Get $50,000 For Every Job You Create…
… If you are starting a business with just yourself, that’s at least one job and you can apply to the government’s Certified Development Company 504 Program. You can also get millions if you create enough jobs. The money has to be used for real estate, equipment or other kinds of fixed assets. You can’t use it for working capital. Last year this program couldn’t give out all the money it had available. Don’t let that happen this year. Find your local 540 Program office at http://www.sba.gov/gopher/Local-Information/Certified-Development-Companies/.

Apply Everywhere…
...If you’re not sure exactly which program to apply to, then apply everywhere. The worst thing that can happen is that you get too much money – and that’s a nice problem to have! You can always give it back. You can also take the approach of thinking nationally but acting locally. Keep in mind that there are federal programs you can eventually turn to, but start applying at the local level first and see how you do. The local level is where officials are going to be more sensitive to your needs and have a better understanding of you and your project. Then you can turn to the state and then go up to the federal government.

The Average Self-Employed Millionaire Businesswoman…
… is 49 years old. She wakes up at 5:58 am and goes to bed at 10:32 pm. She works 49 hours a week and exercises about 3 hours a week. She has a median household income of $240,217 and a median net worth of $2.9 million. Only one in 20 of these women have never been married. About 26% never finished college. About 56% are not members of a county club. About 54% pay for private school tuition for grandchildren. The most they spent on a suit was $400 (median) and $136 (median) for shoes. Source: “Millionaire Women Next Door”, Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D.
See our special offer for women entrepreneurs at www.howtogetagrant.com/2women1. Learn how to get cash grants to start a business or go back to school.

Money For Your New Home in One Hour…
… The Neighborhood Gold Down-payment Assistance Program helps families purchase a home in the neighborhood of their choice with no money down. Neighborhood Gold works with The Buyers Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization, to provide prospective homeowners with gift money to cover down-payment requirements and closing costs. To receive a grant, a buyer should work with a lender to obtain a mortgage that allows for down-payments to be made in the form of a charitable gift. If a buyer is approved for a loan, he or she can receive Neighborhood Gold gift funds, regardless of income level. The mortgage professional fills out the grant application, and will receive a gift letter from the fund within ONE HOUR. Neighborhood Gold has local representatives who can offer assistance in the application process and answer any questions before, during and after the home-buying process. As part of the grant, Neighborhood Gold offers a Mortgage Payment Protection Plan, which covers up to six months of payments and may make it easier for a program participant to obtain mortgage financing for the applicant’s home of choice. Like most down-payment assistance programs, the seller must agree to pay to Neighborhood Gold a service fee equal to the grant amount plus a percentage rate of home price determined by location. For more information contact: www.neighborhoodgold.com.

Make Your House Handicap Accessible…
...The difficulty of navigating through their home can leave a disabled person stranded and dependent on a caretaker. For example, transit services for the disabled will not pick up a resident unless they have a ramp accessible entrance, leaving some disabled people literally trapped in their homes. United Cerebral Palsy Association addresses this vital concern by providing free home modification for more than 400 people each year. UCP’s Architectural Barrier Removal Program allows residents greater mobility by widening doorways and installing wheelchair accessible showers and toilets. New ramps and railings make street access easy. UCP services allow disabled residents to move freely about their homes and enjoy a greater degree of independence and privacy. Contact: www.ucp.org.

Entrepreneurs Can Get Their Loan Payments Back…
… Flexible small business loans, training, and technical assistance are available to start-up businesses in Garret County, MD. The county’s Community Action Committee administers a comprehensive Microworks program for those looking to start a business. Microworks makes loans ranging from $500 to $15,000 and offers deferred repayment schedules. A portion of each payment made on time will be put into a reserve fund that will be refunded to the borrower upon total repayment of the loan. Technical assistance and educational services for participants include entrepreneurial training courses and seminars, networking meetings and opportunities, design and production of print materials, marketing and advertising plan creation, tax preparation, financial counseling, business plan preparation, and access to a complete lending library. Contact: Garrett County Community Action Committee – Microworks, 104 E. Center Street, Oakland, MD 21550. 301-334-9431 www.garrettcac.org/.

Low Interest Mortgage Loans Can Be Rip-Offs….
… Make sure you don’t get caught in the type of scam the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is investigating. A mortgage broker was advertising the following on the web: “Free 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30- year Fixed” at “Today’s Rate” with “No Costs – No Kidding”. They lied and the FTC froze all their assets. See http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/06/pwrprocessing.htm.

Ask Lesko…
… Have a question about government money programs? Beginning next issue, we will be featuring a weekly question from a newsletter reader along with my response. Submit your question along with a valid email address where we can contact you to Dixie@lesko.com. If we choose your question to answer in the newsletter, I’ll send you a free copy of my bestseller, Gobs and Gobs of Free Stuff!

Free Burial Flags For Vets…
… Any honorably discharged veteran is entitled to a burial flag. It doesn’t matter when or where they were in the service. You can help a family get their free flag. See http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/puboftheweek.htm.

Drinking Water Hotline…
...Drinking water quality varies from place to place in the United States, but don’t trust a water filter salesperson to tell you how good your water really is. Ask the experts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 1-800-426-4791 or http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwhealth.html.

We All Hate Spam...
... but unfortunately, the precautions we take to eliminate these unwanted emails may also filter out legitimate mailings -- like our newsletter! So...remember to add this newsletter to your "friends" or "not spam" list... To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, add newsletter@howtogetagrant.com to your address book today.

Reserve Your Space Now At Our Next Seminar…
… Join me live for a three-hour guided tour of government money programs. To reserve your seat go to www.howtogetagrant.com/grseminar1.