to attend a live virtual or in-person workshop on permitting options for food businesses on March 16th. Students that already have their permits or are interested in other workshop topics have the opportunity to select a workshop from our extensive online video database that include topics like “Accounting & Tax” “Market Research” & “How to Write a Press Release.”
Deliverable: Submit the name, description and date you attended or watched the additional workshop.
Session 8. Graduation + resources
Description: Bring a taste of your business to share with your fellow cohort members. You will receive a certificate of completion and learn about additional resources that can help you sustain your business.
Grant Award: Following the graduation from the program participants will be mailed checks for their awarded grants between $2,500 - $7,500.