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)

$29 Million Dollar Grant Program To Help Afghan Women

*Please note that the due date of this grant program is January 29, 2009!

This grant program was implemented to help empower Afghanistan women.

While this specific grant program is not to help the women individually it does provide grants for those organizations to provide grants to Afghanistan women!

Because it is now their constitutional right to be provided equal rights for women, they now have an official framework to support their personal and professional development. However, all indicators of women’s status reveal that enforcement of constitutional rights lags far behind enactment. A combination of poverty and deprivation, ill health, illiteracy, discriminatory customary laws, harmful traditional practices, and physical and emotional abuse conspire to keep women at the bottom of society.

To ensure they receive sufficient attention, women’s organizations are needed to advocate on behalf of these women and help mobilize resources, deliver essential services, and implement useful development activities. However, some of these organizations cannot effectively undertake these tasks until they acquire a wide range of new skills—from assessing needs, designing responsive interventions, and implementing programs to managing operations, finances and people, building alliances and networks, planning strategically, and monitoring and evaluating performance—in addition to building capacity in the technical sectors in which they wish to work.

This three-year $26.7 million program is designed to strengthen the capacity of these organizations to contribute to the social, economic, and political development of Afghan women through the provision of financial and technical assistance to support women-specific activities in the following areas:

• Implementing activities that improve the status, safety and well being, human and legal rights, and livelihoods of Afghan women and girls
  
  
• Delivering services that directly address the social, political, and economic needs of Afghan women and girls
  
  
• Undertaking efforts to increase the participation of Afghan women in development as implementers, change agents and beneficiaries
  
  
• Creating or strengthening mechanisms and channels by which Afghan women can access information, network, and take advantage of personal and professional development opportunities.

Applicants will propose approaches to implementing the following Activity Components and indicate how those approaches will help accomplish the Activity Objectives:

1. Awarding sub-grants for technical and organizational capacity building of eligible organizations, including equipment, and for the activities of such organizations
   
   
2. Assessing organizational and technical capacity needs of eligible organizations and developing responsive interventions
   
   
3. Overseeing sub-grant implementation to ensure that in addition to successful implementation of activities, the organization's institutional strengthening and technical capacity building within recipient organizations is achieved
   
   
4. To support the above components, developing and implementing a comprehensive communications plan and strategy to generate widespread interest in the sub-grant program among the women’s organizations and to develop and manage an information campaign about the program to inform other stakeholders.

The following link will take prospective applicants who are interested in this high visibility program to the full solicitation. Be sure to click on the link that says "Download Application Instructions.”

Did you know that there is a charitable organization that provides homes for injured veterans? Successful applicants will not even have to pay a mortgage on their free home! They will be provided homes free of ANY mortgage!

State Grant Program For Businesses That Sell Heavy Equipement!

There is a state program that gives money to businesses that upgrade to cleaner-burning equipment! This state assistance program was started to help businesses that are heavy-equipment vendors and so far over $50 Million Dollars has been committed towards this goal! (So far over $700 Million Dollars has been committed since the program started over 5 years ago) The purpose of this grant program is to help provide more cleaner air. The program is funded through state tax receipts but also through higher fees levied on car title registrations in that state.


Examples of the types of businesses that can benefit from this state grant program include businesses involved with the selling and / or operation of oil tankers, buses and even tractor-trailors so that these businesses can retrofit or replace old machines that further pollute the air or cause additional smog conditions.

Any business owner or individual with a qualifying vehicle can apply for this state-only program! If the machine is old enough and spews enough pollution, the owner can get a new vehicle for free, although the grants usually go toward retrofits or upgrades.

One of the grant recipients is a firm that makes concrete and they were able to secure $350,000 in grant money to replace 12-year-old equipment as well as other equipment. When asked about the grant program itself the owner said, "We've done extremely well" and "Why more people don't take advantage of it is beyond me."

For information about this grant program and to see whether or not your business is eligible to apply for assistance you can reach them by calling their toll-free 800 number.




Here is a copy of a recent email I got:

Dear rose,

$50,000 for filling out a simple application?

Government and private Grants help people like yourself during these hard times. We've uncovered secret programs and they're available to you.

Click Here to learn more.

These little know programs to pay your mortgage, cover child care, and send your kids to private school.

Go back to school and have your tuition and living expenses covered. The business that you work on part time - get $15,000 to get it up and running.

We've done all the work for you. For less than a gallon of gas, you could get a check for $1,000 by sending in a form with your name on it.

Anyone can do that! You can take the next step.

Click Here to get your grant money!

I guess the people that sent me this email don't know that I do this kind of thing for a living and already know about these different kinds of grant programs because I have found many grant programs for my clients.

A Safe Haven for Those in Need

This is a call for those who are in need, know of any who are in need, or those who are able to provide out of the surplus of their blessings.

The mission of Arks of Safe Haven is to connect via an extensive network and online message board forum, those individuals and families who have been affected by recent
economic downfalls and are in need with those individuals who are ready, willing and capable of providing assistance to those in need with employment, shelter, work and food.

authorized by Rose

Money Basics 101 Blog

Do You Consider This To Be A Legitmate Grant Program?

I'll let you decide! Do you consider the program mentioned below a legitimate grant program? Would you be interested in applying for this program? I only ask because when I see that a funding program requires an applicant to pay a fee - I really do not consider it a grant program!

A woman's non-profit, private organization has a funding program which gives business grants to women who have been dreaming of starting their own business! This funding program is also open to those women who have already started their own business but are seeking more funding to grow their business!

One of the past grant recipients won a $500 grant to start their own crafint business!

In order to apply you must:

• be a woman a U.S. resident over the age of 18
  
  
• have made at least a $15 donation/application fee to this organization

Each business grant is awarded on the quality of the business plan and application materials. Because the grants do not have to be repaid, your credit history is not taken into consideration.

The grants are awarded on the quality of your business plan, not your credit rating.

Are You A Budding Entrepreneur Looking For Funding?

There is currently a contest that provides money, mentoring, marketing and technology tools for women entrepreneurs that need help in growing their own businesses. You can find out more about this program by visiting the organization's website

Grant Program For Your Non-Profit Boating Organization! There is a organization that provides grants to non-profit boating organizations in the United States to help encourage boating safety projects! Over the past 20 years, this organization has awarded over $800,000 in grant money! While all applications will be considered, the organization will give preferential consideration to grant proposals that incorporate new and innovative ideas that focus on how to reduce alcohol related fatalities. Some of the grant money has been used for: creating a online chart that highlights local area safety issues the making of publich service announcements for a movie theater flying a blimp with safety messaging above popular boating spots Grant awards of up to $4000 will be awarded! So far over 15 boating groups have been awarded grants from the over $$40,000 dollars available! Your organization can find more about this grant program and download an application by going to the grant program's website. You can also contact them by phone via their toll free number. Your application can be either emailed or snail mailed to them directly!

Scholarship To Study

Parapsychology!

Parapsychology is the study of paranormal psychological phenomena, such as extra-sensory perception, psychokinesis, and survival of consciousness after death.

There is a scholarship program available that was designed to assist a student attending an accredited college or university who wishes to pursue the academic study of the science of parapsychology. Remember that the scholarship program is for undergraduate or post-graduate students who are pursuing or wishing to pursue the academic study of the science of parapsychology, and is not a general scholarship award.


The scholarship award is $3,000 and eligible applicants must demonstrate a previous interest in parapsychology by including a sample of writings on the subject with the application form. Letters of reference are also required from three individuals who are familiar with the applicant’s work and/or studies in parapsychology.

Scholarships are awarded annually.

To apply for this scholarship program you can go to their website and download the application form (which is in .pdf format. Once you have printed out the application form, fill it out and return it to the foundation by the due date. You can also request an application form by email. Applications and collateral material may be submitted via post, fax or as MS Word or Adobe Acrobat attachments to an email directed to the email address above.

Past Recipients:

• One past scholarship recipient was a student at a university in Indiana where he was completing his PhD coursework through that university's Folklore Department. His master’s thesis centered on the Victorian folklorist and psychical researcher Andrew Lang who attempted to integrate both fields but succeeded in alienating both. Much of this student’s research project was to have focused on the connection between parapsychology and folklore, including an examination of paranormal photographs as texts of belief and objects of veneration.
  
  
• Another scholarship recipient was a student at a university in Israel. At the time of their scholarship award the student was looking forward to teaching a course at the university based on his master’s thesis, Paranormal Abilities and the Kabbalah. His studies centered on the relationship between paranormal abilities and the Kabbalah utilizing a parapsychological perspective. Through exploration of the Kabbalistic literature dealing with clairvoyance, psychokinesis, prophecy, out-of-body experiences, altered states of consciousness, and reincarnation, he planned to contrast the phenomena of the Kabbalah with the scientific experimentation conducted in parapsychology laboratories.
  
  
• Another scholarship recipient was both a psychotherapist and a doctoral candidate at an institue in California. She had done extensive research on dreams and her dissertation was an outgrowth of that work. She hopes to write a book based on her dissertation and pursue the implications of parapsychology for clinical practice.
  
  
• Another student who received the scholarship was involved with the Institute for Parapsychology in North Carolina and was interested in continuing his training in experimental parapsychology, and working on a proposed masters thesis entitled “Dissociation and ESP.” He was also working on an historical investigation of the poltergeist case on which William Blatty’s book, The Exorcist was based.

Start-Up Businesses Receive Grants!

Four local businesses received grants of up to $50,000! last month to move them closer to the goal of stronger businesses and a stronger community.

This grant program is funded by federal and state grants and works with industry, government and universities to help companies and ultimately make the United States more competitive. The purpose of the program is to provide grant money to help defray the financial burden of maintaining and growing a start-up technology-based business.

The funding program helps support state businesses and business-related organizations with training, technology assistance, conferencing services, procurement services and business incubation. For incubator companies, the program offer entrepreneurs, many of them startup businesses, affordable office space, shared services, education programs and business counseling. These grants aren't designed to hire employees, but to acquire services to help incubators leverage their business. This money will help their businesses grow.

Among the incubator companies awarded funding was a company which has 2 locations and sells and services renewable energy systems. A cooperative, the company is owned by its five employees. The owner said he will use the grant to expand his business.

Another of the grant recipients provides precision prototypes and CAD assistance to various industries. The president of the company said his company needed a $50,000 grant to develop a laser scanner cranial implant model for skulls. The implant model is a breakthrough technology applicable to the medical technology industry.

And yet another business that has also received the grant, provides engineering and project management services for the design, fabrication and installation of metal finishing, waste treatment and special process equipment systems. The company will use the grant money to increase its marketing effort.

All appropriate applications will be considered for funding. The money can be used for various things from business plan preparation to market analysis and prototype development.



For more information about different grant programs, please click here

Do You Need Help Buying College Textbooks? A non-profit organization has been established to help award textbook grants to college students. There are plans to award the grants each school semester. The textbook grant amounts are in the $500 and $1000 range. The organization also receives (and is asking for) donations from both individuals and businesses to help fund the college textbook program! To find out more about this grant program you can visit the organization's website.

How Would You Like The

Chance To Win Money

To Start Your Own Business?

You could have the chance to win $10,000 to start your own business!

Eligible applicants can submit their business idea and get a chance to win $10,000! One idea every month will win $10,000!

You can visit their website for more information.

Our US Government Starting A Grant Program For Those In Haiti Who Want To Start Their Own Business

A $2 Million Dollar Investment Fund has been set up to help those Haitian Americans who have long dreamed of starting a business of their own but have lacked the capital to do so.

Requirements to be eligible for this funding include having a viable business plan and applicants must be willing to partner with Haiti's private sector to create jobs in the country.

This grant funding program is still in the process of being designed but applicants will be allowed to apply for up to $100,000 (£54,000) grants.

The US House of Representatives has approved the inclusion of $100m for hurricane relief and reconstruction assistance to Haiti and other Caribbean nations. So far the US has committed $30m in emergency relief to the island so far, including $2m for emergency bridges to help reconnect the country after eight major bridges collapsed. Also, with more than half of this year's harvest destroyed, the US program is redirecting the $279 Million Dollars it had already committed to the country to address agriculture needs and other concerns.

Greetings Rose,

My name is G~ and I found information about you as it relates to grant funding from google.com. While I don't want to take up much of your time, I believe that it is very necessary for me to ask for your assistance. My family is in a financial crisis and in need of grant funding to eliminate certain bils such as late mortgage payments, utility bills and other past due bills, credit cards and if possible, we are in need of funding for repairs to our home. Both my wife and I are disabled, we reside in Biloxi, Mississippi and we are african american. Although we are employed full time, our checks along are not nearly enough to deal with our overall costs for living, especially when you factor in the medical and work related transportation expenses. If you could be of any help at all, please reply to this inquiry as it is very important to us. If you offer any grant writing/proposal services please inform us of your pricing. If you are unable to assist us at all, we understand, please accept our apologies and I will not contact you any longer. We truly thank you for taking the time to reply to this inquiry and we truly thank you very much for your anticipated support and understanding.

The basic title of the services that I perform is called grant reasearch - which means I find grant programs that my clients are eligible to apply for.

Once they receive the grant program information they then decide whether or not they want to apply for the programs themselves or whether or not they want a grantwriter - either me or someone else they choose - to write the grant(s) proposal(s) for them.

Grant Program Discrepencies? Investigators from the Department of the Interior found that $5.7 million in contracts that were supposed to go to "small businesses" were actually given to several Fortune 500 companies! The problem seems to have been brought about when it was found that some government workers "often click through mindlessly when entering information" into the computer system thus bringing about the errors! Some of the businesses that benefited from these errors includ Sherwin Williams and Home Depot! Other businesses and state agencies have also received money when they were ineligible to do so! Although a small percentage of grant monies went to the wrong (or ineligible) recipient, such an investigation raises concern! It is not known whether or not the funded money will be returned.

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.

State Scholarship Program!

Here is a scholarship and grant program that rewards students with financial assistance in degree, diploma, and certificate programs at eligible state public and private colleges and universities, and public technical colleges. Since this Program began in 1993, over $3.8 billion in funding has been awarded to more than 1.1 million students attending some of the state's colleges, universities, and technical colleges.

Also too there is a loan program for individuals pursuing a masters, specialist or doctorate degree in education in a critical shortage teaching field, and another loan program for undergraduate education majors!

For the scholarship program, if you are a resident of the state and enrolling in a degree program at an eligible state public or private college, university, or public technical college, you may be eligible for this scholarship program!

Recipients must demonstrate academic achievement. The award at public institutions covers tuition, program-approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance. If you wish to enroll in a state private institution, you may be eligible for a $3,500 per academic year scholarship for full-time study or $1,750 for half-time study (6-11 hours).

If you are a resident of the state and enrolling in a technical certificate or diploma program at an eligible public college, university, or public technical college, you may be eligible for the grant program regardless of high school graduation dates or grade point averages. This grant covers tuition, approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance.


Legal residents of the state who earned a General Education Development (GED/high school equivalency) diploma awarded certain technical colleges after June 30, 1993 may receive a one-time $500 grant award. This award can be used toward tuition, books, and other educational costs at an eligible state public or private college, university, or public technical college in a degree, diploma, or certificate program.

Here Is A Grant Program For Faith-Based Media Productions BUT You Must First Be A Member Of The Organization! One of the nation's largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion, has chosen the winners for its 2008 member productions grants. The awards were given to members whose productions showed an innovative use of broadcast and digital media, as well as engaging subject matter that is meant to be informative, educational and thought provoking. The productions that were awarded these grants are in various stages of development. The 2008 Production Grants, totaling $300,000, were awarded to the following projects: A series of short form documentaries on topics of personal faith, featuring people from a wide spectrum of religious traditions and demographics, including Christian, Jewish and Muslim subjects. Currently in development, a television series that will educate the general population about the faith and culture of Islam and the burgeoning Muslim communities throughout America. A series of intimate radio interviews that will feature high-profile celebrities from all walks of life, from newsmakers like Bill Moyers and Al Gore to film and television stars like Rainn Wilson and Martin Sheen. All will be people for whom faith — or doubt — has fundamentally shaped the way they live today. A series of short form Internet videos that will focus on a bereaved family as they share their feelings about losing a loved one and their bafflement that the family member left his home in India because of ethnic and religious intolerance – only to be destroyed by it in the U.S. when a hate-filled killer mistook him for an Arab Muslim in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. A Media company received a grant to start a 15-minute weekly radio program speaking to the real and practical issues and difficulties facing families and individuals in North America. The program will feature an interview with an individual or family experiencing the pain of broken relationships, grief over the loss of a loved one, anger and disappointment from unresolved conflict, difficulty over tough parenting issues, poverty, mental illness, surviving the suicide of a loved one, and more. A coalition of Rabbis, whose production will consist of web videos and will feature five leading rabbis from the main Jewish denominations explaining the weekly synagogue Torah reading. The rabbis will also use artwork and images, a key point of the weekly reading, to explore why it has meaning for adults and children alike. A church has received a grant to produce a video. This video will use the story of rebuilding a UCC church as a vehicle to demonstrate the daily hardships and the triumphs faced by Katrina victims throughout New Orleans as they strive to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. This faith-based, non-profit organization, is one of the nation's largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups dedicated to building bridges of understanding among people of faith through electronic and broadcast media. Its member association is made up of faith organizations with more than 200,000 congregations and 120 million congregants. A list of its members can be found on their website. MEMBERSHIP - This association is made up of faith groups, organizations and individuals who encompass Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions in the United States and Canada. Together, these faith groups have more than 200,000 congregations with 120 million congregants. You can click on the members link to see a current listing of members. There are three Categories Of Membership: Open to faith groups who are theologically and historically related to the Jewish, Christian or Islamic tradition in the United States and Canada, are incorporated or are qualified for incorporation as a not-for-profit body. (You can download a copy of their application form by going to their website. The application download is in .pdf format) ORGANIZATION - Open to organizations whose primary purpose is religious, and who are related to the Jewish, Christian or Islamic tradition in the United States and Canada. INDIVIDUAL - Open to people who are members of a Jewish, Christian or Islamic faith group in the United States and Canada and who spend a major portion of their time in faith-related media work. - dues = $150 Application forms for each classification of membership can be downloaded via the association's website.

Announcement of a new Stat Program created to provide new funding aimed at providing grants to cover the cost of rising utility bills!

In partnership and working along with six of the state's largest utility companies and other groups, low-income residents will be able to apply for grants to help cover the costs of utility bills. A network of assistance agencies for processing the applications is being set up by the Salvation Army and an Emergency Funding Program!

The state's govenor has said, "that the program will be especially useful as winter - and the climbing cost of heating homes - approaches.