"I was just laid off......."

I saw this line again when I was online and it got me to thinking about what could be done when you get laid off.  First of all if you are reading this that means that you have a computer - or at least have access to one - and that just opens up so many possibilities for you!

Many people dream about being able to work at home and it is something that a LOT of people are doing.  They took their dreams and turned them into a reality.  Just a few nights ago I was watching a program about how one could start their own business by putting things up on sale on Ebay.  I have done it and I was scared at first but I managed to get through my nervousness and trepidation and viola!  I sold my very first item!  I have to tell you that the program I saw wasn't one of those "get rich" infomercials but a program by a woman that showed some very good tips and steps for selling things on Ebay.

This is definitely something that one can do at home and make a business out of it.  You could "raid" your house to see what you could auction and if you think that you don't have anything to sell you should take a look at some of the things that sell on Ebay!

I know that you might be scared and/or afraid but think of it in terms of a regular auction - which is really what it is - just on the computer.  Sure you have to take that first step but if you have dreamt of working from home this is definitely something that you should consider doing.  I have even considered doing it on a more regular basis when I come across something that would make a good auction piece.  And its not just individuals that sell on Ebay its companies and the government (I heard) that use it too.

I watched a very interesting program on television about a group of women that made quilts.  Now I myself have seen grant programs for quiltmaking and things that are related to it but what interested me about this particular program was the fact that they had a little web page and asked for people to send their quilt patches and they got so many in response.  It just goes to show you how having a webpage (even if its a little one) can make a huge difference.  So if you don't have a webpage you should really have one.  Your business should have one.  But don't think having a webpage is just for business.  You should take a look at a few of my personal pages and the personal pages of others.  That's why they put them on the Internet so that everyone can see them and show the world what they are all about.

But getting back to the original topic about being able to earn an income after you have just gotten laid off...................The fastest way to make money is to find a need and fill it.  For example after the recent snowstorm here there were people going door to door shoveling snow.  That's a way to make some fast cash.  You could even set up an arrangement where you would do the shoveling on a needed basis.  It wouldn't be hard to make a contract/invoice on your computer and use it as your agreement.  You could make a flyer and distribute it around and start to build up a clientel.  You could offer additional services like yardwork, running errands and the like.

The best way is to take something that you love to do and turn that into a business.  For me personally time just flies when I'm on the computer whether I'm designing a flyer, doing some production work or finding information for a client.  For you it may be something different but it can be turned into a business.  You could even take something that you hate to do and turn THAT into a business!  No matter how "silly" you may think your idea (or dream) is you can turn that into a business for yourself!  Isn't that what you want to do?

Jealousy? Here is some great advice.....

I read an article about jealousy and it gave the example of a woman who was a personal trainer who had a lot of jealousy towards those who were famous and popular and in the public eye.  The advice given to her was for her to continue what she was doing and to continue to enjoy it and show the world what she could do!  Not long after that she got approached to do a fitness video!  Which she did and the SHE became famous!

The point that I'm trying to make here is if you feel jealousy towards others then work that much harder at what you already do.  Hopefully it is something that you love to do and/or have a passion for and the opportunities will start to come and you can live the life that you have dreamed of!

Still think there aren't any grants for your business?

Here is a quote!

"Business There are Grants for a variety of business situations, believe it or not! Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise...if they say there isn't anything, they just don't know WHERE to look! As with any grant, it depends on your needs and the needs of the community, the type of grant you're seeking and more. No one is just going to hand you money to go out and buy a business or pay for your company's personnel salary because you ask for it - so if this is what you're looking for we suggest you get a loan! However, if your company serves a need, offers job training, produces a viable product, is owned by a woman and/or a minority, etc. then there just might be some funding out there for you!"

Snowed in today.....

Since its pretty treacherous outside I'm hibernating inside today.  There is definitely a lot of work to be done and right now I'm answering email.  I'm also listening to my local news to see what's going on with the weather forecast.  It's good that I don't have any outside appointments to go to today. 

It's great to be able to work at home and what I mentioned above is one of the reasons why!

Interested in getting into porn?

While viewing some links I came across a blog about being in the sex/porn industry.  Unfortunately that blog didn't allow comments but I was able to read a few of the emails posted and I was so surprised by the number of people wanting to get into the porn business.  (A lot of them were underaged so basically that's illegal).

A "porn" business can be started in one's own home.  It would help if you had a webcam but it's not mandatory (and who is to say that you can't buy a webcam at a later date).  One of the things that you should definitely have is a webpage - even if it is a free one by one of the free webhosting site - BUT CHECK THEIR GUIDELINES TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ALLOWED!

There are stories about girls who have managed to pay their way through college by simply having a webcam site that others can watch (for a fee) and in theory you could do exactly the same thing.  You set up your website, let people know its out there and decide how much you will charge and how you will receive your payment.  There are many sites that do just this same thing and that goes to show you that there is definitely a demand out there for it!

Where can I get a grant?

The answer to that will be that it will depend on what you are seeking the grant for.  Will it be to continue your education?  Start a business?  Start a project?  Once you you know what it is you will be seeking a grant for then you can start to narrow down the list of places that offer these kinds of funding programs.  And the places that offers these kinds of funding programs run the gamut from government funding programs to individual foundations that also offer this type of funding program.  There are even some big businesses and corporations that have one type of funding program or another.

You may very well indeed get lucky and find grant funding programs if you just start looking around but the more specific you are the more you will be able to narrow down your investigating.

One thing that you should also note is that while we are in the "Internet" age a lot of funding programs do not have a web presence.  You will either have to contact them by phone or by regular snail mail.

There is just no one place to go to get a grant (or better I should say - apply for a grant).  It will depend on what you are seeking the grant funding for.  You may think that what you are seeking grant funding for is silly or stupid or not important enough but believe me I have seen grant funding for growing weed, grant funding for a "witch's" business, for songwriting and comic book writers but of course these grant recipients didn't get their grant funding from the same place.  So again I answer the question by saying that it will depend on what you are seeking the grant funding for.

Starting an XXX Business (at home) with your webcam?

Again someone was doing a search for this and that is how they got to one of my pages.

Basically in theory this is how it would work.  You would set up your webcam to be able to either stream or show pictures that you can put on your website.  You can charge for access to your site.  What you charge will depend on a lot of things.  But you can even take payments via the Internet or even take check and/or money orders.  You can make this as simple or as complicated as you want.

Now I myself have a webcam and I will be honest - I didn't get everything right the first time.  But I use my webcam page for just showing general pictures of my surroundings (and for pictures of my cat!).

But you would be surprised just how many people are making a living using the above as a basic example.  Depending on what equipment you already have you could have a website up and ready before the end of the month (and by ready I also mean being able to take/receive payments). 

Grants For For-Profit Day Care?

I was just going over my notes and gathering information for a client when I was looking at the guidelines of one of the daycare-related funding programs.  There it was in black and white that FOR-PROFITS are eligible to apply.  This particular funding program requires that your daycare meet regulated guidelines but other than that if you are a for-profit daycare and you are seeking funding you should definitely be looking into programs just like this one.

And don't let anyone ever tell you that there is no grant funding for for-profit daycare!

Paying back your student loan?

Is it possible?  The answer of course is "Yes".  But make no mistake you will have to do some work!  In some instances you can offer your volunteer services for up to one year.  In another case if you are a teacher and meet certain eligibility requirements you can also decrease, defer or even cancel your student loan.

Of course it will depend on the terms of your loan - including what kind of loan it is and again - of course - it will depend on the program that is offering it.  So if you have a student loan that you have been worrying about then you should do some investigating to see if you can do something about it!  The programs and the information is out there!

Webcam Work From Home?

Now this is interesting!  But there are a few ways that come to mind - some of them are adult-oriented though and they really can't be discussed here in detail.  But there are people who have managed to do this kind of thing very profitably and as much as you may hate it there is still a market for this kind of thing.

I do know that a daycare center installed webcams at their facility so that the parents could see their children online.

Searching for Daycare related grants?

I see that a lot of people are doing this.  Often times they will get frustrated and just stop looking.  The one thing that you have to remember is that grants have been awarded to daycare facilities - I list some of them on my grants page at:

http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/grants.htm

These recipients are not ones that I made up in my mind and posted to my webpage.  They are actual daycare facilities.  There are also the ones that I haven't mentioned on my page including the one about the daycare center that received grant funding because they offered 24 hour a day daycare.

There is also another category of grant funding that you should be looking into and that is the entrepreneurial-type grant funding.  These types of funding programs depend on you submitting a professional business plan - one is even offered by a software company itself.

The eligibility requirements of some of these funding programs vary from submitting a simple letter of intent to providing a detailed business plan and/or summary.  You have to remember that the program that awards these fundings will want to know how much you are seeking (unless they already have a set amount of funding money) and most importantly WHAT you will be using the money for.

There are a lot of work-at-home scams out there........

I stlll think that the best job that one can do from one's own home is their own business.  But there are a LOT of people out there that are looking for work from companies that will more or less have work that you can do from home.  With the exception of some companies like Mary Kay and Avon I haven't seen one yet that I would feel comfortable with.

I think the reason why so many people are looking for companies to provide them with work that they can do at home is because they want the security of working for an already established business.  Plus I think that they think that they will get paid sooner if they work for a company as opposed to working for theirselves.  If such is the case with you I advise you to read everything carefully!  There are stories where people have joined these companies and either they had to spend a lot of money to buy the company's materials or they tell of how they haven't got paid.

Like I said before I think it would be much better if one started a business of their own.  No matter how "crazy" you may think that your business idea sounds there is probably someone doing EXACTLY what it is you want to do or someone is doing something that's close to what it is you want to do.

I'm assuming that some visitors are reading my Working From Home blog because that is exactly what it is that they want to do.  It is not as impossible as you may think.  In fact you may know someone who works at home now.

I've Been Spotlighted!

My profile is being featured on the Business Owners Idea Cafe!

http://www.businessownersideacafe.com

I loved the way they said that I have taken the "bull by the horns" - isn't that adorable!

A Recipient of child care grants - Here is an excerpt:

Holmes and other providers say that socking away money to improve their businesses and locations is a challenge. But with help from modest grants awarded by a child care improvement program, Holmes was able to fence her yard, put up play structures and repaint her house with more child-friendly lacquer.

Because she cares for mostly government-subsidized children, Holmes' rates are low. She would not have been able to afford these improvements without the grants.

"The grants made it so much nicer for my children and families. The kids can now ride their toy scooters inside the fence without worry that they will get into the road," Holmes said.

Still think there are no grants for at-home child care providers?

How To Get A Grant To Start/Open Your Own Business

Well the first thing that you are going to have to do is to find out what grant programs are available to start/open your own business.  Although it would seem that the best way to start would be to first decide on what kind of business you want to start the reality is that you are going to have to tailor your business to the grant program(s) that you are eligible to apply for.

The exception to the above of course are the funding programs that are geared specifically to starting/opening a business - especially when you are a woman or a minortiy.  Usually these kind of funding programs require that you submit a business plan as part of the application process.  There are a number of entrepreneurial funding programs whose objective is to help fund new businesses.  Some of these are competitions where your application will not be the only one submitted and you stand the best chance of winning the competition if your business plan is well thought out - remember you have to look at it from the viewpoint of the committee/group that will be judging and deciding on whose business plan best meets the objective of the program or competition that is doing the sponsoring/funding.

There are funding programs that will provide money to live on while you get training to run your own business.  You can be as young as 12 years old and receive grant money to start a business in a rural area.  If you just need a few thousand dollars to start your business there are nonprofit groups that provide funding for this.  For women there is a grant program that will provide $500 - $3,000 in startup grant money BUT you have to become a member BUT membership is free.  There is also a grant program in New York that was started by a couple to help those that are struggling to start their own busines.  This grant program provides up to $1,000 in start-up grant funding.  There is also a government program that provides funding to low-incomed people to start their own businesses (to help make them self-sufficient).

There are other routes you can take to be eligible to apply for grant funding such as adding a non-profit aspect to your business.

For example, a relative of a neighbor of mine wants to start her own flower business.  Would she be able to apply for a grant to start her business?  Of course the answer is yes BUT it will depend on HOW she applies.  She just can't blindly apply to the government and say that she wants x amount of dollars to start her business.  But what she can do is first apply to the entrepreneurial grant programs like the ones I mentioned above that require at least a business plan to apply.  So let's say that she doesn't have a business plan - then what?  She can go online and find examples and templates for almost any kind of business that there is and apply it to her own business.  Next she should apply to the women related funding programs that are out there and since she is also a minority she should apply for those funding programs as well.  (There is no limit on the number of grant programs that you can apply for as long as you are eligible for them and the programs themselves state explicidly that you can't).  Next she should apply for the funding programs that are available for her area.  Not every area will have the same kind of funding program or they may but it will be under a different name.  Next she can apply for the funding programs that are specifically related to her business.  How deep is her knowledge of flowers?  Do you know that there is a grant program that provides funding to research weeds?  How about funding to research the local plants and vegetation in the area - there are some grant funding programs for that as well.  And lastly she can add a non-profit aspect to her business as well such as teaching, providing lectures, classes and the like.

It may seem like a lot of work to do and it IS!  But if she is serious enough about wanting grant funding to start her business this is what she is going to have to do.

Receiving grant funding will also add prestige to your business and may open the door for you to receive more funding as well.

A Scam!

Here is a recent email I got:

Okay, I see where this is going.  I will never be on your client list, because I am not stupid enough to give you my money.  I have the money, but it won't get spent on your "NO REAL SOURCE INFORMATION".  This is nothing but a scam.  If I was trying to persue someone to perchase information from me, I would at least tell them what they need to know before purchasing from me.  I can tell by the question you keep asking, that this is not a ligitimate source.  All you talking about is money.

and here was my reply to them:

Again, thank you for your email.  And you are definitely right - you won't be a customer/client of mine.  If you feel that my service and my business is a scam then you are absolutely right that you should look elsewhere.
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There are some things that you have to be made aware of when looking for grant funding programs.  Number one is that the programs are out there regardless of whether or not you use me.  This information is not exclusive to me and a good portion of the information about grant funding is that it has to be "open and accessible to the public" - which means that the information must (by law) be made public to the public.

The meaning of "scam" is a fraudelent act.  Thank goodness there are other people out there besides me that know about these funding programs.  In order to be scammed one has had to have been taken advantage of monetarily and since no money has exchanged hands then there is no fraud involved.  I can understand not spending money if you are unsure of something and the only solution to that is to NOT spend the money.

It would not be fair to any client (past, present and future) for me to give you information that they themselves pay (or have paid) for and its not going to happen.

But there is something that you should understand and that is that the information (and the funding programs) are out there.  The general frustration seems to be in finding them - but just because you can't find the information doesn't mean that it isn't out there.

There Are No Grants To Start A Business?

Of course the above title is wrong!  I have seen so many grant programs for for-profit business startups that it was enough to give me a headache!

There is a grant program for comic book writers, songwriters, photographers and film-makers.  There are grant programs for women, minorities, children, and inventors.

A lot of this frustration must come from the fact that people get frustrated when they try to find this kind of information.  But just because you haven't found it yet doesn't mean that the information is not out there - you have to keep on looking because believe me the grant programs are out there (and there are some strange ones that are out there as well).

No matter what kind of business you want to start there is probably a grant program out there that you are eligible for and even if you can't find one that you think you may be eligible for you can MAKE yourself eligible if you just tailor your business to the eligibility requirements of those funding programs that are most related to what it is you are trying to do.

All this talk about there being no grant programs for for-profits and/or start-ups is absolutely and totally false!

Writing a Grant For A Group Home?

Hi my name is T~ and i live in Raleigh NC and i wanted to know how to write a grant to start my own Group home for  Disable Children and Adults in my City.

Number one you can't write "a" grant to start your own group home.  What you have to do is fill out the grant application for the grant program that you are applying too.  No two programs are alike so that means that their application process will not be the same.  Some grant funding programs only require that you start the process with a simple "letter of intent" and other require more detailed information.

There are no secrets as to "how to get started".  You find the programs that you are eligible to apply for and then you apply according to their guidelines.  There are grant programs that are strictly daycare/group home related and there are also entrepreneurial grant programs where the main requirement is you starting a business (and proving to them that you are serious about starting that business such as the one that has a grant program for entrepeneurs with grant awards up to $5,000.00.  There are grant programs that award grants for businesses that help to improve the lives of anothers.  So you see there is more than one category of grants that you can qualify for and there are more than a few in each category.

So you can not write "a" grant you have to find the program first and then apply according to their terms.  Once you start finding this information yourself you will see that a lot of time and effort will be needed on your part.

Getting Your Student Loan Payments cancelled or deferred or reduced?

Yes there are instances where you can get your student loan either cancelled or deferred or even reduced.  Some programs allow for you to do volunteer services and in exchange your student loan can either be paid back or reduced.  In some cases your student loan payments can be deferred.  There is a program especially for teachers who either teach a specific subject or teach in a low-income area that allows for their student loan to be either paid off or - in some cases - cancelled.  Definitely a lot will depend on the specifics of the type of student loan that you have and the terms of your student loan have to be gone over thoroughly - but yes there are programs that deal with paying back your student loans. 

So this is something that you should definitely be looking into to see if you can get help with paying back your student loan. 

Guess What! - I'm Going To Write A Book!

It's going to be about my being a "Dream Job" consultant!  I'll have to think of a "catchy" title and everything!

It's not so much about HOW to be a "Dream Job" consultant but more along the lines of an inspirational-type book.  You know one of those "they said it couldn't be done" kind of books.  Hopefully it will be an inspiration to all of those who think that they can't have what they want.

Spam Email?

Like everybody else I get junk and spam email but what I noticed about one particular email was for an adult website where photos and email could be exchanged with others.

It doesn't matter how you feel about them there are and will continue to be adult websites and the reason for that is because of one thing - demand!  If there wasn't such a high demand for this type of thing then there wouldn't be as many of them online.

Here is a business (or individual) that has managed to create a site where people exchange photos and email.  Where do you think that the money is made?  Let's say they started off with a hundred people (at first) - how much income was made?  And where do you think that this type of business can be operated from?  That's right - from one's own home!

Now I realize that everybody does not have a taste for this type of thing but for those of you that do here is a perfect example of a business that can be started and run by computer in one's own home.

I mean this is the type of business that people are looking for - something that they can do at home at the computer - and make a living at it!

For those of you that want to work at home but don't know what to do.

I have said it before and I will say it again.  The fastest way to make money is to find a need and fill it.  That's why businesses such as yard work, starting a cleaning business or starting a daycare business have always been suggested because these are the kinds of businesses where there is always a demand.

The best way to make money is to take something that you love and turn that into a business.  You may think that your idea is not good enough but you'd be surprised at the types of businesses that people have started.  Not scams or pyramid schemes but general interests and hobbies that they have managed to turn into a profitable business.  Even something that seems as far-fetched as being a writer is not an impossible career to achieve.

If you are really serious about wanting to work from take some time - maybe an hour or 2 and write down a list of the top 5 things that you love/like to do - at least one of them can be turned into a profitable business and yes I'm going to say it - you may even be able to get a grant (or two) to help you fund it.  If a farmer can get a grant for growing weed you can't possibly think that your idea is so far-fetched that it shouldn't even be explored.  And the best part is what happens when you succeed - which will mean that you will be working at home and earning a living at it.  No matter what kind of dream job you have chances are that there is someone else who is already doing it or doing something close to it.

Government Grants for Growing Weed?

Someone actually tried to find out some information about this and here is a few of what I found out about it.

In the past Canada has had a program where those that qualified because of their illness could receive "government" grown weed whether it was the government or a "designated" grower that supplied it.  Some have even received federal exemptions to grow it!  In the U.S. there were 9 states that allowed limited use of marijuana for medical purposes under the direction of a doctor:

I won't say which state it was but a farmer (in the US) got permission (and a monthly check) to grow marijuana for 17 "legally" ill people.

Grant Funding Programs for For-Profit DayCare!

Don't let anyone tell you that there is no grant funding programs for for-profit daycares!

I'm glad that my latest client is happy with the 4 grant funding programs that I was able to find for her to apply to.  There was an additional grant program that was included because she is also going to incorporate gardening into her daycare.  There is also additional programs for her if she decides to turn her daycare into one that operates during non-business hours.

This woman wants to start a daycare business out of her home in South Carolina and she says that this is something that she always dreamed of doing but finding the funding for it (in her words) was impossible.  Well now she knows that it is possible!

So don't let ANYONE tell you that there is no funding for a for-profit daycare business.

It was a lot of work finding the funding programs that she is eligible to apply for but it wasn't impossible.  So if you have always dreamed of opening a daycare business look into finding the programs that have funding that you will be eligible to apply for.  They are out there!  So many people have done searches looking for information about this and it feels good to dispel another myth about grant programs and for-profit daycare!

Needing A Grantwriter To Write A Grant For A Daycare Center/Business...

Hello, Rose I'm currently in the process of  looking for someone to wirte a grant for me to open up my own daycare.

You are going to have to bear in mind that there will have to be some questions asked no matter who you choose as a grantwriter.  The questions that I ask of all of my clients appear here.

Remember unless you have specific funding programs in mind your grantwriter is also going to be your grant investigator as well.

Guess what's on the radio right now?

So the jazz radio station is playing in the background and on comes a commercial about how people are quitting their jobs and starting a business by buying and selling on Ebay.

You know this isn't a myth.  There are actual examples of people who are able to make a living by buying and/or selling on Ebay.  I myself have used Ebay.  There was even a special on CNBC about Ebay and how big it has grown!

So this is another option that you might want to try as a business of your own to start.  Some people have made a career of going to flea markets and buying and selling those items on Ebay!  If you specialize in a certain type of product you might even build up a following who will try and contact you first and buy your product(s) even before you have had the chance to put them up for auction on Ebay!

Here's A HeartWarming Little Story

about a man and his love for puppets!  He used to work with the city (NY) when the city put on puppet shows.  But due to staff and budget cuts he was dismissed.  Guess what?  He got a $500.00 grant to start his own puppet business and that is what he currently does - he is his own boss and as another aspect of his business he also makes puppets.

So if you think that your dream job is too far-fetched or impossible I hope you take this story to heart!

Grants For Seniors including repairs to the home

Being old, female and poor should be enough to find some sort of help to get $$ for home repair.  I sent in paperwork for weeks and  then was told I make too much (SS) for a grant and I don't have good enough credit to get a low interest loan.  I thought they were for low income people.  Only reason I have no credit is cause I don't buy on credit!  Where do you go to find help?  My house is in need of repairs badly. 

I don't know which program you applied for but there are programs for those that are elderly.  Case in point - I'm helping a relative of mine because their heating system is not working and the program will repair it for free!  It's really crazy because the same program will also pay an amount to her heating bill as well.  It won't cover the whole bill but there will be 2 grants that will be applied towards the heating bill plus the repair work to her heating system.  As a matter of fact if her heating system is shot they will install a new one!There are also programs that are tied in with the lottery - you know the money being used for programs to help the elderly - got a relative (I don't qualify but I did get some compensation) a $500 check that was deposited to her bank account - from a government program.In the area where I live the residents are eligible for $20,000.00 in repairs from a grant program.So you're not looking in the right places or the specifics of the program that you were applying for have to be better known.

Want to hear about another grant recipient?

J. Nelson was a puppeteur that worked with the city of New York when the city put on puppet shows.  But due to staff cuts he could not work for them any more.  To make a long story short his love of what he did got him a small grant of $500 to continue his business and he now makes his living as a designer and maker of puppets and marionettes.  $500 may not seem like a lot of money but it was enough to get him started and he is now his own boss and working at something he loves!

This is a very inspiring and uplifting story and if you think that whatever it is that you want to do is impossible I hope this little story has changed your mind.

I tried to do it but I couldn't!

I tried to give myself a day off today but I couldn't do it!  I was lying in bed thinking about how nice it would be to just stay in bed all day.  But as soon as I had that though I had another one and I was back at the computer and then I was online and then I started to do more work.

Oh well, maybe next time!

I have to shatter another myth about starting a business

and that myth is that you have to have trained with someone.

I just answered an email from someone that wanted to know what seminar I got my training from and I answered back that I didn't use any seminar to get my training.  To make a long story short - I trained myself!

But the point that I want to make here is that you don't HAVE to take a training course if you are good at what you do.  In some ways the training that is provided may do more harm than good.

"I Wished I Could Work At Home Like You"

This line was in one of the most recent emails sent to me. As I have said time and time again almost ANY thing can be turned into a work at home business! If you can repair things - you have got a business! You can even turn something you hate into a business! What I do is consultations, research and customized business plans. I had originally started doing webpages and graphic designs which I still do on occassion but mine is a perfect example of taking something that you love to do and turning it into a business - a work at home business. One of the business plans that I customize is one specifically for those that want to work at home with their computer but its not for everyone because it has to do with the adult and sex websites/industry. But this is a perfect example of working at home because it involves working with your computer and earning an income. Where did I get the idea for this? Someone sent me an email saying that they wanted to make $5K a month and they didn't include any other kind of information like any interests or hobbies that they had. They just said that they wanted to make 5K a month. I thought that they were just being a smart alek but you know what? My mind got to thinking and I remember reading about how the adult sites - some of them - make over $1 Million Dollars a Month and that got me to thinking and that is how I came up with the Business Plan - which is called XXX.

Now bear in mind this is just one example of a business that one can start from home. The best businesses would be something that you love to do or even what you would consider your dream job. You can take an interest or even something that you hate to do and turn that into a business. How ironic is that to be able to make an income from something that you hate to do!

I get email from single mothers and those who are retired and even from those who haven't reached the age of 18 and you can still earn a living even if you are a minor. Lots of young people are making a living - sometimes even making more than their parents do!

It all comes down to desire! You have to have focus - that's why having a business plan is always recommended - and I don't just say that because I sell them - I and many others have advised the same thing.

I especially like consulting those that have no clue as to what kind of business that they could start and with just a few insights they are well on their way.

Believe me there is no hidden secret about being able to work from your home. There is work and diligence and patience but no secret. But those that had the desire are the ones that are doing it. It's not just me - its many, many people. People are starting their own businesses selling candles, herbs, spices, tarot and astrology readings, giving advice, starting newsletters (for which they get paid to advertise/subscribers), doing repairs, running errands - almost any thing that you can think of there is either someone who is doing it now or doing something that is close to it!

You can't tell me that you can't work from home! Now its up to you to make it happen!

Finding Home Care Benefits For Seniors

Unfortunately I just can't agree with the last post.  Remember that the oringinal poster said that their loved one was able to get the benefits in their original state - they just have to find the same service in their current state.

There are just too many government programs that are available and especially more so in the case of seniors.  I have been able to get benefits, even cash in check form for a relative of mine who is a senior.  What is most ironic is that some of these programs go begging for wanting others to know about them and as it was explained to me "the government has the programs - just not the money (or the inclination?) to advertise them.

In the case of the original poster it may be hard to find the program(s) that best fit your needs but it is not impossible.  You have to take into consideration that not everyone knows about every program even though they may be a social worker because old funding programs are cancelled and new ones are created - some programs even go through changes and are re-named or something along those lines.

As I have learned you are going to have to find the programs - the reason that you are getting the "run-around" is probably because they don't even know about the programs.  Basic information about funding programs - in any category - has to be understood that finding them is not as simple as 1-2-3.

Is It Just Me or.....

are my entries being seen at the bottom of the page/blog instead of being on the right side of the index?

Want to Work From Home But Don't Know What Kind of Work To Do?

Here's a little assignment that you can do!

Just make a list of 10 things that:

interest you
you are skilled at
you hate to do
are your hobbies
are your dream job

You don't have to write 10 of all the suggestions above - you can start with just one of the listings and list 10 things.  After you have done that  you can list them here and others (including myself may be able to help show you how you can turn at least one of them into a business of your own that you can do at home.

A Funding Debate For Katrina Business Areas

While there is a lot of talk of loans and the SBA and other help in the form of loans there is a general outcry because the businesses want grants and not loans.  In the words of some of the business owners "loans mean that they will be incurring more debt - something that they just cannot afford to do".

Some businesses have taken advantage of the loan programs being funding by the SBA but they have been told that the process could take as long as three months!  Some businesses hoping that they can hang on until then.

There is also the question of the employees themselves - some of which have taken advantage of government contracting where they are hired by the government to help with the relief efforts and leaving their employers high and dry.

There is proposed legislation pending allowing for more government funding which includes both loans and grants to the businesses in the Katrina-hit areas.

Latch-key Kids - Starting A Program For?

"looking for grant to build and start latch key program.  for kids ages 10 to 14. "

If I understand you correctly you are talking about starting a program similar to daycare where you watch/supervise the children and there are definitely funding programs for that.  There are also a lot of teen-related programs and it would help if you had some kind of theme such as helping to improve the community or even helping them improve their educational skills and abilities. 

As I have stated many times before there are many grant programs for child care - even children that are older and are teenagers.  Another route you should take in looking for grant funding would be your own specific area.  There are grant programs that are available for specific regions.  There are also grant programs that have the objective of "bettering" the community (and society as well) - one in particular that has an annual program with a grant amount of $100,000.00!

It seems that you are looking for just any kind of grant funding program where what I would advise is that first you find some sort of theme and then find funding programs that are related to that theme.  While you could look into funding programs that are just general in nature (for providing daycare/supervision services) you can increase the number of grant programs that you can apply for if you include specific themes and objectives as well.

There are definitely a lot of grant programs that you should be looking into because providing daycare (even for teenagers) is a very big concern and that is why there are a lot of funding programs for it!

Grants for For-Profits - Again the naysayers are proven wrong!

There are no grants for for-profits - right?  Wrong!

In Florida, there is a grant program that is currently taking applications until October 14th 2005 and it has to do with water conservation!  The grant award of $5,000.00 can be used for projects that help to educate on water resources and water conservation.   You can apply online or you can reach them by phone via their 1-800 number.

Who is eligible to apply?  Government agencies, private individuals, educational facilities, business and industry, neighborhoods, homeowner and service organizations, research and other profit and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply.    

Another Daycare Grant Program - For Pennsylvania Area Only

Time and time again (and not just on this board) the question has come up as to whether or not there are grant programs for for-profit daycare services.  Well I just uploaded information to my page now about a grant program in my own state which shows what I and a lot of grant writers here (and elsewhere) have said about if the need is there then there are grant programs that for-profits can apply to.

In cooperation with the Department of Public Welfare a grant program has been in activation that will provide grant monies for both for-profit and non-profit daycare services.  One of the most important requirements of applying for this grant is that you will provide services to low-incomed families and special consideration is given to those that will operate during non-traditional hours.  The minimum grant amount is $50,000 and the maximum is $1 Million.  Contact information is available by regular snail mail address, phone and fax #'s and website.

Student Loans and Paying Them Back

A lot of searches have been done lately about finding a way to pay off student loans.  I did some checking myself and found out a lot of interesting information.  Usually these student loans are signed without reading all of the terms.  I mention this because there are some loans that don't have to be paid back and/or are forgiven.  But it will depend on the terms of your student loan.

There are also some programs in place where if you perform some public/non-profit service your repayment amount will be reduced and in some cases the loan will be forgiven totally.

There is also a program in place where teachers can receive a total loan forgivenenss if they teach in low-incomed areas and/or they teach certain subjects.

So it will depend on many things and it will also depend on the terms of your original student loan.

Getting Grant Money Without Having To Buy Anything.....

Well you could find the information yourself or get someone who will volunteer to help you.  Finding this information si hard and there is a lot of time and effort involved and if you do not want to pay a grant writer or someone who does this kind of work then you can do one of the options mentioned above.

finding the information one's self is not impossibe.  I read an article about a woman that was interested in all of this "grant information" and decided to find out about it herself.  Well guess what?  She found information on and applied for a grant that helps fund training her employees.  What kind of business did she have?  It was a marketing business!  So when anyone says that there are no grants or that they can't find any information on them you can see that they are sadly mistaken!

Working From Home - What if I get sick?

Here's an interesting entry from a woman who also works at home (she also teaches a class)

I have some serious stomach problems.  Yesterday after work when the little angel and I went jogging (well, I jog and she waves to squirrels from the jogging stroller), I actually had to drag her into the Burger King restroom with me while I sweated and felt my stomach heave unproductively.After a restless sleep, I awoke also feeling ughy.  It's not really ughy enough to call in sick, considering I work from home........ 


To read more of her entry, just go to her blog at:

http://surrenderdorothy.typepad.com/surrender_dorothy/2005/09/ugh_the_ughines.html#comment-9924967

Grant for starting a towing business?

I AM A BLACK WOMEN THAT WON"T TO START A TOWING BUSINESSES,WHERE DO I GO TO GET THIS GRANT?

This is going to be very harsh and I guess I'll be the one to say it........

The number one thing that you are going to have to do is to have a professional business appearance.  I can understand the occassional typo error and I can understand how one would "rush" to try and get their point across.  But when you are dealing with others on a professional basis you have to present a profession identity.  Even when dealing with applying for any kind of grant you will want to appear professional.

With that being said.............

You have to understand some basic things about grants (and going through the process of applying and being awarded them) and the first thing is is that there is no one place to "get" a grant.

It's all going to depend on how you "structure" your business.  Have you any kind of business plan at all?  How much do you need and more importantly what are you going to use the monies for?  What about staff?  There are government grant programs that provide funding for training employees and there are additional funding programs if you hire low-incomed, disabled and other specific groups.  Are you saying that you are going to start the towing business yourself?  Do you have any of the equipment (or even customers) yet or are you basically starting from scratch. 

You are not going to get any kind of grant funding with just a one line statement.  Even the most minimum of a grant application is a letter of intent and that is going to be definitely more than one line (if you even want to stand the chance of being considered for a grant).

Now let's talk about your post specifically.  A woman who is a minority well there is a competition that happens annually and it is being run by a very big business.  Basically you submit your business plan and 5 are chosen to receive a $20,000 grant.  Past recipients of this grant award were a woman who started her own film company and someone who started a catering company.  This kind of thing falls under the category of what I call entrepreneurial grants - and there are more of them out there. 

Another thought comes to mind and that is how close are you to the Katrina affected area?  Why do I ask?  Because for the last four days I have been reading and hearing on television about all of the needed work and businesses that are being contracted to provide services.  I can't tell you how many businesses (and organizations) have received grant monies to provide services.

Another thought comes to mind - where do you live?  You don't have to be specific and give me your exact address but a city and state would do nicely!  Why do I ask?  Because if you can structure your business to help the community that you live in then you stand a better chance of getting grant funding(s).  Also too, sometimes the area itself will have a specific funding program in place.

And to that the fact that you are a woman and a minority your number of funding resources increase by a whole lot. 

So to answer your question - where you go to get a grant will depend on your business's structure and basic information!

Still think that there are no government grants for for-profit businesses?

The state of Wisconsin has a special initiative to help turn promising ideas into promising (and thriving) businesses.  After all a successful business helps the community it serves right?  Already 10 business (and I want to emphasize for-profit businesses) have received these grants (with an individual maximum grant amount of $3,000)

Who is eligible to apply?  Entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Wisconsin area.  Specific funding has been set aside for minorities, dairy businesses and rural business projects.

Bringing the businesses BACK to New Orleans.....

Although there are loan programs in place to help the businesses in New Orleans, some fear that more will be needed to be done in order to convince these businesses to stay in New Orleans.  That "something more" of course is grants.  Representatives want Congress to approve a disaster relief package.  No set amount was specified.  However in the case of the Sept 11th terrorist attack over 15,000 businesses in the NY area received over $1 Billion dollars in grant money and assistance.  

I watched Martha Stewart's Apprentice program

Even with her going to jail and me still not being too clear on what she went to jail for I still like Martha Stewart's story and her rise in business.

Who would have thought that you could take something like decorating and turn it into a financial empire!  But back to the show itself!  Besides being starstruck over Martha's empire and relishing an inside peek at her OmniMedia company I kind of followed along as the two teams competed and I absolutely agree with who they decided to cut in the first episode and it was the first episode and there is still a ways to go.

How did I feel about the program?  Even though it was only the first show I think that this show provides a peek inside the inner goings on of a company and that in itself is very valuable especially when you want to start a business of your own.

Will I be watching it again? - Yes, indeed!

Finding grant information....

Here is a listing of search terms that people have used that have led them to at least one of my pages:

personal grants listings
daycare grants in ohio
grants / starting own business ex offender
government grants for funeral homes

personal grants listings - Unfortunately there is no one place that can possibly list all the "personal" grants that are out there.  There is no one person that knows of all of them either because new ones are always being created and old ones are being renewed or cancelled.  There is a category of grants that are called financial emergency grants that will provide cash assistance if you can demonstrate need.  There are also grant programs in place to help with utility bills, phone bills and repairs.  My own area has a program in place where homeowners can get up to $20,000 in home repairs!

Daycare Grants In Ohio - one important thing that is not mentioned here is whether the daycare is (or is going to be) a non-profit or a for-profit or it can even be both!  Some church daycares are a very good example of this.  There are some grant programs for both non&for-profit daycares that are not just limited to one's own state.  There is some emergency funding available for daycares that are taking in the children of the Katrina disaster - even in Ohio!  Another important fact that should be considered when applying for grants is to apply for as many as you can qualify for!

grants / starting own business ex offender - A lot of the grant programs that I have seen make no mention of whether or not someone has a past criminal record.  Hopefully I would think that when such a person is applying for any grant that they would make mention if they did have such a past.  One of the ways to "soften" this would be if such a person was working in conjunction with an organization be it a non-profit or a for-profit.  Additionally it may also depend on the type of business that the ex-offender wants to start.  There are some government grant programs that are open to the public to join and that does mean everybody.  Non-governmental entities and their grant programs will depend on their each and individual requirements and guidelines.  So it isn't impossible for an ex-offender to get a grant!

government grants for funeral homes - It is also not impossible for a funeral home to get a government grant either.  One women who owns a marketing firm was tired of reading and hearing about government grants so she decided to investigate on her own and found a government grant that provided funding to help train her employees.  This same kind of grant can also be used by a funeral home or any other kind of business.  If the funeral home is located in a rural area that opens up another resource of funding resources.  There are also grants for research and study and education - all of which a funeral home can partake in.

Yet more good news for for-profit daycare!

More and more I am finding grant funding programs that are allowing for-profits to apply.  The lastest - in a nutshell - needs daycare services so badly that they are willing to accept applications from for-profit daycares.  Areas where there is a severe need for childcare have enacted policies regarding accepting applications from for-profit (as well as non-profit) daycare services.

There are requirements most notably that your daycare program must be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children but this grant programs lets you apply WHILE you are going through the certification process.

Starting A Catering BusinessI

I am 21 years old, married and have a 5 year old boy. I love to cook and i love when my friends and family come over for a party because i cook and everyone loves my cooking, I cater to partys once in a while and i love doing it, I would love to starting my own catering business, i just dont have the money or resources to start one... I am catering partys from my home, i cook everything at home i do it and just save the money, if anyone needs a caterers i am a very good cook i specialize in latin-american food

Desire is one of the most important things that you will need. If you're really serious about wanting to have a catering business then you will find a way. A lot of people have successfully started a catering business with little money. What you don't have in money you make up for with time and effort.You should also use the catering jobs that you have already done as part of your advertising, marketing and promotion. There is that popular phrase "where there's a will there's a way" Start a business plan and plan for your business. If you want to focus on getting customers right away you can do that too but having a business plan will make things a lot more easier for you.Start with your local area. The holidays are coming up and lots of people are going to be celebrating. But its not just the holidays. You could specialize in the holidays that your cooking expertise is in. A lot of people will throw parties and events and such and don't want to be bothered with the cooking and these are the customers that you should be seeking

If you're really serious about this then you should get started now. As I said before since your main focus is on getting customers and since your catering services may be limited to the areas that you can physically get to you should start locally. From even there you can grow and branch out your business to include things like receipes and products, etc., You should try working some of the resources that you may have now. Oh and by the way speaking of those resources you didn't mention anything about business cards. They are a very good source of advertising and besides how many times have you wished that you had a card to give out but didn't?

Grant(s) For Pornography?

OK, this has definitely got to come under the heading "I must love a challenge!"

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised by someone asking me about there being any available grants to start a pornography business.  After all and not too long ago I posted about a witch receiving a grant to start her own business - so really why should this surprise me?  But it did.  Guess what surprised me more?  The fact that a non-profit organization got a $160,000.00 grant to help educate parents about how to protect their children against Internet Porn.  Of course child pornography is illegal and any steps to help bring the illegal parties to light are candidates for grant funding(s)!  How about that!  Isn't that something?  And its not just limited to child pornography because it also includes the illegal aspects of men and women as well - being exploited.

Actually this kind of news just further shows that I was right in that where there is a concern there is probably a funding source for it.  Add to it that we are talking about something that is illegal and has to do with children then that just means that the funding resources increase.

Let's say that you are quite adept at the computer and wanted to start a business at home using the computer (which is something that you are good at).  You can either start it as a non-profit or a non-profit branch of your for-profit.  You have a real concern for the exploitation of children and want to help as much as possible.  You want to bring a greater awareness to this problem and/or help parents to ferret out as much of this stuff as possible or even help turn in some of the illegal sites - even help the police - Did you know that there is funding for that?

Now I know what some of you might be thinking and that is "Well that's all fine and well but what about funding/grants for an actual porn site?"  Well don't worry - this has intrigued me enough to find out if even this is possible - never say never!

Unclaimed Money!

I don't know if I mentioned this before in my blog but you can find more information about this on:

http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/grelated.htm

Unclaimed Money is just that - money that has been unclaimed.  Whether it be a forgotten bank account, paycheck or insurance monies it is estimated that there is over a billion dollars in unclaimed money that is - well - unclaimed!

In my own state they have used the local newspaper to list all of the unclaimed accounts and it was more than 10 pages long!  Nothing but names and amounts! 

So you should check and see if you are on the list - regardless of whether you are an individual or business - because businesses (even ones that aren't around anymore) are also listed.  Even though you may think that you won't be on the list - you can't say the same thing for relatives of yours.

My Computer Area!

Isn't it cluttered?

I wouldn't have it any other way!

In the privacy of your own home?

Why do people think that they need a lot of money to set up an adult website? or really any kind of site at all? 

First of all you should check and see if your ISP provider provides you with webspace.  If not you can either use one of the free webhosts or buy a domain name (and webspace) of your own.  There are templates galore on the Internet where you can just add your own specific information.  If you don't want to hire a web designer then go get a book, go to one of the online tutorial sites and learn.

In the privacy of their own homes people have websites that charge for the priviledge of you viewing their webcam(s) and that is just a start as to what you can do with a website.

Funding For Daycare

People are searching for this alot!

One of the clients that I had was a woman that was searching for funding for her daycare in one of the southern states.  She wanted to start it as a for-profit and in her home.

As strange as it may seem there are some grant programs that providing funding for in-home daycare (and in some cases even for-profits can apply as well).  And the number (and amount) of these grant programs increase if its in an area where there is a great need for childcare/daycare.

When you are looking for funding for your daycare there are a lot of things that have to be taken into consideration.  When you apply for any grant program the funder is going to want to know at least some basic information (and if it is a government-related grant they will want to know a lot information) like the kind of daycare you will be providing, the age range of the children and whether or not you are a licensed daycare provider.  The requirements for being licensed vary from state to state and you will have to know these requirements in order to be officially licensed.

You may also be eligible to apply for some of the funding if 25% or more of the children are from low-incomed families.  Funding resources include government, foundations, organizations and even some big businesses will have grant programs relating to childcare.  I'm thinking especially of those programs providing funding for providing childcare for their employees - another funding resource that you should be looking into.

Applying for these grant funding programs will depend on each individual organization's application process which varies widely from a simple letter of intent to a number of forms (including a business plan).

You should also look outside the realm of day-care grant programs for grants relating to your specific daycare - like grants for business, grants for women, grants for minorities and even some of the entrepreneurial and global grant programs.  There are many of them!

For-profit Daycares are eligible

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Child and Adult Care Food Program. Since FY 2001, annual appropriations law had provided for revised eligibility requirements for private organizations under the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This year, however, the provision has been included in separate legislation that temporarily extends the child nutrition programs pending reauthorization. The revised requirements allow a private organization (e.g., for-profit child care provider) to participate in the food program if at least 25 percent of the children served by the organization are eligible for free or reduced price lunch. (Prior to FY 2001, the law required that 25 percent of children receive Title XX Social Services Block Grant funds in order for a private organization to be eligible.)

Grants For Providing Daycare for Katrina Survivors

In answer to a post

Depending upon where you live you might want to look into some of the grant programs that are providing grants to those that are willing to provide daycare for the Katrina victims. Since this is a fairly recent occurence you will have to be careful about finding the right (and legitimate) information.It's not organized for those looking to open a day care center but if you can provide daycare in an already established environment then you should see if you are eligible to apply.

Grants for Quilting?

I know that there are still quilting clubs around.
And I'm not surprised that even men quilt too.

So I'm not surprised to find out that there are actually grants for quilting.  (Actually after finding out about the witch that received a grant to start her business nothing should really surprise me as far as grants go!).

If you have a love of quilting and wanted to start a business that incorporated your quilting you'd have a lot of different routes that you could take.  Some Native American women have made quilts which have been bought and sold.  There are some smaller grants to help women start their own businesses and I have seen at least one example where one of the businesses that was started was a woman starting her own quilting business.  There is even a National Quilting Day!

Email from a Katrina Victim?

i am a katrina victom i lost everything i have been looking for a grant so i can get me and my kids life back on track , but everyone wants money i dont have money do you know were to go to get help?

Depending on where you are there should be available information for you.  The Katrina victims have so far received cash assistance, food, clothes and last night one victim had already secured a short-term apartment!

There is an organization that already has received grant funding for Katrina victims (I won't mention who they are though), plus the many other resources that I haven't mentioned.

Grants are not just available for individuals!

Counties and municipalities are also eligible for grants as well.  My own local area has received over a million dollars in grant monies for various things including renovation and educational programs.

Remember grants are provided to help the community!  For instance there is a grant avaiilable now to help fund projects that help to bring employment opportunities to certain low-incomed people.  What this means is that if you wanted to start a non-profit organization to help low-incomed people find better paying jobs there is now funding that you can apply for to help you with the projects!

Still think that there are no grants for daycare?

Here's an excerpt:

Rose,

I always hear the same thing from my clients. Then I tell them my story how the first business I started was a before and after school daycare. We completely financed our business from grants.  Of course what is available varies greatly state by state. Some states are really trying to build daycares. I am glad that you made that point, telling people that yes there are daycare grants.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Well I am very glad that you posted!  You are the perfect example showing that there are grants available for daycare because you have actually done it yourself!

I have found grant programs for those wanting to start non-profit and for-profit daycares but for the most part they don't want me to post their names (mostly because they want to apply for the grant(s) on a regular basis and want as less people to know about them as possible) and of course it is their decision as to whether or not they want to be known.  Have to keep the clients happy!

Would You Believe that there is already a grant to help Katrina Survivors?

A grant has been awarded to one of the centers to help aid the Katrina victims.  The aid includes assistance for rent, utilities, temporary shelter plus counseling is also provided. 

Unfortunately the organization does not have a website or email address provided so they will have to be reached by regular mail or by phone.

Is Africa eligible for grants?

"I have liked your helpful information about grants.Thank you so much for all the ideas and help to promote creative people.  I humbly wish to know if these grants can apply in African countries."


There is one grant program that awards a $100,000 grant for endeavors to help make the community (and therefore society) as a whole better.  This grant program is open to any one, any organization in any country in the world that qualifies!  And that is just one of the grant programs!  So the answer to your question is "Yes" there are grant programs in which areas in Africa can apply.

Starting An Adult Website?

I saw a very interesting case today on Judge Mathis.  A woman was suing a man because she had invested money in an adult web business that he was starting.  The man said that the business didn't turn out the way he expected.

I would have LOVED to know about how he had set up his website because like it or not adult websites pull in a LOT of money.  Some sites make as much as $1 Million Dollars a Month!

You can set up a site yourself or act as the owner and allow others to use your site.  And if you have webcam capabilities your income is likely to increase more.

People send me email all the time wanting to start a business at home using their computer and starting an adult website is one way that that can be accomplished.  That is why I sell a Business Plan "XXX" - for those that want to start their own business at home using their computer.  You can read more about it on my consultation page at:

http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/consult.htm

Of course it isn't for everybody BUT you can apply the same principles to tailor it to the kind of business that YOU want to start.

Starting A Business in Florida?

In reply to an email.......

To put it in a nutshell, Florida like other areas wants to encourage economic growth and they have programs that encourage people to have businesses - especially in areas where the community is very economically disadvantaged.

Going from your comments above I would concentrate first on the fact that you want to employ the disabled as there are programs for that.  Since you have not "officially" started your business there are steps that you are going to have to take in order to apply for these programs - the most important being some sort of business plan structure because the funding organization will want to know what the money will be used for.

How you structure your plan will decide on what funding programs that you will be qualified to apply to/for and those funding the programs will be the state's own agencies.  As far as applying for funding it is the state's agencies that you will be applying to.

P.S. - Florida offers a start-up kit for those that want to start a business in Florida and it contains information on the specifics of what you will need as far as licenses other important requirements are concerned.

Grants for Songwriters?

I was answering a post about available grants for songwriters.  Here is my answer below:

"Well I do find it hard to believe that you couldn't find at least 1 or 2 programs that you can apply to but for argument's sake let's just say that you couldn't find any.  Do you know what you do next?  You look for some more!  You are probably not aware of it but there is a foundation that was founded to honor a very famous songwriter and what makes this foundation so legitimate is that Kathie Lee Gifford has been a part of it.  It had a $100,000 grant award for songwriters plus that's not the only songwriting-related programs that they have.  That is just one example of the available grant programs out there for songwriters and songwriting related endeavors - and I emphasize that it is but ONE example!"

Originally my blog was supposed to be about working at home but......

more and more the topics tend to be about grants and grant programs.

Since this is part of what I do I thought that I would share with you about some of what is involved. 

It's almost comparable to being in a library studying and finding books that contain the subject matter that I'm looking for.  Of course I try to collect and maintain as much data as I can but there is so much out there!  The only difference is that I spend most of my working time in front of the computer whether it be online collecting data or offline maintaining the data.  And this just doesn't apply to grant-related work but also to the other work that I do which can be anything from designing a business card or flyer for a client to maintaining records.

I'm sure its the same for others that work at home although some may not be as involved in computer work but they may be crafters or hobbyists that have turned their hobby into a business or career.

Sure there are many advantages to being able to work from home but its something that isn't impossible to achieve.  Just take what you love and turn it into a business!

Does that mean that I love grants and grant programs?  No, it means that I took something that interested me and turned it into a business.  And you can do the exact same thing!

Government Contracts - A different kind of government income

Grants are not the only thing that the government has.  You can also try and get a government contract to work for them.  What this means is that the government becomes your client.

For instance, a foreign language business in Florida received a 5-year, $50 million dollar government contract to teach its soldiers a foreign language.

Some interesting things to note about the above contract is that the government doesn't want it talked about too much (security reasons I guess) and the foreign language business that bid on the contract wasn't the lowest bid submitted.

A Word about Investors and Getting Them

I see so many posts where people are seeking investors and one of the things that you have to understand is that they will not come to you - you will have to go to them.

While investors do invest their money into your business they do not do it for the "heck" of it.  They will want to see a return on their investment and you are going to have to show them what kind of return they will get on their investment.  You are going to have to show them why they should invest in your business.

Finding investors is not an impossible task but it will be just that - a task!  And the better prepared you are the better your chances of actually finding an investor.

There are still investors, angel investors and venture capitalists around but they just don't go advertising to the world and hopefully you can see why they don't.

Hurricane Victims to Receive $2000.00 Debit Cards

from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The cards will be distributed throughout various shelters in the area.  However not all of the survivors will qualify as there are conditions that have to be met.

There is also a big concern about fraud and making sure that the debit cards go to those that it was intended for.  The cards will be administered through FEMA.

Other Available Aid For Hurricane Survivors

AT&T will donate $1 million to American Red Cross and will match employee donations up to $500,000. AT&T will donate 35,000 30-minute calling cards and will establish IP-based calling centers to give evacuees and emergency workers access to free calling.

Charles Schwab is offers a home equity line of credit up to $25,000 as either a new line of credit or an extension to an existing line of credit. The offer will include residences that have sustained storm damage that normally would not qualify.

DirecTV has launched a Hurricane Katrina Information channel.

Fannie Mae has mortgage relief provisions in place for borrowers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and other states facing hardships as a result of widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Harrah's Entertainment will establish an Employee Recovery Fund of $1 million and will provide Biloxi, Gulfport and New Orleans casino employees with their regularly scheduled base pay for up to 90 days.

Kraft Foods will provide $1 million in food and cash grants.

Papa Johns franchisee owner Keith Sullens in Houston is using his location in Reliant Stadium, which is adjacent to the Astrodome, to provide up to 10,000 Pizzas to people arriving at the Astrodome from the Superdome. He is also offering 150 delivery jobs open across the Houston area to people evacuated from New Orleans as a chance for them to get back on their feet. On the corporate Papa Johns will provide water to people evacuated to the Astrodome.

Wal-Mart Stores will give $17 million in cash donations and establish mini-Wal-Mart stores in areas impacted by the hurricane. Items such as clothing, diapers, baby wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free of charge to those with a demonstrated need.

This information brought to you courtesy of CNNMoney

Grant Money Available For Some of The Hurricane Victims

The AFL-CIO is providing its members with grant money ranging from $500.00 to $2000.00.  This money does not have to be paid back and here is what is needed to qualify:

Have been a victim of a natural disaster.
Have experienced a significant income loss or financial hardship.
Have been a Union Plus Credit Card holder for at least 12 months and have opened the account prior to the date of the natural disaster.
Document his or her circumstances and income loss.

To apply for the grant, cardholders can call the Credit Card Disaster Relief Helpline at 1-877-761-5028 to speak directly with a specially trained representative.

Disaster victims who participate in the Union Plus Loan, Auto Insurance and Mortgage programs may be eligible to receive payment extensions or other special help from the program providers. Assistance plans vary by program provider. To find out more, disaster victims who participate in any of the following Union Plus programs should call the toll-free numbers

Question - How/Where Do I Start?

hello again, i need to find someone to do what? You said subscriber how do i do that i've never done this and i don't really know who to talk to. Can you give me some ideas of who to find or talk to. Thanks again

OK, I went back and looked at the previous email that you sent me so that I have a general idea of what you are talking about. (By the way you should note the above sentence and note that THIS is one of the reasons why I and others always suggest a business plan because amongst other things it shows that you should keep and maintain records!)

Back to your comment above: Basically you are asking "How" and the answer is to start with a plan! I suggested to you about starting a newsletter about being a parent and raising kids - well this is something that you have experience in - WRITE IT DOWN! That is the start and foundation of your newsletter! You start there! What time do you have to get up? Why? What is the first thing you have to do in the morning? Why? etc....................What information do you think parents would like to know? I can think of a lot of them! You're a parent - what kind of information do you wish you had?

When you don't know where to start one of your best bets is to start locally. Are there parents in your area? Make up a flyer about your newsletter. If there's some local rule about not putting flyers in peoples' mailbox then put them somewhere else! Can't make or don't know how to make a flyer? I really doubt that! I helped someone pass out flyers and his flyer was done by hand! You can (and I have) make a flyer using the most basic wordprocessing program!

Now here is where and why a business plan is advised. How are people going to contact you? What kind of newsletter will you have? What form will it take? How will you deliver it? Online? Offline? Or both? What about advertisers? And lets talk about advertisers for a moment - What kind of advertisers would parents be interested in? Do you see where I'm going here! Make a business plan! The sooner you plan your business the sooner you can start your business!

Grants! - Even Judge Mathis has mentioned them on his show!

I meant to add this to my blog but even Judge Mathis with his "court" show has mentioned grants for students.  What he said was to a younger person who said that they were attempting to get into college but that they didn't have enough money and what Judge Mathis said (and he said it matter-of-factly as if every student knew this) that they should get a grant.  He suggested getting a grant to pay for 80 percent of the tuition and then getting the rest in student loans.  (I could make an argument for getting scholarships and foundation grants for the other 20 percent but that's another debate for another time)

What you should do first is look to the university that you want to attend.  Find out from there financial office what kinds of funding they provide and what other funding resources they provide.  Then depending on what courses/subject matter you will be taking then you can look into grants/funding/scholarships that are offered in the  subjects/career which you want to partake in.  Don't think that it may not exist for you because I have seen student related funding programs for everything from astrology to zoology!  I remember one particular student grant program provides for a student to travel to France - all expenses paid plus they get a stipend and medical  insurance.  Why is this funding program in place?  Basically its because France wants to show that their schools/colleges are just as good as those in the US. 

So try to find as much funding as you can to be able to pay for your entire tuition.

Witch Receives Grant!

This comes from an article in a student newspapper from a very popular university.  Outside of the United States a witch has received over $7,000 to fund her business.  And what is her business?  Consulting!  That's right.  Of course she had to promise not to do any "spells" on anyone.  But what she can do (and is going to do) is to teach magic, give seminars, tell fortunes and will be using some of her grant money to make an ointment to help her customers more.

It's really ironic since in the past the "government" has burned witches at the stake.  At the moment I'm currently getting more information about this but what I can tell you is that this woman submitted her business plan and was chosen for the grant because (in the words of the organization giving the grant) she had provided a "well thought out" plan.

This just furthers what my gut and instincts have thought all along.  So many people talk about how there are no grants - especially for business - and the above information just proves them more wrong.  The one thing about this woman is that she applied for the grant!  She actually went through the whole process and for her it paid off!

I also like this story because it is one of those "out of the ordinary" stories but more importantly it is another great example of someone who has started their own business - no matter how unusual and/or "out of the norm" it was!