Local Area Grant Program For Teachers Of History!

A federally funded program designed to instruct fifth through eighth-grade teachers on how to get kids excited about studying American history will soon be available to educators in certain school districts.

Teachers who volunteer to take part will have the opportunity to visit historic sites and museums across the nation to acquire firsthand knowledge of peoples, cultures and ideas from pre-Colonial times to the present. They’ll receive additional training and personal coaching from history professors.

The grant, in the amount of $992,099 over the next three years, will pay for the program coordinator, guest speakers, field study and training expenses incurred by teachers and the professors who will provide some of the academic content.

In addition to saving at least one local teaching job, the grant will give elementary and middle school teachers a more detailed knowledge of history as well as new teaching strategies that make social studies more accessible, interesting and exciting for students. Aside from general history, the grant’s teaching curriculum will focus on the diversity of America and the impact of internal migration and immigration.

The project will begin this fall and is eligible for funding for up to five years.

At least 40 educators will take part in regular classes and field trips and about 200 teachers will be invited to attend occasional major events throughout the school year.

A similar $938,000 grant was issued by the U.S. Department of Education in 2008. That program was administered by a teacher Larry Jones in partnership with a Lutheran University and a library to benefit fifth-, eighth-, and 11th-grade teachers.

Local teachers who have already participated in the established grant program said the experience has already enhanced their teaching capabilities. One teacher who teaches 11th-grade history has attended every grant workshop, event and institute hosted by the program since the inception of that program last year. He said a recent New Mexico trip opened up a different aspect of history that is often overshadowed by major events that occurred simultaneously on the East Coast.
“Interacting with other teachers and seeing living history helped me to put things together for my students,” said the teacher, who shares what he learns from the program with other educators at his school.

Local school leaders haven’t yet selected a director for the new project but over time the two programs will work jointly.

School leaders are seeking an individual who has good recruiting skills to spark interest in teachers who qualify for the program. The program is wide open for other teachers to apply!

17 Daycare Facilities Receive Over $100,000 In Grant Money! Because of the damage from Hurricane Ike, 17 area daycare facilities will be receiving grant money to help with making repairs. A library also received over $100,000 in grant money to help renovate two conference rooms on the library’s upper floors. The improvements will help restore meeting space the library lost on the first floor. Damage to the first floor was so extensive it will take a while to fix. So far this recovery fund has raised about $3 million to help all the communities affected by Hurricane Ike and were pleased that they were able to help offer the financial assistance that was needed to help make repairs. After Hurricane Katrina, the recovery fund raised about $130 million for Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. As they did with the funding for Hurricane Katrina, this funding program allocated all of the money raised for Ike recovery for long-term projects at schools and other public buildings. A charter school that emphasizes math and science, got a $100,000 grant! The money came through the funding program from a former member who is also one of the school’s founding board members. The money was used to help with the school's rebuilding project. Ike flooded the school's 400 students out of their former home. The school spent the rest of the year at a nearby church, but with 520 students already enrolled for next year, the school needed a new home. The funding also provided $67,000 to 17 day care facilities and gave another $100,000 to churches that run day care operations.

The government has hired a company in Maryland, to redesign its Web site as part of a contract valued at $9.5 million to $17.9 million!

Student Receives A Full Music Scholarship! If you are interested in applying for a full scholarship to study music then this might just be the scholarship program for you! Even though thousands of music tapes were submitted only one was chosen to receive a full music scholarship. The most recent recipient of this scholarship submitted an application which included producing an original track that won out over thousands of others submitted! She wrote and produced her song while also working full time and completing her freshman final exams. The student, from Michigan is already a first year student at a music institution that offers a course in hip-hop. 2 other scholarship awards were also awarded. According to one spokesperson, "The recipients all demonstrate the requisite talent, ambition and academic achievement that this college likes to see in students who want to attend this outstanding music college. Each one also meets the requirements for financial aid, which more students are asking for in the current economic environment. We view these top scholarships as investments in the future of outstanding recording". To find out more about this scholarship program, just click here.

There Is Financial Help For Needy College Students!

There is help available for families struggling with paying tuition for their kids!

Applications for student aid are up!

More and more families are appealing denied decisions for aid packages to get additional assistance as more and more parents are being rejected for loans.

Schools say they are doing what they can. For example:

• One college that usually accepts aid appeals until mid-June has suspended their deadline so families whose fortunes suddenly change can appeal their aid package at any time. "We had so many families that seem to have financial circumstances that were changing negatively, we made a decision to continue to accept the appeals," says a spokesperson for the learning institution. The college's financial aid office has dealt with households with severe investment losses, small business owners whose companies have nose dived, families where both parents have lost jobs and a student who returned home for spring break to find her family's house in foreclosure.
  
  
• A university is handling a 20 percent increase in aid appeals. Most of the appeals are due to job losses.
  
  
• Another college that gives out about $1.1 million in grants to needy students says that year's pot of money has gone faster than usual, but the grants went to needier families than in years past.
  
  
• A university has launched a campaign this year, so far raising $234,000 for students needing emergency aid to remain at the school. The money started being disbursed this month. It comes during a year when appeals are up 52 percent over last year and applications for government aid rose 12 percent as many higher-income families apply for the first time.

If you're having trouble with tuition bills, here are some options:

• Pay through installments. Most schools allow you to pay tuition over a 10-month period. You'll pay a $50 to $100 fee, but you won't pay any interest. If you can swing the payments, this is better than a loan.
  
  
• Get aid from Uncle Sam If you must borrow, government loans are the way to go. The fixed interest rate is lower than what private loans offer and the repayment terms are friendly. It's not too late to apply for a government student loan program. In fact, you can do so any time during the academic year. For instance one government student loan program limits this year are $5,500 for freshmen, $6,500 for sophomores and $7,500 each for juniors and seniors. In one particular government student loan program the new fixed rate for the loans are subsidized, meaning the government pays the interest while students are in school, is 5.6 percent. The rate for non-subsidized loans is 6.8 percent. You must show financial need to get a subsidized loan, but any student can qualify for a non-subsidized loan.
  
  
• If student loans aren't enough to cover the tab, parents can take out a specific loan to make up the difference. The fixed rate is 8.5 percent, or 7.9 percent through the government's direct lending program. Parents can postpone repayment until six months after graduation. Parents must pass a credit check to get this loan.

Uncle Sam last year started cutting parents a little slack if they had fallen behind on a mortgage or medical bills. If parents are denied a the loan, students can borrow more under the government student loan program. The limits are $9,500 for freshmen, $10,500 for sophomores and $12,500 for juniors and seniors.

There are websites where strangers agree to lend students money and the website acts as the middleman in the transaction. About 10% of the students using these sites are funded and the terms are comparable to other other private loans.

It may be too late in the game to find scholarships for this coming fall, but it can't hurt to try searching online. If anything, you'll get a head start on scholarships for next year.

Over $90 Million Dollars In Grant Money Is Still Available In Texas! Non-profit organizations in the Texas area are eligible to apply for Millions in federal grant money to help them get back on their feet again. The grants will be distributed to agencies in any county declared a disaster area because of Hurricane Ike. The grant money can be used in a wide array of organizations that provide services such as case management, adult and child day care, food programs and mental health care. Unfortunately many of the smaller social service agencies that are eligible to apply for these same grants have little experience in applying for them. It would be very beneficial to them if they had a connection to a professional grantwriter or consultant who could help them to apply for these kinds of grants! Applications for funding must be in by Aug. 25!. The council will approve funding for agencies Sept. 15th. Agencies seeking funding want to be able to use the grant money for: One hospice care center has cited that the hurricane and a slowing economy have strained the agency’s ability to provide hospice care regardless of the client’s ability to pay. Says a spokesperson, "Getting some of the federal money could prove vital to keeping those services going". Another non-profit organization that serves families of young patients who receive cancer and burn care would like to receive the funding to repair a broken elevator so it can make better use of its second floor.

A grant for $186,574 will allow a food bank to help launch a program stressing proper nutrition and fresh produce for low-income families. The food bank is launching a
two-year pilot program that seeks to supply fresh produce to area families. The food bank organization is a major supplier of emergency food supplies made available to low-income families in a local area region. Teaming up with an interfaith council provides the project established links to city neighborhoods. The hope is that by promoting proper nutrition and access to good food at affordable prices that program will produce results, particularly in the area of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity in the area nationwide is "a perverse form of malnutrition" where often the most affordable foods are the least nutritious. "We want to learn ways to make affordable and nutritious food available to families.

The organization will explore urban agriculture, community gardens, and ways to bring produce grown on farms around the local area into the city's neighborhoods and corner stores and make it affordable to low-income families.

Animal Shelter Receives $100,000 Grant! An animal shelter has received a grant from a foundation to purchase enough vaccine to inoculate all its incoming dogs and puppies against kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis) for approximately one year. Kennel cough is similar to the common cold; it is a contagious virus that shelter managers would like to eradicate.It spreads rapidly, and treatment is costly. Shelters are often compelled by their budgets to euthanize otherwise adoptable dogs to stop the spread of the disease. The real key to stopping this scourge is prevention, and that's the aim of these kinds of grants: stopping kennel cough before it gets started. The grants are part of a foundation's program. Funding is made possible through the foundation's partnership with another animal organization and individual donations.

There Is Finacial Assistance Available For Victims Of Domestic Abuse!

If you are a survivor of domestic abuse you may be able to apply for grants!

Here is a quote from an online article:

"Survivors can also apply for grants from one foundation that provides grants to shelters and individual survivors. The program has also created a curriculum to teach survivors how to do everything from opening a checking account to repairing bad credit. So far this year the foundation will give out 10 $50,000 in grant monies and in November will begin awarding individual $1,000 Education and Job Training Assistance grants directly to survivors.

If you are a victim of domestic violence here is some information that may help you:

If you're in a dangerous situation and need to flee with nothing but the clothes you're wearing -- do it. Advocates at local shelters will help you (and your kids) get what you need, from prescription refills to birth certificates. But if you can put a plan in place, it is suggested that you call the National Domestic Violence Hotline or look in the blue and white government pages at the front of your phone book for the number of a local shelter. An advocate there will help you decide what to bring.

Most often you'll want your birth certificate, passport, Social Security card, bank or credit card statements, and prescriptions or medical supplies. Your advocate will also explain the intake process (it's different for every shelter), how long you can stay at the shelter, and what programs that particular facility offers (child care, legal advocacy, etc.). If you're able to stockpile extra cash, try to anticipate your financial needs for a month and save for that goal. A shelter will cover basic needs such as food, clothes, hygiene, and a place to sleep.

In 2005, the government reauthorized the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which funds the investigation and prosecution of crimes against women such as domestic violence and sexual assault. The reauthorization includes increased funding for free legal assistance to victims, stronger federal laws against abusers, new protection and confidentiality laws for women in shelters, and a pledge to spend $3.9 billion protecting women (up from $1.6 billion). State governments are also strengthening laws that protect women and offering services to victims of abuse and sexual assault.

In 1999, California made it illegal for employers to fire an employee for being a victim of domestic violence or for missing work to testify in criminal court -- and other states (like Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, and North Carolina) have passed similar laws. California also pays unemployment to victims who must quit work when relocating to escape abuse. In New York, children can no longer be removed from their abused mother's care simply because she's a victim or because the child witnessed domestic violence.

Did you know that there is an organization that raises money for women with breast cancer? This financial assistance program is for women who often don't have insurance, who are too ill to work and / or don't have money for basic necessities such as food and housing. The organization provides cash grants to survivors through an emergency fund. A number of women have said that the grants were lifesavers at a time when they had nowhere else to turn. This organization also funds breast cancer organizations that provide food, clothing, transportation, homeopathic care and other services.

Government Grant Website

As you know our government has an official government grants website. There is access to over 20 federal grant-making agencies through an E-Government initiative - which basically means that the government is trying to make it easier for you to find out information about their grant program by using the internet and by having the information about their grant programs available online. Today, the site is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion dollars in annual awards!

The government website states that it is still the one place to find all available federal grant opportunities. All opportunities posted on the site will include specific application instructions and there are instructions for submitting applications outside of the website as well. The site is full of information from steps to applying for a grant, grant eligibility, downloading a grant application packages, grant search, and program status, grant email alerts and tracking of a grant application.


However there seems to be a "glitch" in the system! This week it was announced that a “systemic weaknesses” that requires attention. A study found that the system performance and service of applicants caused late grant submissions. In addition, the study also found that grant-making agencies whose donations support the site didn’t pay in a timely manner, negatively affecting system performance. Steps have been taken to alleviate the system strain and quickly increase the system's capacity. However, because of this, select programs may use alternate systems to process grant applications.

According to an online article:

Grants can be for any use or purpose one chooses and there are 26 federal grant-making agencies to choose from on the website. A user does not have to register with the government's office grant program website to search for government grant programs but will need to register to apply. The registration process takes 3-5 business days and now may take longer due to submissions issues with the technology.

Grant Money Still Available For Local Disaster Relief

There is still grant money available in the state of Iowa for victims of specific disaster areas! A committee is now accepting applications for their disaster grant program. These grant funds can not duplicate any other financial support, assistance, or grants provided by any other federal or state government, nonprofit agency, or faith-based agency.

The eligibility requirements for these grant funds include:

• being a FEMA registrant
  
  
• Residing in a specific county at time of the disaster after May 24, 2008 and before August 14, 2008
  
  
• Having unmet needs related to his/her disaster recovery. Reimbursement is only for certain expenses incurred due to disaster after May 24, 2008 and August 14, 2008
  
  
• Having a household income at or below 300% of the 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines
  

Please remember that this is an income based program. Applicants need to be at or below 300% of poverty level.

If you have any questions, Please call the program's coordinator by phone.

State Financial Program To Help Ease The Financial Difficulties Of Deployment An all-volunteer nonprofit organization will be offering up to $5,000 in grants to families that can show they have taken a financial hit because of deployment. More than 200 families have already received money, which is gathered from businesses and fund-raising events throughout the state. The organization's 30 volunteers have already raised $1.3 million and allocated $600,000. The grants offer help to family members who have a lot more than money on their minds. Although some military organizations have many resources for the soldiers and their families, sometimes its hands are tied when it comes to financial assistance. For example, a survey found that roughly 20 percent of National Guard families find themselves in financial trouble because of a deployment. The survey was conducted before the recession started. These grants can fund anything from home and auto repairs to child care and car payments. The most common applications are for rent and mortgage payments. Two types of grants are awarded. Family Grants - The maximum family grant is $5,000. Every grant application has to go through the grant committee. It is estimated that 90 percent of the applications are approved. The organization pays the bill directly to whomever it is owed, usually within about a week. Business Grants - The maximum business grant $10,000. The business grant is designed for soldiers who own businesses and come home to find they were badly managed. So far about a dozen of these grants have been given out. So far about 20 applications have been received in the last two weeks. According to a spokesperson for the program, "There's a lot of people who came back and don't have jobs now," he said. "People are coming back, and they had a salary when they are in uniform. Now they're out looking for a job." Under a federal law, returning service members are entitled to their old job back. If the job itself has been eliminated, however, the service member must look elsewhere for employment. Members of the organization say they don't expect to run out of grants, but if they do, there's always more fundraising. "If it's not there, then we're going to go back to the communities and say, 'Hey, look, you know what? We have all these grants coming in and we need your help. People don't even hesitate." The organization's fund-raising events include spaghetti dinners, pancake breakfasts, dinner-dances which are always well attended because people are so willing to give. A range of businesses have helped out, donating food and drinks for the organization's events. Community groups have also helped out as well.

Another Way

That Your

Business

Can Get

Government

Money Is.......

Another way that your business may be able to get government money is by your business becoming a contractor for the government.

With all the stimulus money that is out there your business can take advantage of it by becoming a contractor for the government. What is this? Basically what it means is that the government becomes your client.

For instance AT & T has has earned Millions of Dollars simply by being a contractor for the government by provide services and products to the government for government use! While AT & T can't go after stimulus funds directly, their clients include many government agencies that are on the receiving end of those funds. And that puts AT&T in a strong position. (And it can put your own business in the same position as well!) According to an AT & T spokesperson, "We have full teams, assigned to every agency in the federal government, who try to better understand the nuances of every agency's mission and what they need. On a weekly basis, we'll say, 'Here's another idea about how you may want to do something.'"


Now you may think that this kind of thing only applies to big companies but it does not! The government needs everything from consultants to food services and everything in between!

You could take a lesson from AT & T as to how they go about getting their government contracts! The company said the process is identical to how it goes about hunting for other government contracts, which AT&T said is a roughly a $65 billion business for tech firms annually. Sometimes agencies give projects a direct go-ahead, but more often they request formal proposals so projects can be opened up for broader bidding.

AT&T's first stimulus-related contract came about through a prior relationship with a client: $419,000 to upgrade circuits in several Social Security Administration offices across the country. It's small relative to the $14.3 billion in stimulus funds already awarded to companies. But the vast majority of stimulus projects (more than $250 billion worth) have yet to be funded, and when the money begins to flow faster, AT&T will be well-positioned to be a part of bigger contracts. The company is also a good candidate help hospitals integrate electronic health records, which is being funded with $20 billion of stimulus money. AT&T has already signed a contract with the state of Tennessee to custom build a virtual private network for e-health information exchange. AT&T is also working hard to get involved with broadband services in rural America, smart grid wiring, and other health IT programs.

(To see my other blog posts relating to more information about the grants relating to providing broadband services just click here.)

Analysts say big firms like AT&T are more likely to get stimulus funds than smaller competitors, as they have the resources to quickly act on a wide array projects and have the infrastructure to bid on a large number of contracts. Experience counts. AT&T has been working on government projects for years, and at one time, it was the only game in town. AT&T was a monopoly until the mid 1980s. In fact, it wasn't until 1989 that the government opened up its first telecom contract to a company other than AT&T, when 40% of the government's communications contracts were awarded to rival Sprint (S, Fortune 500), giving "just" 60% to AT&T. AT&T struggled through the 1990s. And when those big federal telecom contracts were up for renewal 10 years ago, the company was completely left out for the first time ever. But since then, AT&T has clawed its way back to the lucrative federal sphere, gaining scores of federal networking contracts with 20 different agencies when they were again up for renewal in 2006. The company said those contracts are worth more than $1 billion, with the first three alone worth $700 million.

Individual Artists Receive $10,000 UNRESTRICTED Grants!

Here is another state grant program for the individual artists! What is also great about this particular grant program is the fact that the grants are unrestricted - which means that the artist can use their grant money for anything!

50 local artists have received individual grant awards of $10,000 for creating work of exceptional quality in a range of disciplines. According to a spokesperson, "Individual artists are really the foundation of everything else that happens in the arts in our state. We feel strongly that as a state agency we continue to foster the work of our exceptional range of individual artists across the state. This is an important investment in the state’s creative sector. Artists are the backbone of our state's creative economy These programs give talented individuals the freedom to develop work that will be shown, sold and performed all over the world.
”

This financial funding program recognizes the unique contribution made by artists to the cultural vitality of the commonwealth and provide direct assistance to artists of the state to recognize excellence and creative ability and support further development of their talents.


The program awarded $10,000 unrestricted grants to 33 artists and distinguished 17 others as finalists with $1,000 grants. They were selected from more than 1,200 applicants in the areas of film and video, music composition, photography, sculpture and installation, playwriting and crafts.

Some of the winners of $10,000 grants include:

• a filmmaker
  

• a playwright
  

• a sculpturer
  

• a crafter

The artists’ submissions were reviewed according to artistic quality and creative ability. The program is highly competitive with only about four percent of the applicants receiving recognition.

Submissions must have been completed within the past four years.

Next year, the program will accept applications in painting, drawing choreography, drawing, painting, fiction and creative nonfiction, poetry and traditional arts. Awards are based on recommendations by independent panels of experts who practice in the disciplines they review.


A total of $347,000 was awarded to individual artists! Funding for the grants comes from the cultural council’s general budget appropriated by the state legislature.

The full list of awarded artists is posted on line at the program's website.

$100.000 Grant Program For Filmmakers! One state's film commission has announced that up to $200,000 may be made available to filmmakers who partner with the media arts department at one of the state's universities or the film, radio and television department of one of their technical colleges. Each partnership will be eligible to receive up to $100,000 to create a short film through the a state production fund. The goal of the production fund is to instill collaboration between filmmakers and the state's institutes of higher education that have film production programs resulting in the professional development of our students and professionals alike. The fund was created as part of the state's incentive to further develop the motion picture industry within the state itself. The final projects should be capable of competing in film festivals around the country. All filmmakers are encouraged to enter this competition. According to one spokesperson for the program, "We encourage all filmmakers to enter this competition. This is a real opportunity to demonstrate the skills and talents resident within our state.” A public meeting to discuss the program and the application process will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 12th, 2009 at one of the state's universities. The application process has been streamlined this year and will incorporate the skills of feature film industry professionals throughout the process to ensure participants better understand the working environment of a feature film. This will better organize the production, further develop individual skills, and continue to develop a job-ready work force that is ready to capture the high-paying jobs that this industry creates. Sept. 18th is the deadline for the first round of applications, which includes a script and a project overview.

Australia - Grants For First Time Homebuyers.....

In Australia, there are grants available for first time home buyers! Here is an excerpt:


Demand for home loans is being stoked by the government’s decision to triple a grant to first-time buyers of new homes to A$21,000 ($16,600) and by a record 4.25 percentage points of cuts to the benchmark interest rate between September and April.

Local Businesses Can Receive Grant Money For Improvements! A local start-up business received a 2 year government grant worth $3.5 Million Dollars. This business is a very good example of a non-profit including a for-profit aspect to their organization so that they are able to receive BOTH grants for nonprofit AND for-profit businesses! This business will provide energy audits for both local area businesses, residential properties and schools! As a matter of fact part of the grant money will be used for energy audits on public and private elementary schools in the local area. The business hopes to do 10 school audits in the first six months, and 60 in the grant's two-year span. Additionally, preparations are being made for a second round of applications for an energy conservation grant program. The program provides free energy audits for businesses in the district, and matching grants of up to $20,000 for the actual energy improvements. There was an unexpectedly high demand in the first round of applications when the grant program received twice as many applications than was expected -probably because of the apllicants' desire to save money. The plan is to send solicitations to about 20 companies that have expressed interest in being auditors in the program. Last year, the program had four companies doing the audits. Also another program is rolling out permanent customer incentives of up to $1,500 for improvements recommended by energy auditors. Depending on what the audit calls for, there will be additional incentives for those types of improvements.

Government

Grant Programs

Seeking Minorities

Who Want To

Start Their Own

Businesses!

The U.S. Department of Commerce has launched a campaign to help minority businesses access government grant funding programs! Commerce Secretary Gary Locke held a conference call with reporters to spread the word about the ways the department will reach out and educate minority business people on how they can take advantage of the
hundreds of billions of dollars available in the stimulus package. According to the Commerce Secretary, "This administration has made it very clear that they want minority business to be aware of the opportunities and for us at Commerce to really make sure they get a fair share of these contracting opportunities."

For American Indian business owners, that means opportunities for grants and contracts above and beyond the almost $3 billion set aside for improvements in Indian health care, education, roads and bridges, water, public safety and housing.

The number of minority businesses has grown over the past four years from 300,000 to almost four million, generating $661 billion in annual revenues and employing more than four million people.

Here is an outline to a number of initiatives and resources aimed at helping minority businesses as far as getting government stimulus money goes:

• The first initiative is the "one-stop shopping" web site that lists all federal grants and contract opportunities for businesses of all sizes.
  
  
• More details on grants are available at a web site that lists more than 1,000 federal grant programs totaling $500 billion annually.
  
  
• The federal government is going to be looking for minority businesses to participate in these grant processes.
  
  
• Another existing initiative is within the Commerce Department. It is the only agency created specifically to help minority firms; last year it helped minority companies obtain $2 billion dollars in contracts.
  
  
• A new initiative is a series of workshops that will be held all over the country so minority business owners don't have to spend time and money traveling to Washington for information.
  
  
• Broadband workshops have been scheduled in Boston, Mass.; Charleston, W.Va.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Memphis, Tenn.; Lonoke, Ark.; Birmingham, Ala.; Billings, Mont.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Los Angeles, Calif. More information on these workshops can be found at their website. These workshops will aim specifically to inform companies about contracting opportunities specifically with the Commerce Department's initiative to bring broadband Internet access to more Americans.
  
  The department will be dispersing some $4.7 billion in broadband grants to nonprofits, cities, states and public-private partnerships. The grants will be used to create and enhance the infrastructure of broadband service -- digging trenches, installing fiber optic and other equipment, and again the department will be looking for the participation of minority firms in determining which projects will be funded.
  
  
• Other workshops are held at events and conferences at the local level to reach minority entrepreneurs and educate them about the procurement process specifically related to these government grant programs. More information about local centers and services can be found at their website.

The outreach is already underway. Last month, the department hosted a major national summit in Washington, D.C., to discuss best practices in business development programs and services to increase the growth and development of minority businesses. In addition, there were discussions about grant and contract opportunities that exist within the federal government and the best way to provide this information to minority businesses.

Wade emphasized the administration and department's "tremendous commitment" to making sure minority businesses have easy access to the funding opportunities and to implementing "a very robust plan" across the country to fulfill that commitment.

"Minority businesses are absolutely vital to the American economic recovery and we want to make sure they have a fair share of the opportunities."

Locke confirmed that the available resources are in addition to the specific set aside for Indian country.

"We're talking about several hundred billions of dollars of projects all across America, whether it's repairing (a) ship, whether it's developing devices for the smart grid, whether it's dollars that go to one state for bridge repair and road constructions," Locke said. "We're looking at all these contracting opportunities and we want to make sure that minority businesses, including Native American businesses, have the opportunities to compete and get contracts under all of these programs."

Grant Programs For Diabetics!

The Federal Government has billions of dollars in free aid and assistance available for diabetics and diabetic small businesses. Many of these grants, loans and other sources of aid are seldom awarded because eligible diabetics and diabetic businesses do not know about them, do not have internet access or knowledge of existing programs.

For diabetics who are handicapped, sixty-two to sixty-five or older, the program offers assistance with necessary home repairs, for example, replacement of leaky roofs, porch repairs, plumbing and building of modern indoor restroom facilities. Repairs that are essential and necessary for daily existence.

The director of one organization has said, "there are billions of dollars in assistance and grants earmarked for people previously identified as credit risks. Public and private funds are now available for them to repair homes, start a business, consolidate debts and any worthwhile purpose." In addition, he reported how new financial resources have been committed to help diabetics get job training and re-enter the job market.

"Now is the time for diabetics to act if they need money for any worthwhile purpose," urged the director. He also revealed that several reduced-cost and free programs now exist to help diabetics and the economically disadvantaged who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Such programs include energy assistance, free prescriptions, home repair and legal aid.

One organization offers the program that provides the latest information on assistance for diabetics. It covers job training, financial assistance, phone bill assistance, diabetic recipes, free grants, scholarship and loan resources available for a wide variety of purposes, including business start-ups for diabetics. The kit also includes a list of more than fifteen hundred professionals offering diabetics free advice and business guidance.

For additional information you can visit the organization's website. They also can be contacted by phone and via a regular mailing address.

The organization also offers a free diabetics watch and a free glucose meter to qualified beneficiaries with diabetes. Combined offers are available while supplies last.

Students In The UK Could Be Getting A Break! The government is considering dropping tuition fees for students who stay at home to study in exchange for them waiving their right to grants and loans! Ministers are considering the plan as one possible solution to the mounting conundrum over how to fund the growing university sector in a recession. The idea is contained in draft plans for a framework for the future of higher education, the BBC said. It is thought the idea will appeal to students from the poorest backgrounds who might be put off applying to university for fear of getting into debt, and to the rising numbers who are supporting themselves through part-time work while studying. Says the president of the National Union of Students, "The idea may work out well as a financial bonus for particular groups of individuals who we are desperately trying to bring into the higher education system, who have the ability but don't want the traditional experience of studying away from home. My key concern is that to incentivise students to stay at home could be a barrier to choice. I would be concerned if people limit their horizons and study at home when there may well be a better course or university elsewhere." Students pay £3,225 a year in fees but receive a loan to cover the cost, plus loans to live on and free grants for the poorest students. Even though the government eventually gets the loans repaid, the subsidy is a huge drain on the exchequer. The proposals would partly reduce that subsidy.

Grant Program For The Homeless To Help Continue Their Education!

A program is being offered by a city-wide services department to help provide homeless and formerly homeless people with the chance to earn an associate’s degree.

For example:

• one participant in the program who is homeless, the reality is going to class during the day, working as a taxi dispatcher at night, caring for her child and worrying about the roof over their heads. “After class, I go home to my shelter, change my clothes, do some homework, drop off my son at my mom’s house and go back to work,” said the single mother, who had bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep and sat in the front row during the second week of class, occasionally nodding off and eyeing a classmate’s can of Red Bull.
  
  In the meantime, sporadic attendance is already an issue as basic needs are still being met. In June, when one student was confronted with a day care conflict, she had to either bring her son, 4, to class or skip it. He passed the time in class by making paper airplanes while his infant sister stayed with a friend.
  
  
  
• Another student who is also a single mother has moved between three shelters in as many years and has said that the perception of the homeless is often a negative stereotype. “When you live in the shelter system, there’s dirt on you that won’t wash off; you’re a statistic; you don’t have any ambition or drive,” says the single mother who lives in a shelter with her two children. For students like her, the associate’s degree is just an entry point. “I want my bachelor’s and my master’s,” she said, “and after that, I want to reach out to other women who couldn’t make it and give them hope.”

Starting last month, the program, which uses available classrooms at a nearby facility, enrolled 42 students in its two-year inaugural class. Nearly all are single mothers and the average age is 27.

Nationwide, it is the first time that a city agency and a university have joined forces with the aim of granting degrees.

A similar program provides college-level courses for up to six credits to the economically disadvantaged in about 20 programs around the country. That program, however, is neither a degree-granting program nor is it specifically for homeless people.

The program, which aims to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness through higher education, is not without its challenges. The most pressing is transitioning each member of the inaugural class out of the shelter system and into permanent housing.

Says one spokesperson for a non-profit organization, “when people are living in a shelter and they don’t have permanent housing, they begin to lose confidence in themselves. Knowing they can go to college and compete in this economy really provides hope.”

For the students selected to participate in the program, two degrees — one in information technology, the other in business — are being offered as a path toward self-sufficiency.

Says one college professor, “For a whole number of reasons, college has not always been accessible to people who are homeless. Even if it’s only for a relatively small group of people, it’s a group of people who wouldn’t otherwise be getting in there.”

Entrance to the program requires either a high school diploma or a G.E.D. So far only a few women from the shelters were able to qualify. While half of the inaugural class still lives in the shelter system, the aim is that all students will have secured apartments by later this summer. In addition to housing, the students will receive transportation and child care courtesy of the department. Educational expenses that are not covered by the city's program for tuition help or by other student grant programs will be covered by this same program as well.

The university itself will provide grants of more than $40,000 per student!

Says a spokesperson, “In two years, these single parents will go from living in shelters to becoming educated, employed, housed families. The program is also seeking the partnership of other organizations and universities, depending on the success of this program.

$500 Grant Program For Caregivers! One state has $500 grants available to those who are caring for family members who are 60 and older and live in one local area county. The patient is not required to have an Alzheimer’s disease or dementia diagnosis. The grants are for anyone with a chronic illness who needs on-going care and approval for the grants is not based on income. The funds are to be used to provide a break or respite for the caregiver. They may be used for in home care, adult day care or temporary nursing home care! There is also another grant program which provides family assistance for those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. These $250 grants may be used to pay for respite care, legal services, home-care supplies, home modification or mental health counseling. Funding for these grants comes from an annual fundraising dinner and auctions sponsored by the organization. For more information, you can call the organization's toll-free number or you can visit their web site for more information.

Grants And

Single Mothers

An Excerpt!

"If you are single mother whether you just have a job, or are building a career while raising children, the bottom line is... you have to work. Single Mother's grants for day care are a fantastic way to help ease the financial stings of affording quality childcare services, and every single mom should definitely check it out. Even if you are comfortable in the price you are paying to have trustworthy and professional individuals care for your child, why pay for this if you do not have to?

The government is very partial to the single mother when awarding free financial aid. That is one of the main reasons why nearly all single, American taxpaying moms are eligible to qualify for some amount or form or single mom grants that apply to day care and professional child care services. It is unfortunate that many single mothers have given up pursuing their careers because they just couldn't afford proper child care services, and sadly, become trapped in dead end jobs earning little more than minimum wage. All the while, others tirelessly work additional overtime hours for no other reason than to hand most of their hard earned cash over to their day care providers. Not very rewarding to work your butt off to pay someone else to raise your child. In fact it is quite sad when you think about it, and far too many single mothers experience this heart-wrenching predicament every day.

The United States is more than willing to help these courageous ladies by awarding them large sums of free government money in womens grants. There are two basic strategies that resourceful American single mothers are executing to make the most out of this amazing funding provided by Uncle Sam. The first, easiest, and most obvious method is acquiring single mothers grants that will fully finance the costs of having their children cared for while they work, or pursue a professional career. The astronomical savings that is achieved by not having to pay for child care out of pocket, can make all the difference in her economical stability, allow her to work less and have more quality time to spend with her family.

Some of the more enterprising and child devoted ladies have been taking these advantages a step further. One of the most increasingly popular types of womens grant money utilization is establishing new, privately owned day care centers. Womens small business grants are being awarded, in addition to, single mothers grants for those who wish to create and operate day care centers. This is an amazing way to build a well paying career while spending every possible minute of the day with your child, or children, and also relieves you completely of the financial burden of paying strangers to care for your family. This can even be achieved in your own home in many cases.

If you are a single mother struggling to make ends meet, and missing out on quality time with your children, just do a little research online find a world of opportunities in womens business grants and single mothers grants. Your kids will thank you for it."