Money

Working and Still Struggling Financially

You can be making up to $35,000 to $40,000 a year and still be eligible for government benefit programs. Like money for food bills, day care, health insurance for you or your children, fuel and utility bills, phone bills, and more. A non-profit organization called SEEDO is developing a web site so people can learn how to take advantage of these programs.

Visit: www.earnbenefits.org

Quick and Easy 10 Downpayment Assistance

is available in less than an hour, at no cost and with no application to fill out. Low- to moderate-income families can earn up to 10 percent of the purchase price of their new home and never have to repay the money. The program is open to all homebuyers without regard to income, property price, or first-time ownership. Furthermore, the Harford Food Bank does not require the homebuyer to put money down or have cash reserves in order to qualify for gift funds. Homestead Trust, 3450 Ellicott Center Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043, 410-480.1967

Visit: www.homesteadtrust.org/

Get Money For Your Employees To Get Training

.T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood in Georgia Scholarship Program offers child care providers the opportunity to earn a child development/Early childhood diploma or degree. Providers must be working 30 hours a week in a licensed/registered child care setting and have the sponsorship of their employer. You can receive a travel stipend and paid time off from work to study or attend class; a wage increase from the employer or bonus at the end of the scholarship year; counseling and support. You must commit to remain with your employer one year after the scholarship year. For more information contact Georgia Association on Young children, 368 Moreland Ave., NE, Suite 240, Atlanta, GA 30307; 404-222-0014; 800-532-9865

Visit: www.gayconline.org

Laws Let You See Successful Grant Applications

Even at the state level there are laws that let you demand your rights to see copies of successful applications from people who already got the money. They may be called different laws in different states. In Ohio they’re called Sunshine Laws and they are published for everyone in a publication called the Yellow Book.They’re enforced by the state attorney general’s office. Check your state’s attorney general’s office if a state official ever tells you that you are not allowed to see an application. Remember, it’s your money the government is handing out in grants.

Visit: www.ag.state.oh.us/online_publications/2004_yellow_book.pdf

Business Incubators Are Bargains And

can provide access to money, flexibility for growth, counseling services, tax services and a lot of comfort in the beginning years of a business. These can be non-profit organizations or for-profit. They are something to consider if you are starting out. For more info or to locate incubators in your area contact: National Business Incubator Association

Visit: www.nbia.org.

Money to Buy or Build a Home After a Natural Disaster

Called Direct Housing – Natural Disaster and referred to as Program #10.445 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, this program assists qualified lower income rural families to meet emergency assistance needs resulting from natural disaster to buy, build, rehabilitate, or improve dwellings in rural areas. Funds are only available to the extent that funds are not provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For the purpose of administering these funds, natural disaster will only include those areas identified by a Presidential declaration. Contact your local office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service at

Visit: offices.usda.gov/scripts/ndISAPI.dll/oip_public/USA_map

Venture Capital

Some people consider this money from angels, but they are known in the business world as venture capitalists. These are individuals, government-sponsored organizations or private organizations who invest in your business because it is a good idea. These people also want to own a percentage of your business. So they really become your partner. But remember, the point is you want to get your business going. Who cares if you have a partner? If a partner is going to make it happen, it is better than sitting at home with no business at all. The federal government has two major venture capital programs. You can go to these web sites to get a list of government sponsored angels to contact: Venture Capital for Small Businessand Venture Capital For Low Income. But you can’t stop there. There are thousands of other private and public venture capitalists who help small businesses. A good starting place for locating these people is a good reference librarian at your public library.

Visit: www.sba.gov/INV/overview.html

Quick and Easy 10 Downpayment Assistance

is available in less than an hour, at no cost and with no application to fill out. Low- to moderate-income families can earn up to 10 percent of the purchase price of their new home and never have to repay the money. The program is open to all homebuyers without regard to income, property price, or first-time ownership. Furthermore, the Harford Food Bank does not require the homebuyer to put money down or have cash reserves in order to qualify for gift funds. Homestead Trust, 3450 Ellicott Center Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043, 410-480.1967

Visit: www.homesteadtrust.org/

More Money From Indiana’s Prescription Drug Program

Depending upon your situation with Medicare and Medicaid, you may or may not be eligible for this program, but it is worth a call for clarification. It is also helpful to know about this in the future if your situation changes. Eligibility issues: Indiana resident for at least 90 days and age 65 or older. May not have insurance that includes a prescription drug benefit. Must have a monthly income which is less than $997 for individuals or less than $1,344 for couples. Contact HoosierRX, P.O. Box 6224, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6224; 866-267-4679

Visit: www.state.in.us/fssa/hoosierrx/index.html

30000 Worth Of Free Hospital Care

Don’t have money for your gall bladder surgery? What about that hospital visit you had two months ago? You might not have to pay a cent. Call the Hill-Burton Hotline. Under this program, certain hospitals and other health care facilities provide free or low-cost medical care to patients who cannot afford to pay. You may qualify even if your income is up to double the Poverty Income Guidelines. For more information, contact Hill-Burton Hotline, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11-19, Rockville, MD 20857; 800-638-0742; 800-492-0359 (in MD);

Visit: www.hrsa.gov.

Low Interest Loans And Cheap Payments

Through the Technology Assistance Project, there are loans available for those who need money to cover the cost of adaptive equipment. An equipment exchange program and used wheelchair vans are also listed on the website. Contact: ICAN-Increasing Capabilities Access Network, Arkansas Rehabilitation Service, 2201 Brookwood, #117, Little Rock, AR 72202; 800-828-2799

Visit: www.arkansas-ican.org

Get 50000 For Every Job You Create

If you are starting a business with just yourself, that’s at least one job and you can apply to the government’s Certified Development Company 504 Program. You can also get millions if you create enough jobs. The money has to be used for real estate, equipment or other kinds of fixed assets. You can’t use it for working capital. Last year this program couldn’t give out all the money it had available. Don’t let that happen this year. Find your local 540 Program office at

Visit: www.sba.gov/gopher/Local-Information/Certified-Development-Companies/

Money Available for Therapists

AMBUCS offers scholarships ranging from $500 – $1500 annually to students in their junior/senior year in a bachelor’s degree program or a graduate program leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. There is also one two-year award in the amount of $6,000 offered. Applicants must be accepted in an accredited program in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, and hearing audiology.

Visit: www.ambucs.com/Ascholars.htm

15000 To Train You and Your Employees

you can get this kind of money as a small business to get 1 week to 6 months of training in most anything from computers, hair styling, customer service, coaching, entrepreneuring, english as a second language, selling skills, paralegal, public speaking. See what your state has to offer by contacting your state office of employment and training at

Visit: www.govengine.com

Money to Rehabilitate a Trailer Home Park

Called Mortgage Insurance- Manufactured Home Parks and referred to as Program #14.127 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, this program makes it possible to finance the rehabilitation of manufactured home parks. Contact your local office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Visit: www5.hud.gov:63001/po/i/netlocator/

Help Paying Your Mortgage Or Buying A Home

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has set up thousands of non-profit organizations around the country that offer free help if you are having trouble paying your rent or mortgage. Some even offer money. Contact: Counseling Center Locator 800-569-4287 or 800-217-6970

Visit: www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcc_home.cfm

They Can’t Give Away All The Money

that has been set aside for the victims of September 11. They expected to give away $5 billion to families of those who died or were injured and to date have only given out about $1.1 billion. The average family is getting $1.7 million . The deadline is December 22 but they are looking to expand it because they can’t get rid of the money. See the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund at

Visit: www.usdoj.gov/victimcompensation/.

22000 Per Year To Get An Undergraduate Degree

Think you can’t afford to get a college degree? Earn your bachelor’s degree and let U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pay your way. Through the DHS fellowship program, get your degree in the physical, biological, social, or behavioral sciences – including science policy, engineering, mathematics, or computer science. The program will pay your tuition and give you money to live on! You must have career and employment goals aligned with the mission and objectives of the DHS, but you are not required to accept a position with them following graduation. To learn how you can get your degree paid for, contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Visit: 12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.PROGRAMTEXT_RPT.SHOW?p_arg_names=prog_nbr&p_arg_values=97.062

Business Plans Are Lies

How can anyone forecast what the world will be like 6 months from now or 3 years from now? Most of us don’t even know what we will be doing next Thursday. So how is anyone going to be able to predict what a business will look like 2 or 3 years from now? So when someone asks you for a business plan in order for you to apply for money, just provide what they want and don’t worry about how accurate it is. The best experts in the world don’t know the future so why should you? If you need help with your business plan contact your local Small Business Development Center. The help is free or low cost.

Visit: www.asbdc-us.org/