"There Are No Grants To Start A Business" - Of Course There Are!

Here is an excerpt from an online site:

"Generally speaking, there are no grants to start a small business. A lot of books get sold and they all refer to the government website....

This is absolutely not true!

In my research of grant programs I have many of them that have been created to help people start their own business. Some of these grant programs are not government grant programs and I think that there is where some of the confusion is.

For example there is a grant program that grants up to $25,000 for those that want to start their own business. However this particular grant program is limited to minorities but if you are a minority (and that includes women) then this is definitely one grant program that you should consider.

You will have to submit a business plan as part of your application but if you are considering starting your own business then you should have a business plan already in place.

The above grant program that I mentioned is not a government grant program it is a grant program that is sponsored by a for-profit business! Maybe that makes it harder to find it because it is not a government grant program but it is a grant program none the less! This is grant money that you do not have to pay back if you get it!

You can see many, many more examples of grant programs to help you start your own business by visiting my Grant Basics 101 Website.

When you visit this site you will see many, many examples of grant program that help you start your own business.

Remember, when you read something that says that there are no grant programs to help you start your own business it is just a myth!

Grant Program To Hep Provide Financial Assistance For Caring For A Family Member

If you are looking for financial assistance to help with the care of a family member then here is a grant program that you might be interested in learning more about.

This grant program is for Hospice Patients & Families.

There is an organization that has a fund that helps provides financial assistance for terminally ill individuals and their families who are experiencing financial distress and unable to be self-sufficient due to the circumstances of their terminal diagnosis.

This organization will consider grant requests for patient and family assistance from any person that has a terminal diagnosis regardless of care-provider. In order to adhere to IRS guidelines for charitable giving, the organization must collect financial information from the patient and/or the family member applying for grant assistance. This information is then used to determine the level of financial need of the applicant.

Grants are made when the individual is considered “needy and distressed” as defined by the IRS.

For more information a detailed explanation of the grant guidelines can be downloaded online for free from the organization's website.

There Is Still Some UnSpent Katrina Money Out There!

It's a sad thing to have to report this but this is information that I feel people should know about since it is something that involves taxpayer money - meaning the money that you and I pay in taxes!



Did you know that more than a quarter of the $20 billion in Housing and Urban Development relief funds that were earmarked for Gulf Coast states after Hurricane Katrina remains unspent five years after the storm!

Hurricane Katrina Grants Going To The Wealthy But Not To The Poor!

According to some advocates, the effort to help Huricane Katrina victims with government grants seems to have benefited more affluent people than those who are low-incomed.

According to one organization, "The recovery is really the tale of two recoveries. For people who were well off before the storm, they are more likely to be back in their homes, back in their jobs and to have access to good health care. For those who were poor or struggling to get by before the storm, the opposite is true."

Louisiana's program to distribute grants to property owners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Katrina was found by a federal judge this month to discriminate against black homeowners!

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, state officials refused to offer rebuilding grants to property owners who suffered wind damage, explaining that the property owners should have carried private insurance. That rule hit low-income and black homeowners particularly hard, advocates say, because many of them were uninsured, often because they owned property that was passed down through the generations.

The $143 billion federally funded effort, one of the largest reconstruction projects in the country's history, fortified vulnerable levees, rebuilt hundreds of public buildings, reconstructed miles of roads and bridges and provided tens of thousands of residents with money to help piece together their shattered lives.

But there is a sharp disparity in how residents view the pace of recovery. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that while seven in 10 New Orleans residents say the rebuilding process is "going in the right direction," a third say their lives are still disrupted by the storm.

African Americans are more than twice as likely as whites to say they have not yet recovered after Katrina, the survey found. And blacks in the city are 2 & 1/2 times more likely to be low-income than whites.

One disabled Vietnam veteran has said, "I just knew we had a rotten deal". He and his wife have been struggling to rebuild their duplex in New Orleans East. The storm propelled them on a years-long odyssey through Port Arthur, Tex., Houston and Arkansas. They did not return to their still-damaged home until 2008! Their home was valued at just $135,000, although repair costs were estimated by the state to be $308,000. They were awarded a grant of just $16,649 to supplement just over $100,000 they received in insurance payments.

The federally funded grant program offered homeowners grants of up to $150,000. But homeowners could not collect more than the pre-storm value of their homes, regardless of the cost of repairs.

A federal judge ruled that the program's formula for calculating grants discriminates against black homeowners, who tend to live in neighborhoods with lower home values.

A spokesperson for the grant program has said that they have already appealed the judge's decision and added that the grant program has modified the program to pay out an additional $2 billion to more than 45,000 low-income homeowners. So far the government grant program has paid $8.6 billion to more than 127,000 homeowners.

While the waterfront casinos are providing a large chunk of state revenue, the vast majority of residents are back in their rebuilt homes, although thousands are still struggling to find affordable housing as their recovery checks did not cover the cost of the damage.

Despite the improvements, many gaps remain.

In Mississippi, where Katrina severely damaged more than 101,000 housing units, many residents face what advocates call a similar inequity. Praised in the aftermath of Katrina for his can-do attitude, Gov. Haley Barbour received a series of waivers from the Bush administration that largely freed Mississippi from the requirement to spend at least half of his state's $5.5 billion in federal block grant money on low- and moderate-income residents. Barbour successfully argued that the waivers were necessary to give the state flexibility to deal effectively with the widespread devastation. That allowed the state to divert close to $1 billion to help devastated utilities rebuild, to subsidize residents' insurance premiums and the port and other economic development projects. Meanwhile, advocates say that more than 5,000 low-income Mississippi families have yet to settle in permanent housing since the storm. Advocates have said that more than $3 billion distributed by the state's housing recovery program went disproportionately to more affluent residents. The plan paid up to $150,000 to homeowners whose properties were damaged by the unprecedented storm surge spawned by Katrina, but nothing to those whose homes suffered wind damage.

To be eligible for the initial grants, families had to have homeowners insurance, although the state later devised a program that paid grants of up to $100,000 to low-income, uninsured homeowners whose properties were damaged by the storm surge.
The rationale, state officials said, was that responsible homeowners had no way to know that they should have flood insurance in areas that federal experts deemed to be outside of the flood plain.

source

Cleveland.com

Some Facts About Getting Government Grants For "Going Green"

The passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has made considerable amounts of funding available to businesses and individuals working on green and renewable energy projects.

But just how much of the $787 billion recovery package is dedicated to grants? And where can green entrepreneurs and small business owners find and apply for these federal stimulus funds?

Here are some key details on locating grant money for green projects and applying for funding.

According to one official website, $275 billion of total federal stimulus funding is designated for contracts, grants and loans.

To date, the government has awarded around $137 billion to businesses, organizations, education institutions and entrepreneurs focused on developing green collar jobs or conducting clean energy technology research.

One of the most valuable resources for finding and applying to federal stimulus grants is through the government grants website. This online directory features information on the government’s “26 grant-making agencies,” including those increasingly associated with the country’s green workforce, including: the Environmental Protection Agency (awards millions in environmental education and environmental justice grants); the Department of Labor (recently sponsored a nationwide four-grant competition for renewable energy projects); the Department of Agriculture (funded 69 initiatives to clean and improve the country’s water supply and ecosystems); the Department of Energy (provides renewable energy incentives across the country through its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).

source
Green Jobs Ready.com

Does Your Non-Profit Organization Need A Computer?

There is a donation program that recognizes the fact that there are many people and organizations that lack the technology which would enable them to effectively communicate and accomplish their tasks efficiently. So 2 organizations have partnered together to help.

Now local nonprofit organizations are able to apply for a computer grant to benefit the staff and clients of their organization.

The goal of this program is to support social and human service organizations in their quest to provide for their clients.

Here are some examples of the non-profit organizations that may be eligible to apply:

• Community and family services
  
  
• Adult services (e.g., literacy programs, job training)
  
  
• Senior citizen programs
  
  
• Support for the disabled/disadvantaged
  
  
• Youth education/development

* Please be advised that the above list doesn't list the complete eligibilty of non-profit organizations that may be eligible. This donation program is open to any program that will benefit the community; however, preferences will be given to those organizations that utilize the computer equipment in a frontline, visible capacity. To submit a grant request, please download the Application Form Applications must be received by the Brown County United Way no later than Friday, September 2, 2011. If you have any questions you can contact this organization by regular snail mail, phone or by email.

Federal Grant Money Available For Homes With Storm Damage!

For some individuals who've endured flooded homes and businesses this summer, a bright spot is on the horizon. Residents and businesses in some local counties will be able to receive recovery money from the federal government to clean up the summer's sopping mess!

News of this financial assistance program for individuals came earlier this year and will cover 29 different counties. This is in addition to the federal public assistance program that was declared for 50 other counties to help state and local governments repair or replace damaged facilities, such as roads or municipal utilities.

This federal assistance program will offer up to $29,900 per claim from storm damage. This program's assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

Who qualifies for assistance? Anyone who is living in one of the specified 29 counties and the home in the disaster area is the claimant's primary residence. A home or business owner who has insurance may still be eligible for the federal grants and loans through the program if the property damage is not covered by the insurance policy or the insurance settlement is "insufficient to meet losses" according to program's website.

Residents of these counties can call FEMA or register online, "which is really fast and easy,".

When applying, individuals should have these items ready and on hand: Social Security number, current and pre-disaster address, telephone number, insurance information, total household income, and a description of losses caused by the disaster.

After the application is complete, a FEMA application number will be issued which should be written down and kept for future reference. The agency will mail people a copy of their application and an application guide to address questions. About 10 to 14 days after a request is filed, an inspector is then assigned to set up an appointment for a home inspection. The inspector will come to the applicant's home and review the damage.

Inspectors are contractors, not FEMA employees; however, the FEMA website states that the inspectors will have FEMA identification. There is no fee for the inspection, but applicants must be present for the scheduled appointment and provide proof of ownership and occupancy to the inspector.

Grant Awards For Teachers!

There is an organization that awards teachers every year with $5,000 in supplies.

There are also 2 organizations that have grant programs for computers!

For more information about these grant programs, you can click here.

Grant Program For Eye Care

If you do not qualify for government aid or private health care assistance that covers the cost of routine eye or vision care there is a non-profit organization that may be able to help you. This organization provides basic eye health and vision care services free of charge to uninsured, low-income people and their families.

The organization was established by doctors who donate their services.

To find out more about this grant program you can visit the organization's website.

High School Students - Are You Planning To Study Engineering In College?

Here is yet another scholarship prgram for high school students.

This is a $10,000 scholarship program for students who plan to major in engineering.

In order to be eligible for this program you must:

• a 3.5 GPA
  
  
• submit a 500 word essay on what type of career goals that you have
  
  
• you must also submit 3 letters of recommendation

The application for this scholarship program is available online.

High School Students - Would You Be Interested In A $40,000 Scholarship Program?

Here is yet another scholarship program for high school seniors!

Please bear in mind that this is a NEW scholarship program!

The purpose of this scholarship program is to reward college-bound students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship with financial assistance to pursue higher education.

This scholarship program will reward up to 20 students a year with a renewable scholarship of $10,000 annually (potentially up to $40,000 per recipient)!

In order to be eligible to apply for this scholarship program you must:

• demonstrate exemplary leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship at school, at home, at the workplace, and within the community
  
  
• be nominated by an eligible community leader, such as a high school principal, elected official or executive director of a nonprofit organization
  
  
• be recommended by an authority figure, such as a student activity advisor, community service coordinator, coach, employer, teacher, counselor, or religious leader
  
  
• demonstrate strong academic performance (3.0 or greater GPA or equivalent)
  
  
• demonstrate financial need
  
  
• be a citizen of the United States of America
  
  
• use scholarship funds for student tuition, room, and board while pursuing a bachelor's degree at an accredited U.S. college or university.

To find out more about this scholarship program just click here for more information.

Did You Know That There Is A CIA Scholarship Program!!!!!!!

Of course the CIA stands for the "Central Intelligence Agency"!

This scholarship program was developed, in part, to assist minority and disabled students, but application is open to all students who meet the requirements.

The program offers unmatched experience. The winning applicants will complete work sessions during each summer break, increasing their knowledge and job responsibilities while assisting intelligence professionals and applying your academic skills.

Once selected, recipients will be given an annual salary; a benefits package that includes health insurance, life insurance, and retirement; and up to $18,000 per calendar year for tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies. They will also be required to work at an Agency facility during summer breaks and to maintain full-time college status during the school year with a minimum cumulative 3.0/4.0 GPA.

This scholarship program will also pay the cost of transportation between the recipient's school and the Washington, DC area each summer and provide a housing allowance!

To find out more about this program you can click here.

$10,000 High School Student Essay Program

This is a contest competition for high school students that awards $10,000!

Eligibility:

• This contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools
  
  
• U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories
  
  
• and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas.
  
  
• Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of the organization and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Requirements:

• Essay submissions for the 2012 contest will be accepted starting September 1, 2011. The contest deadline is Saturday, January 7, 2012.
  
  
• Essays can be no more than 1,000 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count.
  
  
• Essays must be the original work of the student.
  
  
• Essays must describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official that occurred during or after 1956, the publication date of Profiles in Courage. The official may have addressed an issue at the local, state, or national level. See Contest Information and Topic Guidelines and Writing Tips for more information
  
  
  • Source Material
    
    
  • Essays with fewer than five listed sources may be disqualified.
    
    
  • All participants must cite sources they used to research their topic throughout their essay. (Please use parenthetical citations within the text.) The organization will not accept citations in footnote form.)
    
    
  • Essays must include a bibliography. Accepted formats include APA, MLA, or Turabian. You must use a minimum of five selected sources. Please refer to Guidelines for Citations and Bibliographies.
    
    
  • Essays must include one non-internet source.

Essay Submission - Students have the choice of either submitting their essay online (preferred) or of mailing their essay. All students must complete and submit a registration form online for student and school information. For instructions on how to submit your essay, see Submit your Essay.


Mailed in essays must be postmarked by January 7, 2012.

The winner receives $10,000 which will consist of a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 to put in a college savings account. The winner will also be invited to an awards ceremony to accept his/her award.

A second place winner receives a $1,000 cash award.

Up to five finalists each receive a $500 cash award.

Winners and finalists will be notified by March 31. All participants will receive a letter announcing the winners and finalists by May 15.

Please read contest information and topic guidelines carefully before submitting your essay. Essays must meet contest requirements to qualify for evaluation.

Please read the following instructions carefully

• Submit your essay online (preferred method)
  
  
• Please complete the full registration/essay submission form online. Copy the text of your essay and bibliography from your original document and paste it into the designated boxes on the online submission form. To correctly format your essay and bibliography, make sure you insert an extra carriage return between paragraphs and after each entry on your bibliography (hit twice on your keyboard.) Citations must be in parenthetical form within the essay. Footnotes can not be submitted.
  
  
• You can also either submit your essay via mail - All students are required to complete the online registration form regardless of whether they submit their essay online or via regular mail. It is recommended that you register when you are ready to mail your essay.
  
  Submit your essay via regular mail by printing out the completed online registration form along with two hard copies of your essay. Your essay must be typed, double-spaced, and printed only on one side of the paper. Attach your registration form to only one copy of your essay. Your second copy should contain no personal identification information.

Please mail to the organization's mailing address.

Travel Grants For Writers And Reporters!

This grant program is open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers; staff journalists as well as free-lancers of any nationality!

There is an organization that provides travel grants to cover hard costs associated with upcoming travel for an international reporting project.

According to the website, the "ideal" project offers print, photography, radio, and video.

Travel grants are also being offered to non-native, English-speaking journalists.

The organization is currently seeking proposals for projects on under-reported population issues.

The amount of individual travel grants will depend on the specific project and detailed budget planning. Most awards fall in the range of $2,000 to $10,000 but depending on project specifics may be as much as $20,000!

Once your project has been approved half of the grant amount is generally paid just before travel and the remainder on submission of the principal material for publication or broadcast. (Specific grant terms are negotiated during the application process.)

Proposed projects must include a credible plan for broad dissemination of the resulting work in U.S. media (print and/or broadcast). Applicants should be able to demonstrate interest from editors and/or producers working in wide-reaching U.S. media outlets. The credibility of a distribution plan is generally most evident in an applicant's track-record working with the listed outlets. Please do not have editors send letters simply stating they would consider the work. Letters from editors and/or producers who have worked with you in the past, and are interested in working with you again, are encouraged.

The organization is increasingly seeking multi-media projects that combine print/photography and video to explore the issues. Applicants are encouraged to create partnerships with others and propose a complementary suite of deliverables.

If you are only working in one medium, you may still apply.

Theology Grants

There is an organization that offers three different grants programs that involve theology and theology workers.

The first grant program offers up to five faculty members up to $25,000 each during a Sabbatical leave.

A second grant program offers ten grants of up to $10,000 each for research separate from a sabbatical leave.

A third grant program offers ten grants of up to $5,000 each for well-designed research projects.

Project proposals must be at least six consecutive months in length to be considered. You can contact this organization by going to their website for more information.

The Craziest Ways To Pay Your Tuition?

Found this article online called "The Craziest Ways To Pay Your Tuition?" that talks about the crazy ways that some students have paid for their college tuition.

It seems when scholarships and free money and government grants are not enough to help defray the cost of college, students (and their parents) have thought up different crazy ways to be able to pay for college costs.

Some of the ways that students have used to pay for their student loans have included begging on the streets, playing music for tips and there was even a special program where students could get part of their tuition paid by trading livestock?????

Some other students started their own business by offering cleaning services.

Other students have even done dumpster diving for food!

Are You A Struggling Musician That Needs Some Financial Help?

Are you a struggling musician that could use som financial help? Here is a place that may be able to help you!

There is a foundation whose mission is to assist aspiring musicians with the production of a recording, the purchase of a new instrument, the payment of insurance on or repair costs associated with a vehicle, and any other expense that is incurred in the process of performing.

You can contact them by mail, phone or you can visit their website for more information.

Do You Need Money To Train To Be A Professional Nurse?

There is actually free money / free government grant money to help you train to become a professional nurse.

The objective of this grant program is to prepare individuals who have completed basic nursing preparation as nurse educators, public health nurses, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, or as other clinical nursing specialists.

This free grant money can be used to support a student while they complete the professional nurse traineeships.

Students must apply to those institutions that have received the program money.

For more information about this grant program you can either contact them by phone or visit their website for more information.