Technorati Tags: grants, guide, small business

So you are thinking about starting up a small business. Probably somebody pointed out that you have this great idea, or product. Surely that somebody has never had a small business. You must examine your ideas carefully. What do you like about the idea? Independence? Your own hours? Your product, your way? Nobody to tell you what to do? The American Dream? Start small and who knows how far you can go? It has got to be these kinds of reasons, because anybody who knows the truth no longer thinks like this. But you want to seriously look at what being a business owner might be like.

You are about to meet a very expensive group of people. Lawyers, accountants, IT guys, real estate brokers, human resources pro’s, insurance agents (many), bankers, and the tax men. Yes, more than one tax man. You can’t go into business without space to do the business. That means commercial real estate, and you must have a lawyer look at any contract, because you don’t want the landlord to lock you out of your building if you forget to pay the rent. IT guys charge by the hour, unless you think you can set up your computer system alone. There’s cable laying and phone integration. If numbers are not your thing, a good accountant is a must. How much to withhold, how much to allocate to taxes. Your lawyer (if a business lawyer and not the newly graduated son of someone you know) might even assume you already know how much the government will be in your face about who you can hire, and how you have to report. If not, you need someone in human relations to point out what you can and can’t do to employees.

Like fire them without their, not your, idea of a good reason. Screwing up is not a good reason.

Because starting up a small businesses is very risky, all these people are going to want up front money. And the rates for their services are much higher than for ordinary people. The phone costs more, the bank accounts have way unbelievable fees, the insurance rates, the commercial real estate rates will open your eyes, and they’ve all figured out ways to keep you from avoiding them. Even the gas and electric rates are higher for businesses.

You better have money already. It seems like that’s the reason you are thinking about starting up a small business, to make money, but you have to have lots of it up front. If you don’t have any money and have no elderly relations with nothing to do with all their money, you can always borrow it. Everybody from Uncle Sam on down to the local office supply place is just really anxious to extend credit to you, and smile broadly at you, and give you loans. You should start to hear the theme song from “Jaws” right about here. These folks are not your friends. If you have a bad month and go ask them to skip payments, they’ll probably say OK. These guys never have a bad month, because the more you delay, the more you owe them and the less credit they’ll give you.

Pretty soon you’ll get the idea that all you wanted to do was make hair clips, or meat loaf pans, but you are spending so much time with all these other people that you are not getting to do what you want. There are a zillion books out there about starting up a small business. Read them. Do not go into this dark woods alone.

If you haven’t noticed, the world is forever changing. Just when you think you have things figured out, they change again. While some of these changes are bad, some are also very positive. Take the Internet for instance. This networking tool has made it so much easier for people to connect, stay in touch, communicate, do business, make money, and even go to college.

While some men and women fail to realize it, so many people are going to a four-year university right now just by logging onto their personal computers at home. Yes indeed, you can get you higher education without actually living on campus these days. It’s time you checked out the best online colleges in order to get you future in order.

Just ten years ago, online college was hardly feasible. Although it may have been in its beginning stages, there were so many courses that simply could not be taken via the web. Well, this has all changed. Nowadays you can do almost anything via cyberspace. So if you have been dreaming about getting a degree in mechanical engineering, accounting, or liberal arts, it is high time you got started. There is no reason why you can’t acquire the education you desire at this point. The thing is that so many people think of college as a heavy load of major burden. Well, it may be a lot of work to obtain your bachelor’s degree, but you can make it happen at a pace you can deal with.

It all starts with the best online colleges. There are websites like USNewsUniversityDirectory.com, EarnMyDegree.com, and ChooseDeVry.com that can really assist you with this. Take a moment to get better acquainted with the best online colleges, and then you can proceed to decide with school is actually ideal for you. After all, it can really depend on what you intend to study, and what you wish to have a degree in. Some universities offer superior programs than others do. This is why it is crucial to look into them and see what all is offered. There are ratings and rankings posted online for your convenience. All you need to get started is a personal computer with Internet access.

Don’t make assumptions about the best online colleges. Just because you fail to live near a university, does not mean that you can’t attend school there. The reasons for this is that you do everything via the web. This means signing up for classes, paying for classes, and even acquiring the textbooks you need. Tests are taken online and you will be expected to know the same kinds of things that you would for an in-person college course. While online college is not easy by any means, it is very convenient for many people who lack the time to attend a university the old-fashioned way.

Business grants are neither everywhere — nor nowhere. They are there. But it takes creativity and some bush beating to find them and claim them.

Where, oh where, has that business grant money gone? Everyone talks about business grants. Few seem able to actually find them.

Some, in fact, claim that business grants are everywhere; some claim they are as rare as a trout tooth. The truth, dear Watson, lies somewhere in between.

“Business grants are there for the asking!”

If you have done so much as a single search for “business grants”, you have most certainly discovered those web sites that proclaim, “They’re here — in my directory. Satisfaction guaranteed, m’am.”

Yeesh. I can hear the carnival hawker in the echo.

And it’s not just one site that makes such claims. No, many sites that make this claim. One gives your money back if you send in a reject letter from an agency you applied to; another says you are buying “soft goods” that can’t be returned. No matter. It’s all the same pitch.

“Good luck, Buddy. Business grants just aren’t there!”

When I found one site that claimed that business grants are a fantasy, it was actually a relief. Wow, an honest person.

Well, this person may have been honest, but she hasn’t done her homework.

“There are business grants to be had.” (This is my voice)

They are not growing on trees, but they are there. Consider, for instance, these scenarios:

Scenario No. 1 — A Local Need

An experienced pre-school teacher sees a tremendous need to provide pre-school care for children in a low income area so their parents can go to work in a new plant being built nearby. Where can she go to get a grant to start her business?

Answer: The U.S. Dept. of Education is a good bet. The local county or state government might have money available, too. Even the new company being built might chip in with space and supplies. (If the pre-schol expands, and becomes very successful, and even lucrative, it can still open more branches, franchise, or expand. In short, it, too, can still be profitable.)

Scenario No. 2 — A Scientific Need

A brilliant scientist wants to team up with a university, use their Ph.D. fellows to do research, and pin down the gene for one particular type of cancer. She has good credentials and high hopes. Where can she get a grant to start her company?

Answer: The U.S. National Science Foundation may indeed have something. (If the company proceeds to make this discovery, it is still able to sell stock, take in investors, or sell the patents. In short, it can still be profitable.)

Scenario No. 3 0– An Emergency Need

A second generation Indonesian entrepreneur sees the devastation in her homeland caused by the tsunami. With her business contacts and experience, she knows she can help re-build her country. Where does she go for a grant?

Answer: USAID probably has $20 million or so on hand for just such a project. In fact, as I write this, that is exactly the situation. (This is not a “profit making” venture. However, somewhere in the $20 million grant, she will of course pay herself, and will be able to lay a strong foundation for a future business.)

How Do I Find The Bushes To Beat?

Are these three examples just aberrations? Emphatically, NO — there are LOTS MORE where these came from. It’s all a matter of knowing where to look.

And it is a matter of being creative. Rarely can a person simply raise her hand, say, “Here I am, ready to take your money!” The bigger the grant, the more creative the approach needs to be, and the more experience the businessperson needs to have. But the money is there, waiting for creative, experienced entrepreneurs to claim it.

Your Pro: MaryAnn Shank has helped thousands of entrepreneurs find and tie down the right financing. Her site is based on her decades of experience. Her knowledge of business grants, and business plans for angel investors, for the SBA, and for alternative financing, is there for the taking.

Business Plan Master
Create stunning and successful business plans for business grants, SBA loans, angel investors and alternative financing.

By MaryAnn Shank

Technorati Tags: business, government grants, grants, keywords, small business

College tuition is at its highest level as it has ever been. With the recent economic downturn and massive job layoffs, many families simply don’t have the money for college and can no longer afford to send their children to colleges and universities. Many are looking for cheaper alternative such as community colleges. However, what most people don’t realize is that there are many grants and scholarships for college even in this economic climate.

Typical scholarship providers include federal and state agencies and private organizations. If your child is a high school senior, the easiest thing to do is to talk to the financial aid counselors at the school for available financial aid programs. If you are applying for graduate schools or have been out of school and are thinking about going back for higher education, you can always talk to the financial aid officers at the school you are applying.

Here are some of the best known scholarships and grants offered by the federal government.

Pell Grant

Pell Grant is a federal program for low-income undergraduate and some post-baccalaureate students to have access to college and university education. Currently there are approximately 5,400 participating insititutions in the Pell Grant program. The amount of the grant is determined by the student’s expected family contribution, the cost of tuition, and the student’s enrollment status (part-time or full-time).

The Pell Grant is a need-based program. This means it is awarded only to those students that have financial need. The factors in determining financial need are the student’s income, the parents’ income, the family’s household size, and the number of family members attending college.

You can find the complete information about the Pell Grant Program at US Department of Education web site here.

Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grants

The ACG and SMART grants are reletative new and have just become effective since July 1, 2006. The ACG are for first and second-year undergraduate students who have completed a rigorous high school program. The SMART Grants are for undergraduates in their third- and forth-year and major in certain technical fields such as mathematics, science, technology, and engineering; or foreign languages that are deemed vital to national security. Also keep in mind the students must maintain a required minimum grade point average (GPA).

To be eligible for these grants you must be a US citizen, attending school full-time, and also elgible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

To apply or find out more information about ACG and SMART Grant programs, visit the Federal Student Aid web site at U.S. Department of Education.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants

This is also a new program that begins on July 1, 2008. To apply you must be undergraduate or graduate students who meet certain academic requirements, and agree to teach in qualifying schools and subject areas. You are required to teach for 4 out of 8 years after graduation otherwise the grant amount must be repaid with interest.

The subject areas include mathematics, science, foreign language, bilingual education, special education, reading, and other high-need fields.

Under the TEACH Grant Program, eligible students receive up to $4,000 a year to help pay for college and their study. This is a great program for those who are interested in teaching in those specific areas.

Resources

You can find more federal education grant programs at Federal Student Aid web site.

Technorati Tags: age, aid, college, colleges, education, financial, grant, grants, money, program, programs, scholarship, scholarships, school, sources, student, students

The US government has begun accepting applications for the renewable energy grants, also known as the Section 1603 program, starting August 1, 2009. Based on the guidelines issued by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Treasury, the companies that develop renewable energy projects and clean fuel technology can now receive direct payments for certain expenses under Section 1603 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Previously, the companies can only file investment tax credit. With Section 1603, they will be able to receive the funding much faster.

The grant to be released is estimated to be $3 billion. This will fund over 5000 new renewable energy facilities around the country.

If you are interested in applying for this grant, you must file the application by October 1, 2011. You may not start constructing the facility before submitting the application. Since the Section 1603 grant is not awarded on a competitive basis, any company that is planning on building new biomass, solar, wind, and other renewable energy production facilities is encouraged to apply.

You can read more information about the guidelines of the Section 1603 program here. To apply for the Section 1603 grant, click here.

Technorati Tags: AARA, grant, grants, renewable energy, section 1603, solar, wind

Whether you are a high school graduate looking to get into a college, or thinking about going back to school for advanced degree, a simple college search by major is usually the easiest way to start. I recently helped my nephew apply for college. In researching different colleges, universities, the degree programs they offered, and available scholarships, I came across this web site called FreeEducationGuide.com. It’s a free site that allows you to find colleges by major and degree programs all from one central location. It’s a great time saver so I thought I would write a review on this site. If you are looking for school information or grants and scholarships for college, this would be a convenient place to start.

Here is a screen shot when you first go to FreeEducationGuide.com. You would enter your basic information on the right and click “Get Your Guide!”. By entering the information here, you will be able to do multiple searches without having to re-entering the information with each search. Also, as you will see below, when you request admission kits or financial aid information from the schools that interest you, your contact information will be pre-filled so you don’t need to fill out each school’s contact form individually — this is usually the most tedious and time-consuming process. So make sure you provide accurate information here or you will not receive the package from the schools.

Once you click “Get Your Guide!”, you will see the detailed school information including the degree programs, available grants or scholarships, etc. The school is displayed based on the major you selected. If this is the college that interests you, simply click “Continue to Request Info!” button and your request will get sent to that college. A information/admission kit will then be mailed to you directly from the college.

If the college displayed does not interest you, just click “Skip this school and try other options” link at the top right corner and the next school based on your major will be displayed. You can repeat the process and search/request information from as many school as you want.

To change the major, just use the drop-down menu to select a new one as shown below.

The schools in the directory are from both traditional brick-and-mortar and online colleges and universities. If you do a college search in the old fashion way, you would go to each college’s web site, then look around to find the admission and financial pages. There are also different departments, degree programs you need to poke around. Then, if you decide to request information, you need to fill out the online form of all your contact information. You may need to finish questionnaires if the school requires one. And the worst part is, you have to go through the entire process again for another school. The research could take days or even weeks. With FreeEducationGuide.com, I was able to finish the entire research in 2 hours.

The only thing I couldn’t get it to work was to create an online account. For some reason it kept on telling me I entered an invalid username/password. So if I log out of the web site, I would have to re-enter my contact information again when I re-visit the site.

There is always a privacy concern when you give out your email address or phone numbers over the Internet. So far I have not received a single email or phone call from Free Education Guide. The only emails I got were from the colleges that I requested information from, which is to be expected.

Now, every time I see a free web site like this, I always want to know why it is free. ALL web sites on the Internet (yes, including this one), unless they are from government or charity, exist for one reason and one reason only — to bring in revenue to the companies that own them. Typically a free information site would have ads running to generate revenue much like free public TVs (look at the sidebar to the right and you will see ads on this web site). I don’t see any ads on Free Education Guide so I am assuming they get paid by the colleges and universities in their directory.

Because of the economy, public colleges are suffering from local and state budget cuts. Private schools are facing the same funding difficulties. They are now stepping up on advertising campaigns to increase the enrollment numbers. You have long seen them advertising on TV, radio, and billboards. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pay to get listed in the directory. Or they could pay Free Education Guide on a per-lead basis. In other words, the school pays Free Education Guide a fee once you send your request for more information.

In summary, I found FreeEducationGuide.com to be a great time-saver to search for college programs. If you are looking for college information, it’s worth check it out.

Technorati Tags: college search by major, colleges, grants, scholarships, universities, university

As a result of the recently passed government stimulus package, websites have popped up promising consumers easy government grant money to get out of debt.

The Better Business Bureau has issued warnings to the public to be extremely careful about responding to online ads from companies offering free advice about how to get government grants. Shortly after the stimulus bill was enacted, dozens of websites appeared claiming that President Obama’s actions have opened the door to letting consumers get government grants that will help them pay off their credit card bills and get out of debt. However, the federal government never awards grants to consumers to help them pay their bills.

President Obama’s efforts to jumpstart the economy have dominated headlines and news websites for months, and unscrupulous companies are aware that they can exploit these news stories to their own advantage to take advantage of families who have found themselves in desperate circumstances. These online businesses are charging site visitors for information that is actually available for free from the government. As a result, consumers are being bilked out of money at a time when they can least afford to be draining their bank accounts.

Some complaints to the Better Business Bureau are from people who were charged more than $69.95 per month on their debit or credit cards. Internet analysis groups say that online searches of the word “stimulus” regularly returned links to news stories and informational sites discussing the $787 billion package. But those searches also returned links to sponsored sites such as ObamaStimulusGrant.net and officialstimuluschecks.com, which in actuality had nothing to do with the bill and many contained ads for free information about grants, using “happy customer” testimonials saying how people had received their stimulus check within days of applying for the grant.

Even widely popular websites have not been immune to the scams. In February, Facebook users encountered ads directing them to sites such as jakecutler.com and davidgetsgreen.com, pages that were designed to look just like personal blogs posted by people who wanted to pass along information about how they were able to get thousands of dollars from the government in grants to pay off their outstanding debts.

Those posts contained links to other sites such as federalgovernmentgrantsolutions.com, a site with a photo of Barack Obama and claims that part of the stimulus package is designed for people in need of aid from the government. The company, called Government Grant Solutions, sells a “kit” giving people advice on preparing grant applications, along with a directory of private grants and federal grants. And again, the site offers testimonials from people claiming that the program helped them avoid foreclosure, or that the money helped them buy Christmas presents, pay their bills, or fix their car.

Two companies based in Las Vegas, Raven Media and Grant Instructor, have been the focus of hundreds of complaints to the Better Business Bureau across the United States. A Utah-based company, Grant University, has also prompted hundreds of complaints. All three companies carry an F rating on the Better Business Bureau’s list of company ratings.

Consumers have complained that they placed an order for a “free” CD outlining how to get free grant money, but then they were charged $69.95 for the “free” CD. Some people said that their credit card was also charged by other companies afterward. When they contacted the companies to complain, they were told that by signing up for the free CD they had, in fact, signed up for a “free trial” of the program, as outlined in the terms and conditions clause on the website, and they were supposed to cancel the order within seven days or their card would be charged regularly each month. Because these companies did not provide refunds and were difficult or impossible to contact, some consumers had to ultimately cancel their credit card accounts in order to stop the monthly charges to their accounts.

Some of these websites have been edited or removed since the Better Business Bureau began issuing warnings about them. But the Bureau is still advising consumers to be extremely wary of websites offering free money from government grants. The federal government does issue billions of dollars every year in money for grants, but almost all of that money is given to assist students with college tuition, to support research projects, to help small businesses, or for other specifically outlined reasons. There is no cost to apply for a government grant, and all the information required to learn how to apply is available for free on specially designed government websites such as www.govbenefits.com, www.grants.gov, and www.sba.gov.

Consumers should heed the warnings of the Better Business Bureau. Don’t pay money for information that can be found free on government sites, and never give out your credit card information online to unknown companies without checking them out first and reading the fine print carefully.

Technorati Tags: debt, government, grant, money, scam, stimulus

For First Time Home Buyers, American Dream Down Payment Act has made it lot easier to make their dream true of buying their own home. Let us learn more about these Government Grants…

A home is not just an investment but a personal joy and a stronghold that brings a sense of security to you and your family. The good news is that the American Government sanctions close to $200 million as grants every year for the coming four years to the low-income group who want to buy their first home. This certainly makes the castle in the sky inch closer for those who dream of buying their own home and are unable to do so because of the heavy initial down payments in the process.

Government Grants For First-Time Home Buyers

The Government has launched the American Dream Down Payment Initiative Grant for which it has tied up with banks to facilitate this process in order to boost the country’s economy by allowing more fluidity in loans to first time home buyers. One of the best things that have come out of this is that there is no window for getting cheated because the state and federal agencies are the most credible people you can literally speaking, bank on as compared to any realtor or predatory loan shark.

Now, not only has the problem with the initial finance been obliterated but the interest rates with banks are also touching rock bottom and all financial assistance professionals are urging you to benefit of this wonderful opportunity. Once you are in possession of your own home the equity in it can be the source of making the next down payment.

As this facility is not available to you if you are a first time home buyer as you don’t have any equity in property, the Federal Government has come up with this scheme of offering first time home buyer grants. Not only are these grants a boon to making the payment but are also immensely practical in closing the mortgage. In this case, even bad credit can’t be counted against you as you have not had in your own name any housing ownership within the last three years.

Tax Benefits
A substantial amount of tax savings can be generated through your mortgage interests too. If you are renting an apartment for a certain amount, the same amount when applied to your mortgage loan payment would result in a huge tax deduction as practically speaking, the preliminary mortgage payment is generally to cover up interest rather than actually paying off the loan and this interest is tax deductible. If you are in the conventional 28% tax bracket with all the normal expenditure, this deduction could cause a major dent in your annual savings.

There are absolutely no issues and hang-ups and the only quantifiable point is that your annual family income should meet the stipulated minimum in order to receive the grant, which is calculated on the basis of income v/s dependents, the location of the home etc. However, not every state in the USA is offering this kind of a grant yet, though it is still possible to obtain a grant through federal assistance. It is important to note that each state has its own set of rules and regulations that apply to the grant program as instigated by the state legislature.

Why is this Free Money?
The government is labeling this money as free money because as there are no interests or monthly payments to be made it is virtually free, these funds remain mute as a second mortgage until they are repaid. In other cases, they are simply forgiven like in the State of Wyoming; the government grant for first-time home buyers can be as high as $2,000 and is forgiven in the case that you reside in the house for a period of 30 years.

This differs in different states and some states offer a loan that turns into a grant after a certain period of time. Thus a loan calls for the amount to be repaid in installments even if it for a low interest rate. However this is only a qualifying process for the mortgage and in most cases you receive a percentage of the mortgage amount making it all very easy in the long run.

Unmasking the Grant availability
All this may be a little difficult to believe at first and reason dictates that this kind of money will be hard to obtain for the average seeker but in reality these grants are not highly advertised by the government and there are few sources that can give you the necessary data so the chances that you will have people queuing up outside these agencies and going away with pot loads of money is very, very slim. Most of these agencies have not exhausted their capacity which simply goes to say that there is money available for obtaining that grant.

Lastly, a home is definitely high on the list of safe investments into the future as the escalation of prices for properties is constantly on the rise owing to growing population and economy that gives way to inflation that causes real estate investments to be stable if not a climber. Now is the best time to take advantage of the extremely low interest rates and make good your dream of owning your home.

Technorati Tags: first time buyers, grants for buying a house

Single parenting means a lot of responsibility. Single parent grants and financial aid are made available to single parents who have to support their child/children and also want to continue their education. Read on to know more.

Single parent is a person who is legally separated from his/her spouse or whose spouse is no more. Single parenting is truly a challenge because meeting household expenses and also providing the basic necessities for a child/children with a single income is stressful. The United States government has developed a number of programs to help a single parent by providing grants and financial aid. These are provided as second income with the aim of reducing the financial difficulties and eliminating the stress of single parenting.

Every single parent can apply for government grants and financial aid. However, there are times when an application for single parent grant is not approved. Before applying for a single parent grant, you should be aware of the fact that these grants are made available on the basis of your annual income and the size of your family. This financial aid is given only to people with serious financial problems.

If you are financially secured or you are receiving a certain amount annually as child support, then you will not be eligible for single parent grants and financial aid. Financial aid is not granted to a single parent if foster parents or grandparents raise the child. The government also takes into account certain factors, such as the educational qualification and the assets such as property of the applicant. The single parent grants are provided not only to raise children but also to a single parent who wishes to continue her education. Financial aid is also granted if one of the spouses is bed-ridden, handicapped or seriously ill and is not in the position to support the family.

Federal Pell Grant Program

If a single parent is interested in continuing higher education and is not in a position to fund for the education, the single parent can apply for the Federal Pell Grant Program. This grant is specifically designed for students (undergraduates and postgraduates) from low-income family. This financial aid is also granted to a single parent on the basis of the total family income and size of the family. It will also take into account the cost of the tuition fees and the enrollment status of the candidate (full-time or part-time). The grant is directly given to the educational institution where the single parent has enrolled. The institution credits the amount into the account of the student or issues a check once every semester.

JRF Scholarship Program

Jeannette Rankin Foundation grants this scholarship program every year to 500 women. This scholarship is available to all women candidates, irrespective of color, creed and marital status. However, there are certain criteria that must be fulfilled to avail this financial aid – you should be a US citizen, 35 years old, and from a low-income family.

Many single parents are not aware of the government grants and financial aid. There are around 900 different types of government grants and financial aid for single parents. The grants need not be repaid. You should search online for the information regarding the grants and financial aid or contact the financial aid office of the school you plan to attend. The latter would be able to guide you regarding the aid and grants that are specifically designed for single parents who are facing financial difficulties. Apart from the grants and financial aid made available by the US government, each and every American state also provides grants for single mothers. While filling out an application ensure that you enter only the accurate information.

Technorati Tags: financial aid, grant, single parent