The Switch To Digital TV!

I just got finished posting on my Getting To Know You Blog about the switch to digital tv and me not being ready for it!

I have now come to find out that the deadline date has been extended to June 12 which is a BIG relief to me!

Since grant research and grant consulting is what I do I decided to go ahead and fill out my application online for the 2 $40 off coupons that the government is allowing each household!

I went to their website and filled out an application online. I already know from listening to the news that the funding has run out for the coupons but those who still sign up between now and March are still eligible to apply for the coupons.

I have a copy of their application and will give a copy to those who make a $5 donation however it should be noted that even though the date has been extended to June, the application itself still has the February 17, due date on it. However you will be glad to know that the application also includes links to their website as well!



Even though this doesn't officially qualify as a government grant (heck - maybe it does!) I do believe that all things are related....

This is after all a program providing financial relief to those in need and actually this is quite different because it seems that all households regardless of income are eligible to apply for this coupons - which is probably one of the best examples of a government grant program - right?

IRS data show that each year about 131 million individuals file tax returns and pay an average of $7,633 to the IRS. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget and recent independent studies show that the government gives out over $1.5 Trillion a year to individuals through its free money programs. One and one half trillion dollars in government money programs, divided by 131 million taxpayers, means that the average taxpayer is getting $11,450 a year in cash back from the government in free money programs. Are you getting yours?

How About A Grant Program For Biking Organizations?

There is a biking-related foundation that has awarded four grants so far this year in the amount of $10,000. Applicants can request up to $10,000. Requests for more than $10,000 will generally be viewed unfavorably unless the applicant has an extremely compelling case that the proposal is of unique and/or national importance. These grant awards have gone to organizations that are supporting their communities through bicycling, establishing innovative bike programs for young riders, and setting—and raising—the bicycle-advocacy bar. Grants are awarded for best practices in bicycle advocacy, safety, and youth programming. Bicycle advocacy organizations must have a mission and activities directly relating to bicycling. They typically work to improve bicycling conditions and affect positive change on a local, regional, state, or national level. Most are incorporated 501c3 nonprofits.


Recipients of these grants include an organization that has an incentive program that promotes healthier, happier children, and a cleaner environment, by encouraging kids to ride their bikes and walk to school. Their program began in 2004 at an elementary school and has since gone on now to include other elementary schools as well.

This grant program strives to put more people on bicycles more often by funding important and influential projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. These projects include bike paths, lanes, and routes, as well as bike parks, mountain bike trails, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

Since 1999, this organization has awarded 180 grants to municipalities and grassroots groups in 45 states and the District of Columbia, investing nearly $1.5 million in community bicycling projects and leveraging close to $500 million in federal, state, and private funding.

Who is eligible to apply? - The organization welcomes grant applications from organizations and agencies within the United States that are committed to putting more people on bicycles more often. Nonprofit trails groups and public agencies or departments at the local, regional, and national levels may apply for facility grants. The organization encourages municipalities to partner with bicycle advocacy groups when applying for our funding in order to insure that bicyclists are involved in and supportive of the project. The organization does not fund individuals.


Fundable projects include paved bike paths and rail-trails as well as mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

The organization does not accept applications for bicycle recycling, repair, or earn-a-bike programs, or for bicycle rodeos.

Grant applications will be accepted from nonprofit organizations whose missions are bicycle and/or trail specific. Public agencies and departments at the national, state, regional, and local levels, are encouraged to align with a local bicycle advocacy group that will help develop and advance the project or program. (Please note that grants are rarely awarded to organizations and communities that have received their grantfunding within the past three years.)

If your organization is new, and you have not yet acquired your nonprofit status, you may submit an application with the assistance of another nonprofit that has agreed to serve as your fiscal agent. You will need to provide a letter from the fiscal sponsor outlining their role in the project.

This organization does not fund individuals.

It is also important to note that the organization has moved to paperless applications. Applications are now accepted via e-mail only.

The completed application consists of three main parts. Please submit the following material in ONE e-mail, with your project title in the subject line. Your e-mail message should not exceed 10 MB.

1. Cover Letter: The letter should introduce your organization and proposal. It should appear as the body of the e-mail.
   
   
2. The application is available as a downloadable file: This Microsoft Word file includes the Administrative Information Form and the Grant Application Narrative.
   
   
3. Attachments: These include your financials as well as support letters from the bike industry*, a list of your board members, a project map or plan, and media articles.

*Support letters from the local bicycle industry are KEY to your proposal. Letters from this organization's members—retailers and suppliers—will strengthen your application. Please ask your supporters to address their letters to the Grant Committee, as form letters will not be considered. You can visit the organization's website to view a list of their members.

Additional information is not encouraged unless it is absolutely essential to the organization's understanding of your project. They will contact you should they need further information on which to base a decision.

The organization no longer accepts mailed or faxed applications. All application materials must be submitted together, in the same e-mail message—no exceptions. Incomplete or excessively long applications will not be considered.

Completed applications can be sent via email

Grant Application Schedule runs on a quarterly cycle up to February 2010. Applications must be e-mailed by the due date in order to be considered for the ensuing decision date.

Depending on the number of applications received, the organization currently awards funding to about 15–20% of completed applications.

Generally, grantees can expect to receive funding within three weeks of the grant award.

For more information about this grant program you can read the organization's guidelines on their website, contact them via email or you can contact them by phone.

My Grant Basics 101 Podcast!

I have just started my own Grant Basics 101 Podcast!

It's just in its beginning stages!

If you take a look on the left side of this blog you will see the widget for the podcast. You can also go to the podcast page by clicking here.

Like I posted above this podcast is in it's beginning stages but there is already one caller who called asking about possible grants for their for-profit daycare business and I gave my reply to them.

I hope to be adding more content to the podcast very soon!

Home Owners In Louisiana May Be Eligible For Cash Grants! This money is from a government program that was put in place to bring insurance companies to the state. (No doubt this has to do with the effects of hurricane Katrina and all the home insurance problems stemming from that). This is UNUSED money from one of the expired 2007 government grant programs! The funding was originally set up as a matching grants program for private insurance companies that agreed to begin writing policies in the nearby coastal areas. It was targeted for improving a homeowners' access to private insurance after the 2005 hurricanes, and to reduce the number of policies written by the state's insurer. The insurance department issued $29 million in grants, and state law says the remaining money should be divvied up and given to holders of homeowners policies.

$2 Million in Grants to Help Persons

with Disabilities Stay in Their Own Homes!

This will be a statewide program that adds ramps, chair lifts and other features to homes so low-income seniors and residents with disabilities can continue to live in their communities. The state's Housing Development Authority will allocate the grant money to 14 non-profit organizations and public agencies around the state to administer the program.

New Ruling For Government Contractors - Maybe? The U. S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against a new government ruling that says that businesses must file online if they want to be considered for government contracting work. Originally the ruling was going to take effect on February 15th of this year but since the lawsuit has been filed the date has been moved back. The lawsuit contends the government doesn't have the authority to make E-Verify mandatory for contractors. The online verification process provides an Internet-based means for employers to compare the names and Social Security numbers of newly hired employees against government databases. So far about 100,000 businesses have participated in the program, which is now voluntary. Under a regulation issued Nov. 14, however, companies that receive federal contracts of $100,000 or more must use the online verification process to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires and reconfirm the eligibility of existing employees that are assigned to federal contracts. These requirements also apply to most subcontractors. It is hoped that the delay in the rule's effective date will give the new Obama administration "an opportunity to re-evaluate the efficiency of the policy. You can find out more information about this online.

Basically what this means is that if you are considering becoming a government contractor once you are awarded a federal contract worth more than $100,000 that has a performance term of 120 days or more, or if you have a subcontract worth more than $3,000, you will have 30 days to enroll in the federal contractor online verification program. Enrolling involves signing a non-negotiable Memorandum and registering the individuals who will be using the system.

If you and / or your business are considering becoming a government contractor then I suggest that you take a look at their online user's manual that explains more in detail.. This online manual will help you to get an idea of your options and what it will be like to use the system. The people you select to be “users” of the system will have to register and take the on-line tutorial before you can actually begin using the system.

You might want to register now and begin using the standard online verification system for new hires to give you a chance to get a head start before the deadline. If you are already enrolled in the online verification program as of January 15, 2009, and you have a qualifying contract or subcontract, you will have to modify your enrollment to switch to the federal contractor version. Within 90 days of enrollment as a federal contractor, you will have to begin using the new verification process for all new hires in the U.S. (including people who are not working directly on a federal contract), within three days after the employee begins working for pay.

You will also need to become familiar with some of the rules for avoiding discrimination while using the new online verification process. They are listed in the online user manual.





then (until a final decision is made)

In The UK - Tax Rebate Program Goes Begging!

Owners of small businesses are being urged to claim millions of pounds of tax relief on their office buildings.

This relief program was introduced in 2005 to help businesses in properties with a low rateable value to reduce their business outgoings.

The rateable value of a building is based on the cost and value of the property itself, which is reviewed every five years by local councils.

Companies based in a property with a rateable value of £5,000 or less are eligible for rate relief of 50%. This falls by one percentage point for every £100 of rateable value between £5,000 and £10,000.

About £200m in rebates is unclaimed every year and fewer than half of the 87,000 UK businesses that qualify for relief have applied for it. Previously, business owners had to apply for relief every year, but since April 2007 they need to apply once every five years.

It is believed that many companies may not realize they are eligible for a rate rebate.

The director of this program has said "The Government needs to do much more to promote the scheme to help small firms, which need more help now than ever."

Another business owner has said:

"I think the relief is a good thing. The problem is that the Government doesn't do enough to ensure that small businesses know about this. There should be a one-stop shop where firms can find out what business benefits, reliefs and grants they are entitled to."

In My Own State Of Pennsylvania: A one-time scholarship grant has been designed to double the number of high school graduates as well as the number of children attending college. Over the past year the program has provided more than 4000 students with assistance in furthering their education. This scholarship program, which awards up to $3,000 in scholarships to eligible seniors attending Pennsylvania state institutions, has contributed more than $7 million toward advancing the education of Philadelphia's youth.

When Is A Grant Program NOT A Grant Program?

This is only my personal opinion but I do not consider a grant program an actual grant program if you have to pay a fee to be eligible to apply for it. Here is an example:


There is so-called business grant program for women who want to start their own business. You have to be over 18 and be a US resident.

According to their literature, this organization started the grant program to help women who had a dream of starting their own business.

Like most of the grant programs for those that want to start their own business you have to submit a business plan. However in order to be eligible to apply for this grant you have to pay a $15 fee along with submitting your business plan.

Although I do not consider this a grant program, I keep its information in my files just in case my clients do want that kind of information.

Rose
More Information About Grants

And Grant Programs

Students - Are You Looking For Money To Attend College?

Well you may not have to! There is a growing trend of colleges and universities that are elimination student loan packages and replacing them with grant packages - grants meaning money that you do not have to pay back!

There is even one well known university where if your parents make under $50,000 a year, you don't have to pay anything to attend!

The list of colleges and universities that are following this trend is growing. I have a list of these colleges and universities that I give to my clients upon request.

How do I become a non-profit organization?

Question: What is a 501(c)3 agency? Why are the requirements? How do you obtain this "certification"?

A private nonprofit is a state corporation that is usually incorporated through a simple form through your Secretary of State's office. When your agency becomes a state private nonprofit corporation, you can then apply for a 501(c)3 private nonprofit through the IRS. Once certified through the IRS, any donations to your charitable organization is tax deductible. Most foundations prefer to give to 501(c)3IRS certified private nonprofits. It is simply a nonprofit legal entity that most charitable organizations operate under. We recommend that universities, schools, and government agencies create a separate private nonprofit to apply for grants that their usually legal structure will not allow.


Who Can Obtain a 501(c)3?

A governmental entity such as a sheriff's department, could get 501,(c),(3) status so they could apply for foundation grants. How is that possible when they don't fall into any of the 501,(c),(3) categories, (ie. charitable, educational etc.)? I would really like access to these grants but I'm scratching my head.

Any organization or group can apply for a private nonprofit, 501(c)3 status provided their charter or mission focuses on the nonprofit's objective. For example lets say that a county government agency wants to organize a 501(c)3 so they are eligible to apply for foundation grants. Most foundations require that an organization be a certified 501(c)3 to receive a grant. The county government may assemble a group of community agencies whose purpose is to use the 501(c)3 to apply for and possibly share funds from foundations to address community problems. They might name the 501(c)3 the York County Community Partnership and its mission may be to prevent and reduce homelessness, provide affordable health care to those in poverty, create jobs for the unemployed, reduce crime, etc. I would go after very broad human issues as the mission so the private nonprofit could be used to pursue a wide variety of grants. The county government could be the fiscal agent (something that would be well received by foundations) and could receive funds from the 501(c)3, but what you will have created is a separate and legal entity. Many school districts have foundations just like this.

Another option is to apply for a 509(a)1 status which falls under the 501(c)3 umbrella. Being a 509(a)1 designates your organization as a tax-free public charity that receives most of its support form a governmental unit or from the general public. Becoming a 509(a)1 provides public recognition of your tax-exempt status, advance assurance to donors of deductibility of contributions, exemption from certain state and Federal taxes, and nonprofit mailing privileges. Organizations that typically qualify are churches, educational institutions, hospitals, and governmental units. To see if you qualify, simply fill out an IRS form. You can visit the IRS's website or call their tax-exempt help line.

Grant Basics 101 - Page 2!

I have had to split my Grant Basics 101 page into 2 continuing pages. The reason why is because there was so much information about grant programs, the grant program process and just general questions and answers that the information was making the one page too big in size!

But it does prove a very valid point and that is that there is just so much information out there about grant programs and the grant program process in general. It also shows that people have a lot of questions about grant programs because they are not familiar with what it is all about.

Hopefully my pages and this blog will help to answer a few questions that you may have about grants and the grants process in general.

Most people who are not familiar with it seem to think that they can just apply for a grant and get the grant money and this is not true. What I want to make a point of here is that one is not automatically guaranteed a grant! You have to apply for the grant and your application has to be chosen to be awarded a grant. It is not an automatic process and you will not automatically get a grant just because you have applied for it!

Hopefully though my pages will show you that there are a number of grant programs out there which you may be eligible to apply for. These pages should also help dispel the myth that there are no grant programs out there for for-profit businesses and that there are no grant programs for those that either want to start their own daycare business or that there are no grant programs for those that already have a daycare business but who are looking for grant funding to help their daycare business.

There may even come a time when I will have to split the pages even more because there is just so much information about grant programs out there and there are new grant programs being created all the time!

Other Sources Of Money?

Unclaimed Money!

Grants are not the only source of "free money" when it comes to our government. There is also such a thing as "unclaimed money". I have started an Unclaimed Money blog that talks about this issue as well.

My last blog entry was about how the state of Louisianna has over $300 million dollars in unclaimed money! As a matter of fact the office is making an effort to process the claims faster so that more people will have more money to shop with during the holiday season. (* - It's interesting to note that with all the devastation that has gone on in New Orleans I didn't see one article about the amount of unclaimed money that was available in the state until now!). You have to remember that the more money that people spend the more in sales tax that will be gotten by the state and that money will be used for the state!

Of course this "unclaimed" money is not just limited to one state. My own state of Pennsylvania publishes a listing of people that have unclaimed money waiting for them. As a person that does research I have started to keep a copy of this information when I get it. I also believe that now since I am posting about this I am going to contact the office to find out more about how people can claim their unclaimed money.

Here Is An Email I Recently Got Concerning Grant Information

Millionaires Come From Starting A Business

Over 67% of the working millionaires in the USA got that way by starting their own business. And the government has plenty of money and help for you to start a business…full-time, part-time, in your home, or with 1,000 employees.
Why do over 1 million entrepreneurs a year get money from the government? JOBS…If you start a business you will create a job for yourself and hopefully others some day. If our society is going to continue to grow we have to keep creating new jobs and these new jobs come from small businesses starting and expanding.

You May Not Need As Much Money As You Think You Do. There are many forms a business can take. You can invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and put up a bib fancy store, or you can invest a few hundred dollars and begin selling on a website. You can invest thousands in an office, support staff, and good looking furniture, or start in your bedroom with just a phone and a desk.

The key to success in starting a business is not your tax structure, your office, your letterhead, your advisors or dozens of other things that people will tell you are important. The only thing that is critical to the success of your business is CUSTOMERS. So be sure to focus as much energy as possible on finding and satisfying customers. Everything else will fall into place.

Listed below are a number of programs that can provide free money and help for your business. If you are interested in thousands of additional programs for entrepreneuring, real estate directly from your state government, see our online store.


Visit http://www......htm for the details and direct links for the following:

$12 Million To Start A Real Big Business
Get A $5,000 Grant With Bad Credit
Money For Women And Minorities To Start A Business
$50,000 Grant To Train Your Employees
$14,000 To Learn To Operate A Business
$10,000 To Put A New Sign On Your Business
$25,000 Non-Credit Based Loans
Realize Your Business Dreams and Apply For A Loan Through Count Me In For Women
Be Careful Of Accountants
Free Help Writing Business Plans Or Grant Applications
You’re eligible for $11,450 in Government Grants!

And here is another email I received

Who Says There’s No Free Grant Money For Business?

Some of you may have already called a government office like the SBA and asked about grants because you saw this crazy guy on TV talking about Free Money For Business. And this office probably laughed at you and told you that there are no such things as grants for business. We’ll they’re right, but they are also wrong. There are no grant programs at the SBA for business,Of course this is a false statement too because the SBA DOES have a grant program for businesses! (although they really have a free money type program that they probably didn’t tell you about because it’s called venture capital money and not grants). But, they are also wrong too, because there are hundreds of government grant and free money programs for business but they are not at the SBA. They are at other federal agencies, they’re at state, city and county governments offices as well as non-profit organizations. No one government office knows everything. That’s why when someone tells you “no” you can’t believe them now-a-days. Remember this is the same government who didn’t even get the WMD’s information right. It’s a big world out there full of wonderful opportunities, but it may take some effort to find them, because they are not in the obvious places.

Here are some real grant programs taken from our new book “Free Money For Entrepreneurs”. If you are looking for more programs like this as well as information about low interest loans, loans you don’t have to pay back, government contracts, and 10,000 other sources for entrepreneurs check out the book! Or access the direct links to the sources right now plus get help, training and more for just $2.95 at my free government money club!*

$2,000,000 Grant To Commercialize Science Related Ideas
$10,000 For Entrepreneurial Training
$5,000 In Spending Money While You Start Your Business
$2,000,000 Grant To Work On Fossil Energy Ideas
$1,500,000 Grant To Help Small Businesses in Small Towns
$300,000 Grant to Small Businesses to Commercial an Idea
$200,000 Grant to Work On Energy Related Inventions
$295,000 Grant To Small Businesses to Work On Environmental Problems
Up To $3,000,000 Grant To Train Your Employees
Up To $22,000,000 Grant To Businesses That Employ People With Disabilities
$300,000 Grant To Small Business To Work On Education Related Ideas
$500,000 Grant To Small Business To Commercialize Health Related Ideas
$3,000,000 In Venture Capital
$5,000,000 Grant To Bioenergy Businesses
$1,000,000 Grant To Invest In Small Town Businesses
$150,000 To Develop A New Food Product
$100,000 To Sell Food Products Overseas
$200,000 Grants To Companies that Help Small Businesses
$400,000 To Provide Internet Access To Small Towns
$10,000 For Entrepreneurs With Disabilities
$700 Grant For Entrepreneurs With No Credit
$10,000 Grant To Start A Mom and Pop Business
$5,000 Grant To Sell Your Product Overseas
Up To $1,000,000 Grant To Recycle Toilet Paper
$2,500 Grant For A Craft Business
$100,000 Grant For Winery Business
$20,000 Grant To Prepare A Loan Package For An Apartment Building
$15,000 Grant For Small Town Developers To Fix Up Homes
$25,000 To Fix Up Your Office
$30,000 Grant To Start A Day Care Center
$20,000 Grant To Start A Video Business
$5,625 Grant To Start A Sewing Business At Home
$90,000 For An Energy Efficient Business
$300,000 For Documentary Film Makers
$250,000 To Make Videos For TV
$32,500 To Start A Business In Toledo
$7,500 Grant For New Landscaping For Your Business
$250,000 To Start A New Business
$3,000 To Start A Home Based Knitting Business
$5,000 Grant To Start Your First Business
$7,000 To Fix Up A Day Care Center
$500,000 Grant For Target Stores
$400,000 Grant For Home Depot
$1 Million Grant For Best Buy
$234,782 Grant To Train Technical Employees
$10 Million Grant For R.H.. Donnelley Corp.
$23,623 Grant To Sell Wine
$150,000 Grant To Produce Snack Foods
$580,000 Grant To Train Hotel Employees
Leftover Grant Money… A Real Pity
$10,000 Grant To Turn Your Barn Into An Office


Leftover Small Business Grant Money… A Real Pity

When I see things like this it makes my blood boil. Last year the city of Onieda had $350,000 in grant money to give to people who wanted to improve their businesses , but not enough people applied. I keep seeing more and more stories like this and I know there are entrepreneurs out there that really need the money if they only knew it was there. Look for the story in The Post-Standard, Saturday, December 18, 2004, "Leftover Grant Money,” by Aaron Gifford. I also read where the government had $1 billion for entrepreneurs in Virginia to apply for money and nobody showed up. Even business money for 911 in New York still had over $500 million that was not applied for a year later. And recent data show that only 50% of the students eligible for college money know enough to apply. Don't leave this money on the table, do some research, buy my book for business grants or get to a library and take one out for free! (Most library's have at least one of my books.)

Now of course I agree with most of this information. The only part that I don't agree with is the fact that the email said that the Small Business Administration didn't have any grant programs. They do!