Free Help Becoming A Non-Profit…….
…… Don’t spend a fortune on a lawyer in your attempt to become a non-profit. Take advantage of free government help available through the Internal Revenue Service. You can fill out the forms to the best of your ability, and then you can call them with your list of questions. For more information contact Exempt Organizations Technical Division, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Treasury, 1111 Constitution Ave., NW, Room 6411, Washington, DC 20224; 202-283-2300; 877-829-5500 (toll-free); http://www.irs.gov. Also you can check out the following IRS websites for more information: http://www.irs.gov/charities/index.html http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p557.pdf and http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/article/0,,id=98270,00.html.

$6.5 Million Dollars In Grants…….
……… ..Child Care and Development Funds are available for Georgia child care programs who serve or are planning to serve 19 or more children. Family and group home care providers can apply for Child Care Development Funds through their local Resource & Referral Agency. Requests for Proposals (RFP) are distributed in early spring and outline the services that will be purchased during the next federal fiscal year. In general, these funds pay for: 1) programs improvements, and programs for children with disabilities for early childhood and school-age children, and 2) technical assistance, training, and the operation of child care resource and referral agencies. For more information contact Georgia Child Care Council, 2987 Clairmont Rd., Suite 220, Atlanta, GA 30329; 404-679-4880; http://www.gachildcare.org.

$8,000 for Start-up and Monthly Payments……..
……… Georgia provides a voluntary statewide pre-kindergarten program for four-year-olds. The purpose of the program is to provide full day, five days per week, 36 weeks a year program to eligible four-year-olds. The Office of School Readiness provides centers with assistance through money for start-up and monthly payments, training and other resources. Office of School Readiness, 10 Park Place South, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-656-5957; 1-888-4GA-PREK; Fax: 404-651-7430; http://www.osr.state.ga.us. Licensing Forms and Self-Evaluation Checklist on-line http://www.osr.state.ga.us/ccsforms.html#lic.

Seed Money To Start Your Day Care…..
……… Venture Grants are time-limited grants for innovation. One form of venture grants is “seed money grants”. These are intended to provide short-term support for start-up, development or stabilization of new programs. For more information contact United Way of Northwest Georgia, P.O. Box 566, 101 Selvidge Street, Dalton, GA, 30722-0566; 706-278-9230; Fax: 706-226-1029; http://www.ourunitedway.org.

Get Your Customers $62/Wk To Pay For You…..
……… Up to $62 per week for full time care infant through five-years-old, $18 per day for part time care for infants through five-year-olds, and $37 per week before and after school program from the federal Child Care and Development Funds Program. The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program helps families in Georgia pay for early childhood and school age care and education programs. Families with a limited income who are working, attending school or training may qualify for subsidized childcare. Chattooga County Department of Family and Children Services, 302 South Commerce Street, P.O. Box 250, Summerville, GA 30747-0250; 706-857-0817; Fax: 706-857-0823; http://www.div.dhr.state.ga.us/dfcs_caps.

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

$400 For Each Course……….
……… ..Infant/Toddler Stipend is a $400 stipend awarded to infant and toddler teachers/providers for each course successfully completed towards the infant and Toddler Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) at a Georgia technical college. The Infant and Toddler TCC is Georgia’s first statewide formal academic certificate for infant and toddler teachers and has been made possible with funding from DHR. For more information and a stipend application contact Quality Assist, Inc., 17 Executive Park Dr., Suite 150, Atlanta, GA 30329; 404-325-2225; 866-325-1993 (toll-free); http://www.qassist.com.

$4,000 For Equipment And Training…….
……… The Georgia Association for Young Children (GAYC) administers mini-grants, which are funds awarded to organizations and individuals that serve children age birth to three from low-income working families. These grants are to licensed centers only. Call in September for applications. Grants are for up to $4,000 for equipment and training. Contact Georgia Association for Young Children, 368 Moreland Ave., NE, Suite 240, Atlanta, GA 30307; 404-222-0014; 800-532-9865; http://www.gayconline.org.

Scholarships For Early Care Educators and Providers…….
……… ..SCHOLARSHIPS is a statewide program that provides financial support for early care and education professionals so that they may expand their education in order to give high quality care to children in Georgia. The program provides scholarships for GED or remedial classes; technical colleges or other public or private accredited institutions to earn credit in early care and education or child development programs. Programs from a CDA through a Masters are eligible. The program also provides for a support stipend to go toward the cost of books, travel, school materials, and other similar expenses. Scholarships for Masters programs have a maximum of $1,000 per academic year. Early care and education directors, teachers, administrators, owners, and staff that work a minimum of 25 hours per week in a registered family child care home or child care center are eligible to apply. Applicants must also apply for Hope and Pell grants. SCHOLARSHIPS are awarded on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, Smart Start Georgia, 175 Twinnett Dr., Suite 370, Lawrenceville, GA 30045; 888-405-2238; 770-339-5199/5208; http://www.smartstartga.org; email: info@smartstartga.org.

Over $2 Million Distributed To Early Child Care Teachers…..
…… ..Early childhood teachers, directors, and family child care providers benefit from INCENTIVE$, a statewide salary supplement program. However, the ones that truly benefit are the children as they thrive from forming and maintaining strong attachments to their primary caregivers. This program encourages those who work directly with young children to continue their work as well as increase their level of education. The following requirements must be met in order for the applicant to be eligible: hold a formal credential or degree related to early childhood care and education; work in a licensed child care center or registered family day care home; work with children 5 years or younger; work at least 25 hours per week and earn less than $14.45 an hour; and be employed at least 12 consecutive month at the same location. The annual amount of the supplement is between $400 and $2,000, depending on the type of degree or credential held by the applicant. For more information contact Smart Start Georgia, 175 Twinnett Dr., Suite 370, Lawrenceville, GA 30045; 888-405-2238; 770-339-5199/5208; http://www.smartstartga.org; email: info@smartstartga.org.

Free Help Starting your Daycare…….
……… Fourteen Resource and Referral Agencies are located in Georgia to provide assistance in the start up of childcare centers. Help includes first aid and CPR training, consultations on planning day to day activities, and more. The closest one to Trion is: Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, 1202 N. Tennessee St., Cartersville, GA 30120; 770-387-0828; http://www.ganet.org/gccc/randr.

Licensing Information…….
……… .Obviously day care centers need to be licensed. To learn more about the licensing procedure and the requirements you must maintain in order to keep the license contact Department of Human Resources, Office of Regulatory Services, Child Care Licensing, 2 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 32.458, 32nd floor, Atlanta, GA 30303-3142; 404-657-5562; Fax: 404-675-8936; {www2.state.GA.us/Departments/DHR/ORS}. The rules and regulations can be found at: http://www2.state.GA.us/Departments/DHR/ORS/cclrules.htm or by contacting the office above. The application and rules can be printed from the website or ordered for a cost from http://www2.state.ga.us/departments/dhr/ors/. If you go to http://www2.state.GA.us/Departments/DHR/ORS/orsccl.htm, there is an interactive video that goes through all the steps necessary to become fully approved and licensed.

Filing For Non-Profit With The State…….
……… Once you are licensed, you can file for incorporation. The Georgia Secretary of State’s website has all the filing procedures for profit and non-profit companies. You can check out some of the procedures at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/corporations/filing_procedures_corp_2001.pdf. For more information, you can contact the Corporations Division, Secretary of State, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SE, suite 315, West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334; 404-656-2817; Fax: 404-657-2248; http://www.sos.state.ga.us/corporations. The fee is around $100. If you are planning on soliciting funds, you need to register with the Securities Division. You may contact them at Securities Division, Secretary of State, Suite 802, West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334; 404-656-3920; http://www.sos.state.ga.us/securities.

Money For Food………
…… ..Program providers receive reimbursement based upon the number of meals served. Participants are required to attend training and renew their application for the program each year. Office of School Readiness, 10 Park Place South, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-656-5957; 1-888-4GA-PREK; Fax: 404-651-7430; http://www.osr.state.ga.us/foodcare.html.

Head Start/Early Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start funding is granted by the federal government to local communities grantees to provide quality child development services to low-income families and children with disabilities. They largely target three and four-year olds. These grantees may be public or private, for-profit or non-profit or a public school. If a grantee gives up or loses funding, the Head Start Funds remain in the community and are awarded to another eligible organization. Georgia’s Head Start Collaboration Project was established to help facilitate the partnership between federally funded Head Start programs and state-funded early childhood programs. Office of School Readiness, 10 Park Place South, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30303; 404-656-5957. Or, contact the Regional Head Start Office for Georgia, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite M60, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-562-2833; Fax 404-562-2980; 866-763-6481; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/sehub/index.htm.

Free Georgia Child Care Profile……
…… . The National Child Care Information Center provides state profiles that include demographic information about the children, families and child care in Georgia, as well as contact information for different state agencies involved in child care. The profiles also contain links to additional state and national resources. Check it out online at http://nccic.org/statepro/georgia.html.

Free Financing Child Care Report……
…… ..This report highlights strategies employed in states and communities, using public, private and mixed sources of funding, to finance childcare. You can get the report by contacting the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, MO  64110; 816-932-1261; http://www.kauffman.org.

Free Classes and Fee-based Seminars On How To Get Grants…..
…… .The Foundation Center in Atlanta has a wide range of information about possible sources of funding. The Center offers workshops for the beginner grant seeker. They also have a library located at 50 Hurt Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30303. The phone number is 404-880-0095 or 94. An online database of 5,600 foundations and public charity programs is available for a monthly fee. Visit them online at http://fdncenter.org/atlanta/.

Your Business First Stop…….
……… The First Stop Business Information Center provides the small business owner and the prospective entrepreneur with a central point of information and contacts for state regulatory requirements for operating a small business. The primary objective of the center is to facilitate sustainable small business development in Georgia by offering a central location for determination of what licenses and permits must be obtained and maintained by individuals and businesses conducting their enterprises in our great state. Contact First Stop Business Information Center, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 315 West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334; 404-656-7061; 800-656-4558; http://www.sos.state.ga.us/firststop/.