Small Business Grant | "Workshop to connect small businesses with crowdfunding capital"

By : The Readers
Source : http://www.lanereport.com
Category : Small Business Grant

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 29, 2012) – Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that a second “Crowdfunding Means Business” workshop will be held by the Louisville Metro Department of Economic Growth & Innovation to help businesses explore crowdfunding resources. The workshop is Tuesday, March 13, 5:30 p.m. at the Main Library, 301 York Street, in the Centennial Room.

This workshop is for new and small businesses that are interested in finding out about online crowdfunding resources. The workshop will focus on Kickstarter.com, a popular funding platform for creative projects in fields such as art, dance, design, fashion, film, food, games, music, photography, publishing, technology and theater.

“We know that a few projects have been funded in Louisville by Kickstarter, such as the newTHIS is Louisville photo magazine, and we hope to encourage other businesses to consider crowdfunding as a viable resource for new ideas,” Fischer said.Crowdfunding (sometimes called crowd financing or micro-financing) is a new and growing method for small businesses and entrepreneurs to raise funds. Instead of the traditional approach of seeking a bank loan, individuals can connect with friends, colleagues and others through social media to seek capital.

The workshop is the second in a series sponsored by Mayor Fischer and the Department of Economic Growth & Innovation and the Department of Community Services and Revitalization’s microenterprise program. The microenterprise program is funded through a Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The workshop is free. Two successful Kickstarter participants will be on hand share their experiences and to help answer questions: Maggie Huber, creator of This is Louisville, and Michelle Jones, developer of the Menu and Hours app. Contact 574-5866 or CAPenterprise@LouisvilleKy.gov for more information.

Source : http://www.lanereport.com/2521/2012/02/louisville-workshop-to-connect-small-businesses-with-crowdfunding-capital/

Small Business Grant | "Promoting Entrepreneurship: Lake Wales Seeks Business Incubator"

By : Phil Attinger
source : http://www.theledger.com
Categoy : Small Business Grant

LAKE WALES | Lake Wales may soon have a center to help develop new businesses.
The Lake Wales City Commission has approved a memorandum of understanding with six other organizations to form the Lake Wales Business Development Center.

"This is another opportunity for cooperation like we've seen over the last few years," said Commissioner Betty Wojcik, executive director of the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce.

Economic Development Director Harold Gallup said the memorandum will help in seeking a $200,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.

He told commissioners last week that the city has a good cross-section of community organizations to ensure the center can be a success.

He also said the city may stand a good chance of getting additional money if the incubator shows progress and if there is a second round of funding after this one.

Wojcik pointed out that no money for this incubator was coming from the city. Wojcik is also executive director of the Lake Wales Foundation — she is involved in the three agencies that are among the partners in the project. City Attorney Albert C. Galloway confirmed that she was not in a conflict of interest to vote on the matter.

Commissioner John Paul Rogers asked whether the city had to provide a matching grant for the project, and Gallup said no.

Partners, along with Gallup's department, included the Lake Wales Foundation, Lake Wales Main Street Organization, the Chamber of Commerce, the Green and Gold Foundation, Webber University and the Central Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Source : http://www.theledger.com/article/20120229/NEWS/120229184?Title=Promoting-Entrepreneurship-Lake-Wales-Seeks-Business-Incubator-

Small Business Grant | "Federal funding opportunities for NW Oregon businesses"

By : Mary McArthur
Source : http://www.crbizjournal.com
Category : Small Business Grant

Although the federal government has greatly tightened its purse strings, there are still some grant funding opportunities available for northwestern Oregon businesses. 

Applying for these funds is not for the faint-hearted, to be sure, but well-qualified businesses – with well-thought out projects – can be successful.

• The U.S. Economic Development Administration Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program is designed to assist U.S. manufacturers that are impacted by imports. Up to $75,000 in matching federal grants is available for Oregon manufacturers that qualify for the TAAF program. 

To qualify, a company must demonstrate that its business has been negatively impacted by foreign competition. TAAF helps American companies become more competitive when faced with import competition in their markets. 

To be eligible for funding, a company must be document that it:
1. Has been in business for at least 2 years
2. Has had declining sales or production
3. Has declining, or expects to have declining, employment
4. And is experiencing competition from imports.

Eligible companies can use the funds for such projects as marketing, lean manufacturing, quality-control certification, product or facility design, export assistance, website development and numerous others.  However, funding cannot be used to purchase assets, such as equipment.

One big benefit of this program is that the Northwest Center for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms is available to write the grant application for an eligible company – at no cost!

Check out the website nwtaac.org for more information. Or contact Patrick Meuleman, Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center client development manager, at Patrick@nwtaac.org or by phone at 208-343-6855.

• Another source of funds is Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grants for Rural Business Energy Efficiency Projects. Examples of eligible projects include energy efficient lighting, heating, cooling, insulation and pump improvements. 

The REAP program provides up to 25 percent of the cost of making the energy efficiency improvements. The minimum grant size is $1,500. The maximum allowable is $250,000. Grant requests of $20,000 or less are strongly favored.

Assistance is limited to small businesses located in rural areas. Almost all businesses in northwestern Oregon would qualify, as the USDA defines a small business as having fewer than 500 employees and less than $6.5 million in annual revenue. 

Preference is given to businesses with fewer than 15 employees and less than $1 million in annual revenue.
Businesses must demonstrate financial need for the grant assistance. Nonprofits and public projects are not eligible.

REAP applications are accepted year-round. The application deadline for FY2012 funding has not been announced, but is likely to be in June. 

If interested, applicants are encouraged to start the application process right away. For more information, go to the USDA REAP website at rurdev.usda.gov/ORreap.html and click on the REAP Energy Efficiency Grants Overview link listed. The USDA REAP contact for northwestern Oregon is John Holman at 503-414-3369 or john.holman@usda.gov.

(The Clatsop-Pacific Economic Development District provides business development services – including nontraditional business financing, commercial and industrial lands marketing, and industry planning – in an area covering western Washington and Clatsop, Tillamook and Columbia counties in Oregon.)

Source : http://www.crbizjournal.com/voices/article_892d9980-632a-11e1-aa08-0019bb2963f4.html

Small Business Grant | "City neighborhood biz grants brings $128,000 boost for 12th Ave"

By : CHS Staff
Source : http://capitolhillseattle.com
Category : Small Business Grant

The City of Seattle announced $1.1 million in grants this week to improve business districts around the city -- including a check for Capitol Hill. Here's a look at how the money will be deployed. Sorry, the neighborhood doesn't pay dividends. This is about investment and marketing.

"Overall the grant means more resident and small business involvement in decision-making on 12th Avenue resulting in a more vibrant and equitable neighborhood," Alex Brennan of Capitol Hill Housing tells CHS. CHH, the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce and the relatively newly formed Capitol Hill Entrepreneurial Women group form the nucleus of the group tapped by the city to deploy the "Only in Seattle" business development funds.

While the money is utilized on programs taking place across the Hill, the group has focused the Only in Seattle effort on growing 12th Ave and events like the 12th Ave Festival -- here's a look at 2011 if you missed it. Brennan said in 2012, the group is also taking on a new challenge for the 12th Ave area as a connective zone between Capitol Hill and the Central District.

"This year we will also look more explicitly at issues of gentrification, the relationship between affordability on Capitol Hill and affordability in the Central Area, and the crucial role that the border between the neighborhoods – and 12th Avenue in particular – plays in those dynamics," Brennan wrote.

The money earmarked in this year's grants adds up to $128,000 to fund programs in the Capitol Hill area. That's down slightly from 2011's $145,000 allocation. In the scheme of things, it's not a lot of money but it does help CHH work on community issues like supporting the 12th Ave Stewards and engage in planning around Yesler Terrace, the King County Youth Services Center, and the major institution master plans for Seattle University and Swedish Hospital-Cherry Hill.

Here's a portion of the city's announcement on the 2012 grants. You can read the full statement here.

    The local business communities in these nine neighborhoods have developed comprehensive, multi-year strategies, in which the city is investing a total of $844,000 in 2012.

Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue                     $128,000
        Central Area Main Streets                   $  72,000
        Chinatown / International District        $185,000
        Columbia City                                      $  66,500
        MLK (Rainier Valley)                           $  83,000
        Pioneer Square                                   $120,000
        Rainier Beach                                     $  55,000
        University District                                $  70,000
        White Center                                       $  64,500
    In addition, the city is investing $142,500 to support focused investments in additional neighborhoods, as well as the Only in Seattlemarketing campaign and business organization development.

        Focused investments will be made in these neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, Belltown, Columbia City, Georgetown, Madison Valley, Rainier Beach, SODO, South Park, and White Center.
                      
        The city will expand the Only in Seattle marketing campaign, which highlights the hidden gems of shopping and dining in Seattle’s neighborhoods (www.onlyinseattle.org). The following neighborhoods will join the Only in Seattle marketing effort: Fremont, Pioneer Square and Wallingford.

        The city also will invest to build strong business-focused organizational capacity to sustain the efforts of neighborhood business districts. Support for Business Improvement Area (BIA) formation will occur in the following neighborhoods: Ballard, Belltown, Capitol Hill / 12th Avenue, Madison Valley, Pioneer Square, SODO, and West Seattle.

    “The city is focused on helping business and property owners to strengthen local business climate and grow jobs,” said Steve Johnson, director of the Office of Economic Development. “Through the Only in Seattle Initiative we have created an investment framework and partnerships to execute strategies to support healthy business districts.”

    In addition this year, the city is investing $100,000 in three neighborhoods for façade improvements: Columbia City, Central Area Main Streets, and Chinatown/International District.  This investment was matched with $142,764 in private dollars.  These improvements directly impact the continued revitalization of the neighborhood business districts and support ongoing business attraction and clean and safe strategies.

Source : http://capitolhillseattle.com/2012/02/29/city-neighborhood-business-grants-means-128000-boost-for-12th-ave

Small Business Grant | "WatchGuard Bolsters Small Business Security Lineup with Two New UTM Appliances"

By : PRWIRE
Source : http://prwire.com.au
Category : Small Business Grant

Sydney – February 29, 2012 – Continuing its ownership of the small and midsize market, WatchGuard® Technologies, a global leader in business security solutions, today added to its SMB and branch office offerings with two new unified threat management (UTM) appliances – the WatchGuard XTM 25 and XTM 26.  Ideal for small businesses, wireless hotspots and branch offices, the WatchGuard XTM 25 and 26 appliances raise the standard for network security price and performance.  Protection is stronger than ever, with HTTPS inspection, VoIP support, and options for Application Control and all other WatchGuard security services (WebBlocker, spamBlocker, Gateway Antivirus, Intrusion Prevention Service, Reputation Enabled Defense, and LiveSecurity Service).

“Small businesses need more from their firewall today than ever before,” said Scott Robertson, Vice President Channels and Alliances – Asia Pacific, WatchGuard Technologies.  “The new WatchGuard XTM 25 and 26 UTM appliances give small businesses enterprise-class protection and advanced business productivity features that are typically seen in appliances that cost thousands of dollars more.”
WatchGuard XTM 25/26 – Packed with the latest security technologies
Despite its small form factor size and diminutive price tag, the WatchGuard XTM 25 and XTM 26 are ready to run the latest security features and advanced networking technologies available today.  These include:

·      Defense-in-depth protection – Identity-based firewalling plus WatchGuard’s unique proxy technology provides full protection against the most sophisticated attacks;

·      Integrated VPN –Whether it is used to create secure virtual private network (VPN) tunnels for Apple iPad, iPhone and other iOS-based devices, or used to enable secure remote connectivity for mobile employees, VPN set up is effortless and easy;

·      Application Control – Both WatchGuard XTM 25 and 26 appliances support next-generation firewall functionality via Application Control.  This allows businesses to utilise web 2.0 apps, while keeping employees focused on work rather than playing social media-based games;

·      Malware and Hacker Prevention – Armed with the latest in intrusion prevention, spam-blocking and gateway anti-virus, the WatchGuard XTM 25 and 26 appliances keep malware, spyware, viruses, worms and hackers out of small business networks;

·      Cloud-based Protection – Keeping small business networks running fast and efficient, both WatchGuard XTM 25 and 26 models can use WatchGuard’s Reputation Enabled Defense service, which is a cloud-based IP and URL reputation solution that stops threats in the cloud before they ever hit the network edge;

·      Fast and Flexible Networking – Models include five 1GbE ports for faster link speeds, and wireless models have dual-band 802.11/n technologies for greater wireless speed and responsiveness;

·      Advanced Management and Reporting – Real-time monitoring, secure logging and more than 65 report templates give businesses insight as to what is going in and out of their network and by whom.

Robertson concludes, “Many small businesses face the same challenges as large organisations – how to keep data, applications and their network safe. With WatchGuard, it doesn’t matter if your business has 10 or 10,000 employees – they all get the same levels of advanced, next-generation threat protection at price points that simply can’t be beat.”

Pricing and Availability
The WatchGuard XTM 25 and XTM 26 will be available in March from Firewall Systems and WhiteGold Solutions.  The list price excluding GST for the XTM 25 begins at $429, the XTM 26 at $599.  Wireless versions are available, starting at $529 excluding GST.  For more information, please go to www.watchguard.com

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.
Since 1996, WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. has been the advanced technology leader of business security solutions, providing mission-critical protection to hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide.  The WatchGuard family of wired and wireless unified threat management appliances, messaging, content security and SSL VPN remote access solutions provide extensible network, application and data protection, as well as unparalleled network visibility, management and control.  WatchGuard products are backed by WatchGuard LiveSecurity® Service, an innovative support, maintenance, and education program.
 WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle and has offices serving North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit http://www.watchguard.com/.

Source : http://prwire.com.au/pr/27538/watchguard-bolsters-small-business-security-lineup-with-two-new-utm-appliances

Small Business Grant | "Dominion Grants $1M For Energy Assistance "

By :  Caitlin Marquis
Source : http://newlondon.patch.com
Category : Small Business Grant

Dominion Resources Inc., owner of Millstone Power Station, has granted $1 million toward energy assistance, Operation Fuel announced in a press release.

New London small business owners can apply for a one-time $1,000 grant from Operation Fuel’s Project/BEST, the release says.

Operation Fuel’s Project/BEST is also funded by Public Service Enterprise Group, the press release states, noting that PSEG donated $150,000 to the program.

Those interested in applying can call 860-243-2345, ext. 308, or email projectbest@operationfuel.org.

Source : http://newlondon.patch.com/articles/dominion-grants-1m-for-energy-assistance

Small Business Grant | "Grant in District 59 race"

By : Kennebec Journal Staff
Source : http://www.kjonline.com
Category : Small Business Grant

GARDINER -- Gay Grant has announced her candidacy for House District 59, representing Gardiner and Randolph.

Grant, 52, of South Gardiner, said being a Gardiner native who also lived in Randolph during her college years makes her uniquely qualified to be the district's next state representative.

Also running are two more Democrats -- Harvey DeVane and Phillip Barter, both of Gardiner.
Now, the seat is held by state Rep. Stephen P. Hanley, D-Gardiner, who is not running again because of term limits.

"Growing up in the city and later raising my children here makes me keenly aware of the issues and concerns faced by my neighbors in this district," Grant said in a prepared statement.

Grant said she has been a school board member, a classroom volunteer and on the parent-teacher organization. She also was on the Board of Trade and was a member of Gardiner's first Historic Preservation Committee, helping to draft the city's first historic ordinance.

Now, she represents Gardiner on the Library's Board of Trustees and she is chairwoman of the library's fundraising committee. For the last seven years, she has owned and operated the Write Way, a small business providing writing and grant writing services for nonprofit agencies and businesses.

Grant lives with her husband of 32 years, Ron Grant, in the house where she grew up in South Gardiner. They have two grown children, Melody and Aaron.

Source : http://www.kjonline.com/news/grant-in-district-59-race_2012-02-28.html

Small Business Grant | "Grants for Land-Based Employers to Employ Apprentices"

By : Stackyard
Source : http://www.stackyard.com
Category : Small Buasiness Grant

There has never been a better time for land-based businesses to employ an Apprentice, as 40,000 small and medium sized businesses will get £1,500 to employ their first Apprentice.

‘The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16-24 year olds’ is an incentive designed to help employers discover the benefits of having an Apprentice in their workplace. The incentive is run by the National Apprenticeship Service and it will be available to 40,000 employers until March 2013. This funding will be in addition to the funded training costs, which are fully funded for 16-18 and half funded for apprentices aged 19-24.

Jo-Anne Bryan, Lantra’s Apprenticeship Manager said: “This is a great opportunity for land-based and environmental businesses to experience the benefits of investing in an Apprentice.

Jo-Anne Bryan, Lantra’s Apprenticeship Manager said: “This is a great opportunity for land-based and environmental businesses to experience the benefits of investing in an Apprentice.

“Lantra works with employers to design the Apprenticeship frameworks, so you can be certain that an Apprentice will develop the skills and knowledge that will best support your business.”

To be eligible, employers must not have employed an Apprentice in the previous three years and they must commit to supporting the Apprentice for the duration of his or her training programme.

Jo-Anne continued: “There are limited spaces with this initiative and businesses across England will be rushing to take advantage, so act soon if you want to watch your business grow by employing an Apprentice.”

For more information on this incentive, download the guidance here or visit the National Apprenticeship Service at www.apprenticeships.org.uk. If you would like to speak to an adviser about the eligibility requirements, call 08000 150 600.

Find out more about the many benefits for employers taking on land-based and environmental Apprentices by visiting www.lantra.co.uk/love-apprentices.

Source : http://www.stackyard.com/news/2012/02/lantra/03_apprenticeships.html 

Small Business Grant | "City grants announced to improve neighborhood business districts"

By : Lynn Thompson
Source : http://today.seattletimes.com
Category : small Business Grant

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Tuesday announced $1.1 million in grants to 19 neighborhood business districts throughout the city.At a news conference in the University District, McGinn and Steve Johnson, director of the city Office of Economic Development, announced awards from $55,000 (to Rainier Beach) to $185,000 (to Chinatown/International District) to improve their business districts. Those neighborhoods receiving the grants have developed multi-year strategies to support small businesses, attract new visitors and improve the shopping experience, according to a city news release.

Rainier Beach, for example, plans to repeat an Art Walk that it started last year as well as strengthen its merchants association. Chinatown/International District is adding security cameras to some buildings and public spaces as well as expanding cleaning services to Little Saigon. The University District, which received a $70,000 grant, is launching a multi-year revitalization plan, said Karin Zaugg Black, spokeswoman for the Office of Economic Development.

The city said it will expand its “Only in Seattle” marketing campaign that publicizes local shopping and dining opportunities in Seattle neighborhoods. It also is investing an additional $100,000 in facade improvements in Columbia City, the Central Area and Chinatown/International District.

Source : http://today.seattletimes.com/2012/02/city-grants-announced-to-improve-neighborhood-business-districts/

Small Business Grant | "Small Business Incubator Expanding"

By : Alex Ferreras
Source : http://www.loansafe.org
Category : Small Business Grant

(Source  George Hohmann Charleston Daily Mail, W.Va. (MCT) — The small business incubator in the Charleston Area Alliance’s Smith Street headquarters building is expanding again.
The latest expansion adds 10 offices ranging from 164 to 483 square feet on the fourth floor. The newly finished space, totaling 3,600 square feet, has a flexible design so offices can be easily configured into various sized units as needed.
Energy efficiency was considered during every step of the build out, said Alliance Senior Vice President Mike Aeiker. Features include long-life light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting; a variable refrigerant flow system that allows each tenant to control the temperature in his or her office; and a solar thermal hot water system. Carpet tiles containing 45 to 60 percent recycled material were used on the floors.
The newly built-out space retains many significant architectural features of the original building, such as redbrick walls. Some ceilings are completely finished with tiles; others feature a “ceiling cloud” of tiles with an unfinished border that still reveals ductwork and the original ceiling.
Unlike incubator offices on other floors of the Alliance building, the fourth floor offices are painted in a variety of bright, bold colors. Glass blocks allow natural light in. Even interior offices have glass blocks so hallway light can penetrate.
“I see this being a community building — so many community events happen in this building,” Aeiker said. “We’re doing our best to make it as energy-efficient as possible.”
The latest expansion was funded with grants totaling $240,210 from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Governor’s Community Participation Fund.
Aeiker, who has overseen the daily operations of the incubator for the past 13 years, was the expansion project manager. ZMM Inc. of Charleston was project architect and Rodney Pauley headed that portion of the work. RC General Contractors of Charleston was the low bidder and was the general contractor.
The Business and Industrial Development Corp. or BIDCO, a successor to the Alliance, received a $1 million federal Economic Development Administration grant in 1986 to buy the building at 1116 Smith St.
The incubator opened in September 1986 and has gradually grown over the years. About two-thirds of the building’s 70,000 square feet of space is now devoted to office use. The Alliance occupies about 14,000 square feet on the first floor.
“With the completion of this project the Alliance and its predecessor, BIDCO, has invested almost $4 million using various grants, matching funds, loans and other funding,” Aeiker said.Unlike most commercial buildings, where public areas are kept to a minimum so rent income can be maximized, the Smith Street building has ample public space. There are conference rooms on every floor. All are available to tenants without additional charge. “That’s part of our effort to help start-up companies,” Aeiker said.
Howard Johnson, who got the incubator started, died last fall. “He always envisioned that this building would be completely renovated and utilized to create new business opportunities for the city,” Aeiker said. “He would be very proud of this project and how it turned out.”
Incubator space is rented on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information email Aeiker at HMAei…@charlestonareaalliance.org or call him at 304 340-4253.

Source : http://www.loansafe.org/small-business-incubator-expanding

Small Business Grant | "Pittsfield Mayor Introduces Small Business Fund"

By : Lucas Willard
Source : http://www.publicbroadcasting.net
Category : Small Business Grant

PITTSFIELD, MA (WAMC) - The proposal by first-term Pittsfield Mayor Daniel Bianchi is a fulfillment of a campaign promise. The Mayor is seeking to create the Small Business Fund - which would provide loans and grants to eligible existing small businesses in the Berkshire City. Mayor Bianchi said that cities and towns may have their own plans and incentives for attracting new business, but this fund will go towards supporting small business that may be struggling due to a variety of factors, including the sluggish economy.
Mayor Bianchi said that eligible businesses would be able to apply for up to 25,000 dollars through the program to help expand, purchase inventory, or provide consulting services.
The funding will be distributed by Pittsfield's Department of Community Development and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation. Funding will come from the former GE Economic Development Fund, now known as the Pittsfield Economic Development Fund. Applications will be receive final approval from the Mayor's office.
The $10 million Economic Development Fund was established after General Electric left, after a decades-long relationship with Pittsfield. Previously, some of the money has gone towards fostering Pittsfield's revitalization through the arts and culture.
Stuart Chase of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and 1Berkshire says that while Pittsfield does have some large employers, it's the majority of businesses with less than fifty employees that collectively support the Berkshire economy.
The Small Business Fund will still need to receive approval from Pittsfield's City Council.
Ward 4 City Councilor Chris Connell welcomes the idea and thinks it's a right step for Pittsfield, but other issues still need to be addressed, including energy costs.
Mayor Bianchi says this fund will contribute to the city's health and strengthen future economic growth.

Source : http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1908313/WAMC.New.England.News/Pittsfield.Mayor.Introduces.Small.Business.Fund

Small Business Grant | "Free seminar to teach small businesses how to grow"

By : Donna Gehrke-White
Source : http://www.sun-sentinel.com
Category : Small Business Grant

Want to learn how to grow your business?
Then consider attending a free two-hour seminar on "Quick and Easy Steps to Uncover Your Hidden Profits" at the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, 401 N. Flagler Dr., in West Palm Beach. It begins at 6 p.m. March 8.
The Small Business Development Center at Palm Beach State College in Boca Raton is hosting it for companies in business for more than three years, with five or more employees and $500,000 to $10 million in sales. It is these such firms where the greatest job creation comes from, according to studies.Florida received a $2.5 million federal grant through the Jobs Act to provide growth acceleration services to businesses throughout the state.
Suzanne Mulvehill, a consultant with Palm Beach College's Small Business Development Center, will conduct the seminar.
Those planning to attend should bring their year-end financial statements to measure their company’s financial performance to try to uncover hidden profits.
 Topics to be discussed include using financial statements as a management tool, evaluating costing and pricing strategies as well as understanding, predicting and controlling cash flow.
For more information, call the Small Business Development Center at 561-862-4726.
dgehrke@tribune.com, 954-356-4404 or Twitter @donnagehrke

Source : http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/blogs/money-sense/sfl-free-seminar-small-businesses-20120224,0,7891640.story

Small Business Grant | "Small business boost"

By : Nadia Brancker
Source : http://www.barbadosadvocate.com
Category : Small Business Grant

From seed to healthy fruit is the vision of The Cherry Tree Trust, a new charity launched yesterday to drive the small business sector in Barbados. The vision of the Cherry Tree Trust is to foster economic and social growth in Barbados by enabling small businesses to get started or get support to grow.
Charles Pink, Chair of the Board of Trustees, outlined the charity’s guidelines: “Our target customers are small businesses with less than 10 employees and turnover of less than Bds$500 000 per annum. We have a particular interest in supporting new start-ups as they find it especially difficult to access finance.
“We will lend Bds$25 000 to an existing business and Bds$15 000 to a start-up. Our loans will be for a term of up to five years. Crucially, we will lend unsecured. And we will charge interest at five per cent.”
He believed what distinguishes The Cherry Tree Trust is the quality of the people involved and the passion for this cause. The other distinguishing feature of The Cherry Tree Trust, according to Pink, is its donors. “What donors want, I think, is for their dollars really to be out to work in making a difference,” he said.
Pink elaborated, “The Cherry Tree Trust will provide loan finance to small businesses in situations where banks and other financial institutions are not willing to lend. The Cherry Tree Trust will complement the work of established financial institutions by meeting the lending needs of the small business that would typically fall short of the criteria. We see this as an important gap, an unmet need in the market that needs to be filled.
“Small business are of course a critical sector for a vibrant economy. In particular they are crucial source of employment, but they often struggle to find finance. This may be because of a lack of a trading record, especially in the case of start-ups, or a lack of security or other assets to give the bank comfort. It is in these situations that The Cherry tree Trust can supply loan finance.”
Pink also gave the assurance that the Cherry Tree Trust does not aim to compete with the banks and credit unions. “Rather we aim to complement these financial institutions. We will provide finance when they will not. Indeed, it will be a condition of our lending that the customer evidences having first been declined for finance by a financial institution,” he said. “Our customers do need a viable business proposition. We do want to get our loans repaid so that we can then relend to another needy, small businesses.”
He also highlighted the charity’s commitment to the business’ success. “A critical part of our position is that we will offer each customer to whom we grant loan a mentor. Our mentors are experienced business people who can handhold our customers, bringing the value of their having been there and done that,” he explained.
The Cherry Tree Trust website was launched yesterday which would have all the information needed including application form, the business plan template and details of how to apply.

Source : http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=business&NewsID=23093

Small Business Grant | "API wins second SBIR grant from Navy"

By : Michael Davidson
Source : http://www.bcbr.com
Category : Small Business Grant

LAFAYETTE - A Lafayette-based engineering firm has won a research grant to continue work on developing fuel cells that can help power unmanned underwater vehicles.
API Engineering LLC received a $500,000 Small Business Innovative Research grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The Phase II contract has an additional option for $250,000.
API Engineering will use the grant to continue research and development work on oxygen generation technology for fuels cells that can be used underwater.
The Navy is developing underwater vehicles that can be thought of as nautical counterparts to the Air Force's unmanned drones, API Engineering's president Ken Presley said.
While the Air Force drone program has become well known for its espionage and covert work, the Navy's unmanned underwater vehicle, or UUV, program is in its early stages.
"One of the primary issues with UUVs is getting the range and endurance they want out of them" Presley said.
The goal of the project is to make fuel cells more efficient and energy dense, Presley said.
API Engineering received a $70,000 Phase I grant in 2010, after being one of four proposals chosen from more than 10 that were submitted. Only two companies received Phase II grants for the program.
The $500,000 grant will run through the end of 2012, with the $250,000 option coming available in the middle of next year if the Navy chooses to continue, Presley said. If the technology works and is adopted, it could be deployed within three to five years, he said.
API Engineering is a two-person firm established in 2009.

Source : http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=62175

Small Business Grant | "UTSA to expand small-business program to the Caribbean"

By : David Hendricks
Source : http://www.mysanantonio.com
Category : Small Business Grant

The University of Texas at San Antonio Institute for Economic Development will develop small-business development centers in five Caribbean nations under an agreement with the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Export Development Agency.
The project is expected to widen trade opportunities for South Texas small businesses.
A U.S. grant of $960,000 through the U.S. Mission to the OAS will be used to launch the two-year Caribbean project in Belize, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Dominica. The UTSA Institute's International Trade Center will lead the project, which will emphasize assistance for women-run small businesses, said Robert McKinley, UTSA associate vice president.
The UTSA Institute has long operated a Small Business Development Center in the San Antonio area in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, which operates similar programs with universities across the nation.
The SBDCs assist with business startups and expansions by providing help with management, technology guidance, marketing, exporting, government contracting and other services.
The UTSA International Trade Center started replicating the SBDCs in Mexico in 2003. There are now 104 SBDCs in Mexico. It also has trained economic development practitioners to set up SBDCs in El Salvador and Colombia. In a U.S. State Department program called Central American Pathways, additional SBDCs have been established with the help of UTSA in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama, McKinley said.
“The Caribbean must not be left out, as the region can benefit greatly from this initiative,” McKinley said.
“It is now the time to diversify our economy and in believing in ourselves and developing the internal market of the Caribbean,” Escipion Oliveira, deputy director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency, said in a prepared statement. Oliveira added that he hopes the program will be extended to other Caribbean countries.
The UTSA International Trade Center, headed by director Cliff Paredes, will begin the Caribbean program next week with training in Belize.
The center also operates an online trade program linking South Texas small businesses that are SBDC clients with buy-and-sell opportunities with small businesses in other countries. The Internet site is www.sbdcglobal.com.
Last year, the UTSA International Trade Center assisted with $210 million in international sales made by small businesses in the San Antonio region, McKinley said.
The Caribbean project with the OAS “will result in our clients and partners being connected to hundreds of international SBDCs and hundreds of thousands of their clients throughout the Americas,” Paredes said.
McKinley said the UTSA Institute also is in discussions with Brazil to link with Brazil's small-business development program.

Source : http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/UTSA-to-expand-small-business-program-to-the-3365162.php

Small Business Grant | "Small businesses encouraged to grow in Melbourne "

By : Invest In Australia
Source : http://www.investinaustralia.com
Category : Small Business Grant

The City of Melbourne is inviting small business owners with plans to start up or expand their businesses to apply for grants under its Small Business Grants Program, open now until 13 March.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the Small Business Grants program was designed to help small businesses get off the ground and grow and also to contribute to the unique business mix of the city.
“Over the past 15 years we have helped close to 300 small businesses in Melbourne including Suga, Keepcup and Mag Nation – all of which are businesses that are today thriving and have come to symbolise Melbourne,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We want to add to this list and so encourage small businesses in our municipality to apply for grants that can help them develop or get their businesses off the ground.”
The last round of Council Small Business Grants saw small businesses including a handyman, mobile gourmet food van and rooftop bee keeping company share in almost $280,000 of Small Business, Social Enterprise and Micro Business Grant funding awarded by the City of Melbourne.
Future Melbourne (Economic Development and Knowledge City) Committee Chair Kevin Louey said in 2011, the City of Melbourne had piloted the inclusion of the Social Enterprise and Micro Businesses Grants Program which had since become an additional  fixture of the Small Business Grants Program.
“This new pilot category aims to create employment opportunities within the city for both profit and not-for-profit enterprises and charities that combine trade with a social purpose and also micro businesses whose operators were part of minority or disadvantaged groups,” Cr Louey said.
“A total of $75,000 of grant funding in this round has been provided to three social enterprise recipients. We hope these grants will encourage other micro businesses to apply for funding in future rounds.”
Applications for the  second round of Small Business, Social Enterprise and Micro Business Grants is now open and will close on 13 March 2012. Details can be found on www.enterprisemelbourne.com.au.

Source : http://www.investinaustralia.com/news/small-businesses-encouraged-grow-melbourne-34b5

Small Business Grant | "Connect My Louisiana brings internet to rural areas"

By : Lea Ciskowski
Source : http://www.lsureveille.com
Category : Small Business Grant

In an age when the Internet and its information seem to permeate every area in the world, some areas of Louisiana still can't access this tool.
LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Division of Administration's Office of Information Technology have teamed up in Connect My Louisiana, an educational initiative, to extend broadband technology and knowledge of its uses to Louisiana citizens who have limited or no access to the Internet.
Connect My Louisiana is funded by a four-year grant provided by the Louisiana Division of Administration.
The project was founded last year to address a severe lack of broadband Internet access in some areas of Louisiana.
Through research collected from participating broadband service providers, the Louisiana Division of Administration identified 18 parishes without a significant broadband presence.
The 18 parishes include Allen, Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Franklin, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Madison, Morehouse, Pointe Coupee, Richland, St. Helena, Tensas, Washington and West Carroll.
Bruce Garner, LSU AgCenter education awareness coordinator, said there are problems getting a DSL or cable signal to many homes in these areas because they are mainly rural. However, Connect My Louisiana aims to publicize other technologies that can bring broadband Internet to these areas, such as satellite and cell phone technology.
Educators from the LSU AgCenter travel to these parishes and teach local residents about broadband Internet access and the benefits of using it in their businesses through courses ranging from an introductory course, "What is Broadband Technology?" to "Blogging for Business."
Garner said part of the grant for this initiative was written for economic development so an e-commerce course is offered to show small business owners how to use the Internet to market and expand their businesses.
"This can be achieved by purchasing a domain name and designing a simple website through WordPress, creating a Facebook page or using eBay, Etsy and Craigslist to sell their products," Garner said.
Connect My Louisiana is not just aimed at educating small business owners in these less-connected areas. The initiative also strives to educate the general public about the benefits of broadband Internet in their personal lives.
Garner taught an introductory broadband course to a group of senior citizens and taught one grandmother how to create a Facebook account and send a friend request to her two grandchildren who live in California.
And it only took two minutes.
"We take broadband Internet for granted. Some of the residents in these parishes still have to use dial-up, which can take forever," Garner said.
Connect My Louisiana teachers survey residents about their current Internet service following each course, so they can present that information to wireless cable and phone company vendors.
Garner said the majority of rural residents are unhappy with their current Internet capabilities.
"We want broadband Internet technology companies to receive this information and extend their services to these areas where residents want more access to broadband technology," Garner said.

Source : http://www.lsureveille.com/news/connect-my-louisiana-brings-internet-to-rural-areas-1.2706856#.T0tLI3lsSqU

Small Business Grant | "Small business incubator expanding"

By : George Hohmann
Source : http://www.dailymail.com
Category : Small Business Grant

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The small business incubator in the Charleston Area Alliance's Smith Street headquarters building is expanding again.
The latest expansion adds 10 offices ranging from 164 to 483 square feet on the fourth floor. The newly finished space, totaling 3,600 square feet, has a flexible design so offices can be easily configured into various sized units as needed.
Energy efficiency was considered during every step of the build out, said Alliance Senior Vice President Mike Aeiker. Features include long-life light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting; a variable refrigerant flow system that allows each tenant to control the temperature in his or her office; and a solar thermal hot water system. Carpet tiles containing 45 to 60 percent recycled material were used on the floors.
The newly built-out space retains many significant architectural features of the original building, such as redbrick walls. Some ceilings are completely finished with tiles; others feature a "ceiling cloud" of tiles with an unfinished border that still reveals ductwork and the original ceiling.
Unlike incubator offices on other floors of the Alliance building, the fourth floor offices are painted in a variety of bright, bold colors. Glass blocks allow natural light in. Even interior offices have glass blocks so hallway light can penetrate.
"I see this being a community building — so many community events happen in this building," Aeiker said. "We're doing our best to make it as energy-efficient as possible."
The latest expansion was funded with grants totaling $240,210 from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Governor's Community Participation Fund.
Aeiker, who has overseen the daily operations of the incubator for the past 13 years, was the expansion project manager. ZMM Inc. of Charleston was project architect and Rodney Pauley headed that portion of the work. RC General Contractors of Charleston was the low bidder and was the general contractor.

Source : http://www.dailymail.com/Business/201202260085

Small Business Grant | "Statewide library program aims to foster small businesses"

By : Bridget Clerkin
source : http://www.nj.com
Category : Small Business Grant

Libraries have always been places that help plant the seeds of knowledge, but across the state, they are also becoming resources to help small businesses get started in a sluggish economy.
The trend is part of the new statewide campaign NJ Grows Biz, an initiative expanding the resources available to libraries to help them help small businesses and entrepreneurs get off the ground.
The latest installment in the project is the Small Business Resource Center, a virtual library of textbooks on topics dealing with starting and maintaining a business. The resource center was recently launched in public libraries across the state.
“The state library recognized the need in the community for this type of information, and in an effort to help New Jersey’s economic recovery, we made these changes,” said Tiffany McClary, a representative of the New Jersey State Library. “It’s just so important for business owners and entrepreneurs to understand what’s available to them.”
In addition to the Small Business Resource Center database — a free service for any library card holder — the state library is developing a website to help direct local businesses to research information. The database can be accessed at jerseyclicks.org.
Two business resource centers have also been established in the East Brunswick and Burlington public libraries. Owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs can go to the libraries to speak with business consultants, ask for customized research from librarians and attend special classes put on by local professionals on various aspects of running a business.
“The beauty of public libraries is that we can respond quickly to the needs of our community,” said Mary Ellen Firestone, director of the East Brunswick Public Library. “We have things in place already.”
The state hopes to expand the business resource centers, which are modeled after the program established by the East Brunswick Public Library in 2010, to at least three more locations when funding becomes available.
“Libraries have always helped business people and people looking for new jobs,” Firestone said. “Obviously with the economic downturn, people turn to libraries in droves, and the response here has been tremendous.”
Part of their success has been the access to the Frost & Sullivan database, which provides research reports on business topics. The state purchased the database for the library last month with the help of a $5.1 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant.
According to Karen Parry, manager of information services at East Brunswick, accessing a report from the database would typically cost a company $20,000 or more. Thanks to the grant, the library has already been able to distribute more than $5 million worth of information to small businesses free of charge.
“Since the reports are normally so expensive, it’s especially good for small businesses and start-up companies,” Parry said.
The state libraries have also initiated a campaign called NJ Works to offer resources for those who are seeking jobs. Utilizing the BTOP grant money, along with a $1.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, public libraries across the state have been holding classes on topics ranging from basic computer skills to résumé-building to the utilization of social networks to help educate the unemployed. Since the program’s initiation last year, public libraries have offered more than 3,000 hours of classes to nearly 7,000 residents, and they have helped create nearly 1,500 résumés.
“It is bringing people into the libraries who haven’t been coming to the libraries previously,” said Natasha Peter, BTOP compliance officer at the New Jersey State Library. “There is a draw and there is a need for those types of classes, especially for older people. They really do want to learn how to use a computer to help in their job searches.”
Kathy Schalk-Greene, director of the Mount Laurel Public Library, a main location for the NJ Works initiative, the program brings several new people in search of a job into the library every day.
“It’s such a need today,” she said. “Everyone has been touched by either a family member or a friend or a neighbor who’s lost a job. Unfortunately there’s a lot of people in that category now, but we’re glad to help put a stop to that.”

Source : http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2012/02/statewide_library_program_aims.html

Small Business Grant | "Businesses get energy assistance"

By : Diana Li
Source : http://www.yaledailynews.com
Category : Small Business Grant

A new program to help New Haven companies reduce their energy costs is on track to dole out over $100,000 in grants to city small businesses.
With its initiative “Project/BEST,” private Connecticut-based nonprofit Operation Fuel has partnered with two utilities companies — Dominion Resources, Inc. of Virginia and Public Service Enterprise Group of New Jersey — to distribute $1,000 grants and run training sessions that promote energy efficiency. The initiative, which lasts through March 2, follows one in Hartford, in which 213 businesses received a total of $213,000.
“Small businesses are the most energy-inefficient ones and are more likely to have older light bulb fixtures, freezer units and so on,” said Bob Slate, Operation Fuel’s small business advocate. “We want our businesses to be sustainable both economically and environmentally and to learn about efficiency improvements that will lead to long-term savings.”
The workshops will educate business owners about how to become more energy efficient at a low cost,as well as how best to find low-interest loans for those improvements, Slate said.
Operation Fuel has previously aided individuals and families with their energy bills, and Project/BEST now extends their efforts to businesses.
“As much as we’re focused on helping residents, we also know that it’s important to help the businesses where those people work and the businesses where they shop,” Slate said.
Dominion Resources, Inc. and Public Service Enterprise Group contributed $1 million and $150,000 towards the funds, respectively. Representatives from both companies could not be reached for comment.
Three owners of businesses in New Haven lauded the program, saying they would now be able to use the money for other aspects of their businesses. Claire Criscuolo of Claire’s Corner Copia on Chapel Street said the money she would have spent on utilities will help fund healthcare benefits for her workers.“This program is especially helpful for businesses like us who already try to do the right thing,” said Criscuolo, who added that small businesses often have to make difficult choices regarding how to use their funds. “Unlike the federal government, we can’t just spend money.”
Business owners described the grant’s one-page application as simple and short. Its primary purpose is to ensure that businesses meet eligibility requirements, Slate said, adding that the program especially encourages women and minorities who own businesses to apply. As of Friday, about 95 percent of roughly 100 applications from New Haven business owners were approved, he said.
Marie Gallo, owner of Gallo Appliance on State Street, said that the hardest part of the application process was “just looking up my account number.”
To express her appreciation for the initiative, Paula Lupi of West Village Opticians on Whalley Avenue said she wrote a cover letter for her application — even though it was not required. With the new funding, Lupi will be able to put more money into new stock and digitizing her business operations, she said.
Following the program’s run in Hartford, Operation Fuel began accepting applications in New Haven — its second city — on Jan. 1. Programs in New London and Waterbury will begin on Feb. 1 and run through March 20, followed by Project/BEST’s fifth and final city, Bridgeport, whose program will run from March 1 through April 20.
Non-profit organizations and home businesses are ineligible for the current grants, though Slate said Operation Fuel is looking to expand the project’s scope.

Source : http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/feb/27/businesses-see-energy-assistance/

Small Business Grant | "NSW small businesses to benefit from $5m assistance fund"

By : Invest In Australia
Source : http://www.investinaustralia.com
Category : Small Business Grant


Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner and Minister for Small Business Katrina Hodgkinson today launched the NSW Government’s $5 million Small Biz Connect program.

Mr Stoner said the NSW Government will expand small business support services across the State through the redevelopment of the existing Business Advisory Service (which expires on 30 June 2012) into the Small Biz Connect program.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed to backing small business in NSW and as part of this commitment we are dedicating $5 million for the delivery of small business support services under the Small Biz Connect program,” Mr Stoner said.

“In these times of economic uncertainty, it is important for small businesses right across the State to know that the NSW Government is standing alongside them for support and advice to help them start, grow and prosper.

“We want to give more depth to small business service delivery across the State, especially in regional areas of NSW where business confidence suffered a serious blow under the former Labor Government.

“The NSW Government is using this opportunity to refocus its resources on improving small business performance and growth by expanding small business support at a grass roots level.”

Ms Hodgkinson said that a key finding of the NSW Small Business Commissioner’s listening tour was that small business operators across the State value face to face advisory assistance.

“As a former small business owner, I understand the importance of having someone in your region working face to face with you on developing your business. This was not a priority for the former Government,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“I have asked that the Small Business Commissioner seeks out innovative solutions to deliver small business advisory services across the State from not for profit providers of small business services, by calling for Expressions of Interest for the delivery of the Small Biz Connect program.

“Small Biz Connect will directly engage with small business operators through a range of innovative services tailored to meet the particular small business needs of each region in NSW while providing linkages to further pathways and business improvement programs.

“All current contract holders for Business Advisory Services will have the opportunity and are encouraged to participate in the EOI for this new program,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

Source : http://www.investinaustralia.com/news/nsw-small-businesses-benefit-5m-assistance-fund-34m5

Small Business Grant | "Rockingham board reviews budget, gets bridge update "

By : DOMENIC POLI
Source : http://www.reformer.com
Category : Small Business Grant

ROCKINGHAM -- During its regular meeting on Feb. 21, the Rockingham Selectboard reviewed the 14 warrant articles it is sending to be voted on at Town Meeting before getting an update on two bridges affected by Tropical Storm Irene.

All 14 articles had previously been approved by the Selectboard and members of the public will have their voices heard at Town Hall Auditorium (Bellows Falls Opera House) at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 5.

Starting at 9 a.m. on March 6, residents will have the opportunity to cast their votes for town officials at the Masonic Temple.

Selectboard Chairman Tom MacPhee said in a telephone interview that no one in the room had any problem with the articles, which the Board approved at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17, and are now in the Town Report, available online at the town’s website.

The passage of Article 5 would mean the voters approve of raising and appropriating money to pay the town’s indebtedness, to repair and maintain highways and pay all other general and regular expenses beginning July 1, 2012, and ending June 30, 2013.

The budget for the town’s general expenses, cemetery, highway department, equipment fund, theater and library totals $6,101,120. Municipal Manager Timothy Cullenen, who also gave the bridges update, said that once grants and revenues are subtracted, $3,868,453 is the amount that needs to be raised by taxes.

Article 6 would appropriate $368,632 for the Rockingham Free Public Library’s operating expenses while Article 7’s approval would set aside $41,000 to be used as the town’s required match for a 2012 Transportation Enhancement Grant, awarded through by the state, in the amount of $216,000. The grant money is to be used to repair, replace and extend a sidewalk in Saxtons River from the end of the present sidewalk to the Saxtons River Recreation Area.

Article 8 is to see if the voters will appropriate $99,500 to retire debt within the Highway Capital Fund. A sum of $74,378 would be allocated to 12 social service agencies if Article 9 passes while Article 10 seeks to appropriate and expend the sum of $1,500 to help create, support and operate community gardens in the town.

Article 11’s approval would raise, appropriate and extend $2,300 for the support of Youth Services, Inc., which provides numerous services.

Passage of Article 12 would increase the property tax exemption available to all qualified veterans that are 50-percent-or-greater disabled, and their qualified widows, widowers and children, from $20,000 to of assessed value to $40,000 of assessed value in accordance with 32 V.S.A., to be effective on April 1.

Prior to the review, Cullenen gave the Board members his update of the bridges. He said the replacement of Bartonsville Covered Bridge, which was completely destroyed by Irene, is still under design and the abutments are close to being finished. He said the town is moving forward with a temporary bridge, which should be open by mid-March.

The Worrall Covered Bridge is still standing but is closed, as it was severely damaged by the storm. Cullenen said bids for the repair work are due by March 1.

In other business:

-- With the first item on the agenda, there was a public hearing about the town’s approval of its Disadvantaged Business Enterprises program. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website, DBEs "are for-profit small business concerns where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals own at least a 51-percent interest and also control management and daily business operations."

It says that African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and subcontinent Asian-Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged.

Francis "Dutch" Walsh, economic development director for Rockingham, said the town has been a contractor with the DBE since 2004 and that a revision of what is already on the book assures no discrimination.

Walsh said it is a requirement -- through the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration -- any time federal dollars are used for a project. The money will be used for a federal park-and-ride, used for carpooling, near Exit 6 and a garage bay for bus maintenance.

-- The Selectboard approved an extension of the auditor’s contract.

-- Members of the Selectboard also signed termination forms for Choice Strategies HRA/FSA, as the town has switched its insurance to Blue Cross Blue Shield, instead of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

Source : http://www.reformer.com/ci_20041701?source=most_viewed

Small Business Grant | "Free business seminar at William Paterson"

By : West Milford Messenger
Source : http://www.strausnews.com
Category : Small Business Grant

WAYNE — A free seminar for business owners, entitled “How to Connect with your Customers - Marketing Techniques and Social Networking,” will be held Wednesday, Feb. 29, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at William Paterson University.
The seminar is sponsored by Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Passaic County Department of Economic Development.
Sally Glick, chief growth strategist of Sobel and Company, LLC, will be the keynote speaker discussing marketing techniques of today and tomorrow. A roundtable discussion will be held with Paul Gourhan, creative director of PMW.net discussing company branding, Gene Sower, president of SamsonMedia.net, discussing social media opportunities and Web site promotion, and Ron Jones of William Paterson University discussing advance selling.
The event is hosted by William Paterson University Center for Continuing and Professional Education and Small Business Development Center, Passaic County Improvement Authority, Passaic and Paterson Urban Enterprise Zone, Downtown New Jersey, Passaic County Workforce Investment Board, North Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Paterson Chamber of Commerce, Wayne Economic Development Commission and Tri-County Chamber of Commerce.The business forum will be held at William Paterson University, 1600 Valley Road, Wayne. Please RSVP to Passaic County Department of Economic Development at 973-569-4720

Source : http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2012/02/25/west_milford_messenger/news/15.txt

Small Business Grant | "Malloy: Investing in innovation will grow our economy"

By : Governor Dannel P. Malloy's office
Source : http://www.shorelineplus.com
Category : Small Business Grant

HARTFORD, CT - Governor Dannel P. Malloy Friday announced a $500,000 state loan to Lumachip Inc., a Waterford company that is a leader in the solid-state lighting industry. Lumachip Inc. will purchase and install state-of-the-art Light Emitting Diode (LED) semi-conductor equipment that will allow the company to expand manufacturing capacity and hire 20 new employees.
Funding was awarded through the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development. The 10-year loan has an interest rate of 4% and principal and interest will be deferred for the first year.
“Small business is synonymous with innovation. Whether responding to the ever-changing marketplace or competition, small businesses must constantly create new methods and products to be successful,” said Governor Malloy. “It’s this innovative spirit that makes Connecticut small businesses essential to our state’s economic growth, and why state support is so critical for companies like Lumachip. We have a company right here in Connecticut that is developing smart, sought-after, environmentally-friendly products. We want to help these companies get stronger, hire more workers, and keep their competitive edge.”
Solid-state lighting, including LED lighting, is a more energy efficient and practical lighting option than either traditional incandescent light bulbs or fluorescent lights. These mercury-free lights have a smaller impact on the environment, last longer, and are more efficient at converting power into light.
“In today's difficult business environment it is extremely important that non-traditional sources of lending are available to small business here in Connecticut,” said Andrew Macy, Chief Operations Officer of Lumachip. “The Department of Economic and Community Development, under Governor Malloy’s leadership, has made capital more accessible at a critical time, enabling Lumachip to move ahead aggressively with an expansion plan for an industry-leading manufacturing center in Southeastern Connecticut.”
Lumachip produces and designs LED lights, including a thin, flexible LED strips for under-cabinet lighting and other hard-to-light areas. The company’s products also have practical uses in signs, as well as medical and military applications.
“When Governor Malloy and I toured the Lumachip facility a few months ago, Andrew Macy and other company officials made a strong case for this grant. I’m delighted by DECD’s favorable consideration of its application. I have long held the best formula for economic growth is a partnership between the public and private sectors through which regulation and capital investment is coupled with the creativity and adaptability of private businesses,” said State Senator Andrea Stillman. “This loan for Lumachip is another prime example of how this partnership can work, and the proof is in the planned expansion that will generate 20 new jobs in a relatively small operation – great news for Lumachip and for our local economy.”
“I am extremely excited for Lumachip and extend my congratulations on this loan. It is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and drive to grow. This is a wise investment and a step forward in embracing new, green technologies that will save energy in many ways,” said State Representative Betsy Ritter (D-Waterford, Montville). “In addition to being more efficient and longer lasting, LEDs produce light in a much cooler fashion than other technologies – decreasing cooling costs in the summer and alleviating the burden on our electrical grid. I commend all those involved with Lumachip for their hard work and dedication.”
Funding was awarded through the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development. The 10-year loan has an interest rate of 4% and principal and interest will be deferred for the first year.
“During Governor Malloy’s Jobs Tour last year, Lumachip was one of the many stops we made to talk one-on-one with Connecticut businesses leaders and learn firsthand what they were experiencing,” said Catherine Smith, Commissioner of DECD. “We wanted their input and expertise as we crafted solutions to the state’s jobs crisis, and I think it really made a big difference. Governor Malloy’s Jobs Bill had tremendous credibility from the very beginning because it had support from the business community.”

Source : http://www.shorelineplus.com/shplus/information/news/News_1/Malloy-Investing-in-innovation-will-grow-our-economy159321593215932.shtml

 

Small Business Grant | "Tech and biotech: Stemina lands NIH grant, expands drug testing platform"

By : JUDY NEWMAN
Source : http://host.madison.com
Category : Small Business Grant

Madison stem cell company, Stemina Biomarker Discovery, is getting a $150,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health aimed at expanding the use of its drug testing technology for harmful side effects.
Co-founded by UW-Madison stem cell researcher Gabriela Cezar, Stemina has been using its technology with heart cells provided by Cellular Dynamics International (CDI), the Madison company founded by UW stem cell pioneer James Thomson, to see if drug compounds could cause cardiomyopathy, a condition that weakens the heart and can lead to heart failure.
Certain breast cancer drugs, for example, have been linked to heart problems, said Beth Donley, Stemina chief executive officer. “So a woman who survived breast cancer might end up dying from heart disease,” she said.
The new grant will extend the use of Stemina’s testing platform, used with CDI’s stem cell-derived heart cells, to screen drugs for the possibility of causing other types of heart problems, such as arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.
The tests could be expanded to look at the impact of other types of products, such as agricultural chemicals, on heart cells, Donley said. “We’re starting with pharmaceuticals and we’ll be developing out from there.”
Stemina was founded in 2006 and now has 12 employees. Already on the market is its first product which screens drug compounds to see if they will result in birth defects. Beyond that, Cezar has said one of her goals is to find biomarkers for autism.
The company also conducts metabolomics studies for companies, to see if there are changes in metabolism in response to a particular drug or disease.
Donley said Stemina hit an important milestone in 2011, marking its first profitable quarter in the third quarter. Revenue totaled $1.5 million last year, with half of that coming from service and licensing fees.
The company has raised more than $8 million so far. Of that, $4.6 million has come from investors, including Shamrock Partners, Milwaukee, which led a $3 million funding round that closed in late 2010. Another $2.5 million has come from federal grants and the company received $1 million in grants and loans from the former Wisconsin Department of Commerce.

Source: http://host.madison.com/wsj/blogs/tech-and-biotech-stemina-lands-nih-grant-expands-drug-testing/article_383aa214-5f4e-11e1-8c37-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1nT2P4pjC

Small Business Grant | "Mac students’ big business ideas boosted with grant "

By ; Steve Arnold
Source : http://www.thespec.com
Category : Small Business Grant

A new federal grant to McMaster University will give science and engineering students with big ideas for their own businesses a chance to make the jump from lab bench to shop floor.
The government has given the university $787,500 to help finance up to 75 graduates and graduate students launch or expand up to 30 business ventures.
The money comes from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and is targeted at students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Andrew Forde and Mahmoud Hashim, both students in Mac’s Master of Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation program, will both cash in that support: Hashim to perfect a new way of administering classroom tests and Forde to put a computer tablet beside every hospital bed in the world as a way of making it easier for doctors to treat their patients.
Hashim’s company, Akindi, is perfecting a way of replacing the bubble sheets used to administer multiple choice tests to students. The preprinted forms cost about 20 cents each but Hashim says they can be replaced with regular paper and a new software package that will mark these tests and analyze the results.
“The technology that’s being used now is old and hasn’t been updated in 20 years because the company that owns it has a monopoly on the market,” he said in an interview.
Using the federal grant, he hopes to have a pilot test of the program during the summer and be ready to hit the market in September of this year or January next year.
Forde’s idea, Sommerfeld Solutions Inc., grew from growing up in a family of nurses who sometimes longed for the old days when they made notes on charts at the foot of a patient’s bed while information was still fresh in their minds. (That custom was killed by patient privacy concerns that forced patient charts into a central location.)
By putting a tablet, such as an iPad or RIM PlayBook, by each bed, doctors and medical staff can make their notes immediately in a secure form. The tablet can also link directly to the pharmacy, allowing drugs to be dispensed faster with fewer chances for error.
He expects to use the grant money to prove out the concept in a small trial at Hamilton Health Sciences or another hospital before presenting it to the world.
The grant was announced by David Sweet, MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, in a brief ceremony at the university Friday.
Sweet praised the program as a critical link in helping new businesses get started.
“This will help to close the gap between the research lab and the shop floor,” he said. “Canada needs to innovate, and our universities and colleges are hotbeds of innovation and new ideas.
“Fresh new ideas like these and a highly skilled workforce are the building blocks for a strong future,” he added.
“This support will be critical to stimulating the new companies students are starting,” said David Wilkinson, the university’s dean of engineering. “It will give them a fighting chance to succeed.”
FedDev Ontario was created in 2009 to support job creation efforts in southern Ontario.

Source : http://www.thespec.com/news/business/article/676860--mac-students-big-business-ideas-boosted-with-grant

Small Business Grant | "Grant Money for Five Jackson Businesses"

By : Brad Soroka 
Source : http://www2.wjtv.com 
Category : Small business Grant 

The City of Jackson is awarding $30,000 in grants to five area businesses: Celebrity Cuts, Inc., The Property Shop Real Estate Firm, M3A Architecture, The Law Office of Charlinda Miller Florence and Community Lawn Care.

The city hopes the money will help create new jobs and attract more businesses to the area.

Last fiscal year, the city distributed more than $252,000 to businesses through grants.  According to the city, that money created 170 jobs.  On top of the new jobs added, businesses were able to retain an additional 146 jobs.

Now the city is distributing grant dollars for this fiscal year.

"It brings businesses to the city.  It enhances the ones that we already have.  It creates jobs," explains Michael Davis, from the City of Jackson's Economic Development Office.

When the city awards a grant, it requires that the money be used to buy equipment that helps a business grow-- things like computers and printers.

"We have a monitoring component to it where we go out and take pictures of the actual equipment or of the actual signage and or façade depending on the type of grant, and then six months later, we also go out again just to make sure that those pieces of equipment are still at that facility," says Davis.

There's no mandate that the recipients shop locally, but the city would love to see the money stay in Mississippi.

"We most definitely do encourage them because they are tax dollars and they are local so it's great to help your local economy," says Davis.

There's still some grant money left, so if you're a small business and you're looking to improve your curb appeal or you're looking to buy office equipment, consider applying.

"We're encouraging businesses to look at the Highway 80 area," says Davis.  "It's a very vibrant area.  The grants in that area are up to $15,000."

The grants are distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

To apply for a grant, contact Jackson's Office of Economic Development.  A board will review your application and determine how much money you're eligible for.  In many cases, it's more than $10,000.

Source : http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/feb/24/grant-money-five-jackson-businesses-ar-3296136/

Small Business Grant | " NICC receives $4.8 million grant for training program"

 By : Decorah Newspapers.com 
Source : http://www.decorahnewspapers.com 
Category : Small Business Grant 

Northeast Iowa Community College received a $4,870,648 grant to support its "Skill Up" program, a comprehensive information technology training opportunity in the advanced manufacturing, professional and business services and health care fields in the greater Dubuque area.

The program will provide training for both the employed and unemployed, so individuals who complete training will gain the skills they need to advance or gain employment in entry-level information technology positions.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the funding to NICC through the H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Competition. These grants, authorized by the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act, are funded through fees paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) was instrumental in securing the funding for Skill Up, and said the training program will benefit workers and local employers.

"This innovative program brings the best of both worlds together: funding that supports the training of skilled workers to meet local demand for jobs," said Harkin. "I applaud NICC's continued work in this effort and I thank the U.S. Department of Labor for recognizing Iowa's advancements in job training."

In Skill Up information technology training, classes would cover a variety of specialized areas, such as Pro-E software training for engineers or systems management software training for employees who seek advancement into computer network administration. The grant funding allows NICC to develop training curriculum and to hire and bring in instructors to provide the training locally. All colleges will be assisting in curriculum development for credit career pathways and certificate programs specially geared toward current employees and individuals who want to increase their skill capacity.

NICC is working with several key partners on the Skill Up program, such as Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, The City of Dubuque, Clarke University, Loras College and Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Fennimore, Wis.). Additional workforce partners include Iowa Region 1 Employment and Training and the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation officials said that the grant announcement comes at critical time for the local economy.

"Greater Dubuque Development Corporation is dedicated to business retention and expansion, national marketing, workforce retention, recruitment and development," said Rick Dickinson, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation executive director. "The need for up-skilling employees' information technology skills in our major employment sectors of professional and business services, advanced manufacturing, information technology and health services is critical to retain and recruit businesses to our community," he said.

Many employers will benefit from the advanced training the Skill Up program provides to area employees and job seekers. Employers working in collaboration with NICC and local colleges include Curwood, HyPro Incorporated, Cabela's, Westmark Enterprises, Inc., Scot Industries-Bar Plant, the Milprint Division of Bemis Flexible Packaging, Medical Associates Clinics and Health Plans, and IBM Corporation. Other area employers partnering with NICC are John Deere Dubuque Works, Cottingham & Butler Insurance Services, Eagle Window & Door, Rentech Energy Partners, Nu-Pak, Heartland Financial USA, Dubuque Data Services, Rayovac and 3M Corporation.

"This is a great opportunity to enhance our partnership with local colleges and businesses to provide high-level, advanced IT skills development training," said Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D., NICC vice president of economic development services. "The Skill Up program focuses not only on training for laid off skilled workers, but especially advanced training for a company's current workers. The partnership and this grant are unique in that sense. Also, in the future additional businesses can enter into the partnership with NICC to take advantage of this training opportunity," she said.

In the partnership, the federal grant funding supports training, curriculum development, instructors and equipment costs incurred by NICC and other colleges in delivering customized training for businesses, which is a cost-effective alternative not previously available, Mihm-Herold said.

The grant awarded to NICC for the Skills Up program was part of a nationwide announcement this week by the U.S. Department of Labor. The NICC initiative was the only program in the State of Iowa to receive the DOL funding, which was a portion of $183 million awarded to 43 grantees representing 28 states.

Source : http://www.decorahnewspapers.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=13&ArticleID=27591

Small Business Grant | "Gillibrand backs federal aid for biotechs that create jobs"

By : Andrew Klappholz 
Source : http://www.lohud.com 
Category : Small Business Grant 

Some of Westchester’s fastest-growing companies ought to benefit from their efforts to keep jobs in America, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Friday.

Local biotechnology labs should be eligible for federal grants if they create local manufacturing jobs, said Gillibrand, D-N.Y., at a breakfast sponsored by Key Bank and the Westchester Business Council.

“We need that excellent workforce that we have right here in Westchester,” Gillibrand said.

Under her proposal, which she and Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, introduced in October, American and foreign manufacturers could apply for grants if they did their manufacturing in the United States.

Their legislation would not include big companies such as Regeneron — a Tarrytown-based biotech company that went from 400 employees to 1,650 in the past four years. Only biotech companies with fewer than 750 total employees are eligible; other manufacturers would need fewer than 1,000.

While federal officials are working to simplify the corporate tax code that would eliminate deductions and tax credits, President Barack Obama is promoting several exceptions: a research and development credit as incentive for innovation, a green credit to encourage corporate behavior that’s friendly to the environment, and a manufacturing plan designed to keep manufacturing jobs from going overseas.

Gillibrand said the president’s plan is “slightly more complicated” than a regular flat tax that would provide certainty to businesses, but she supports his agenda and likes how her manufacturing legislation fits in with it.

Bankers could use more clarity as well, she said, citing some of the confusions that came from the Dodd-Frank financial regulations.

But she said the good news on Wall Street is that members of Congress won’t be able to use their positions to trade or tip others to trade stocks based on insider information. That measure, the STOCK Act, was Gillibrand’s most recent accomplishment; the president is expected to sign it soon.

The bill passed with bipartisan support. Gillibrand said other areas such as public safety and infrastructure should be supported on both sides of the aisle as well.

She also praised Obama for including the Tappan Zee Bridge among his top national infrastructure priorities and echoed his call for a new system to fund such projects.

“We need an infrastructure bank … that is run outside of the political structure — just like the Fed is,” Gillibrand said.

Source : http://www.lohud.com/article/20120225/NEWS02/302240056/Gillibrand-backs-federal-aid-biotechs-create-jobs

Small Business Grant | "Central Piedmont Community College lands $5M federal grant to boost IT training "

By : Jennifer Thomas 
Source : http://www.bizjournals.com 
Category : Small Business Grant 

Central Piedmont Community College has received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for a regional effort focused on information-technology training.

The Charlotte-based community college was awarded the funding in collaboration with Siemens Energy, Novant Health Inc., IBM Corp., Business Control Systems, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board (known as Charlotte Works), Centralina Workforce Development Board and the N.C. Technology Association.

CPCC will administer the grant and direct the initiative, known as the Regional Effort to Advance Charlotte Information Technology, or REACH IT.

“The goal of the REACH IT partnership is to strengthen our region’s IT skill base across industry sectors, creating new jobs and career-advancement opportunities,” says Michael Horn, CPCC associate vice president for government relations and grants.

The money is part of $183 million Congress has designated to raise the technical skill levels of U.S. workers and help businesses reduce their need for overseas talent. More than 2,500 workers are expected to benefit from the initiative.

The program will target the long-term unemployed and provide career counseling and job-placement services. It also will provide customized training for existing employees.

CPCC plans to develop new courses and training materials in network security and business intelligence.

Grant funds will be used for scholarships to cover tuition costs for program participants. The money also will provide instructors with opportunities to stay current with industry trends.

CPCC is the largest community college in North Carolina. It offers nearly 300 degree and certification programs as well as customized corporate training, continuing-education courses and special-interest classes.

Source : http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2012/02/24/central-piedmont-community-college.html

Small Business Grant | "Google Gives Small Businesses Free Websites"

By : Stephanie Rabiner 
Source : http://www.reuters.com 
Category : Small Business Grant 

Small business owners in Georgia and South Carolina are the latest to gain access to Google's "Get Your Business Online" program. Launched in July, the program is designed to increase small businesses' online visibility.

Google, along with its partners, will help small business owners build a free 3-page website; provide a free custom domain name and hosting for one year; and list the business on Google Places at no cost.

It's supposed to be really easy, too.

Once you sign up, you will be given access to an online website design program powered by Intuit. After choosing a template, you can change colors, add photos and information, and complete basic customizations. The site will then be published at your chosen domain for all to see.

Other tools — both online and in-person — are also available to help business owners make the most of their new websites. There’s information on how to integrate the site with AdWords, Google+ and mobile phones.

As of this writing, Get Your Business Online is available to small businesses located in Vermont, Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, Minnesota and a few other states. Google plans to roll out the program nationwide, a few states at a time. To see if you qualify, you can check the program website. You can also signup to be notified when your state becomes eligible.

If your business is not yet online, this is the perfect opportunity to launch it into the 21st century. So get with Google and get your business online now.

Source : http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/24/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-freeenterprise-idUS330513722820120224