Whether you're looking for money to start a small business, trying to get a grant, looking for unclaimed assets, or just doing your taxes, you'll find help here.
Small Business Grants and Resources in Iowa
The number of women owned businesses in the U.S. has been increasing rapidly over the last 20 years. Here you will find information on US government programs that help women entrepreneurs start, grow and expand their businesses.
Jumping into government contracting without some training rarely pays off. Here you’ll find free and low-cost training resources to help small businesses bid on federal government contracts.
Before you can bid on or be awarded government contracts, you or your business must be registered as government contractor.
Once you are trained, registered and certified as a government contractor, you can start looking for opportunities to do business with the federal government.
Employment and labor regulations that apply to existing federal contractors.
Federal Acquisition Regulations the FAR, the rules, regulations and standards that govern the federal government’s purchasing and contracting process.
Learn about opportunities to sell environmentally sound, green products and services to the federal government.
Government Contracting – Resources for Government Contracting
If your business or proposed business is involved in activities that are supervised and regulated by a federal agency, you may need a federal business license or permit.
For small businesses needing small loans, the popular SBA Microloan program offers loans of up to $35,000 at interest rates averaging from 8- to 13-percent.
If you’re out of work, you’re unemployed, right? You should be counted among the 14.9 million Americans reported to be unemployed in August by the Department of Labor, right? Well, maybe not, according to how the Labor Department really defines “unemployed.”
The U.S. federal government will need to hire more than 270,000 employees for “mission-critical” jobs by the end of September 2012, according to a newly released government-wide survey.
The federal cash for appliances program will offer rebates on purchases of a wide array of home appliances certified as energy-efficient by the EPA’s Energy Star program.
Especially in this economy, why would anybody try to start their own small business? According to this Northern California family who did just that, it’s a matter of “Pain and Passion.”
The owners of a California small business offer hard-learned, first-hand advice on financing, starting and running a small business.
An updated list of some of the top state business incentives, including grants, subsidized rates on SBA loans, tax breaks and participation in business “incubator” programs.
Cap and trade is the mechanism included in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 to enable the U.S. to meet the bill’s required 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. How would cap and trade work and how much could it cost you?
Information for finding and recovering unclaimed property held by state governments.
Federal government grants are not a free lunch. Learn the truth about federal government grants.
State resources for finding and recovering unclaimed money and other property.
SBA loan experiences and tips from readers
Reader tips, advice and experiences in owning a small business
Foreclosure scams based on promises to “rescue” distressed homeowners from unmanageable debt and foreclosure are spreading and the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) has offered sound advice on how to recognize and avoid foreclosure scams.
Federal Student Aid Basics: Sources of Funding and How to Apply
Description and history of "Ponzi" illegal investment schemes.
How the 2009 economic stimulus bill -- The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- could affect American families and individuals.
Scientific and technological advancements funded by the 2009 economic stimulus bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Provisions for improving education, preventing teacher layoffs and making college more affordable in the 2009 economic stimulus bill -- the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Provisions for reducing health care costs in the 2009 economic stimulus bill -- the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Provisions for fixing the US infrastructure and creating jobs in the 2009 economic stimulus bill -- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Help for U.S. workers laid off or impacted by the recession provided by the 2009 economic stimulus bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Help provided for SSI recipients, seniors and disabled veterans by the 2009 economic stimulus bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Tax cuts provided for families, individuals and businesses by the 2009 economic stimulus bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The U.S. government does not currently provide grants for starting or expanding a small business. However, the government does offer plenty of free help in planning how to start or improve your business and in securing low-interest SBA-backed small business loans. In addition, many states DO offer small business grants to individuals.
By the summer of 2008, gas prices had gone sky high, so you parked your car in the garage and soon discovered you were saving some serious money. Well, don't spend your savings too soon. In the long run, you may have to pay it back, and then some.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has announced new lending policies designed to help up to 240,000 holders of subprime home loans avoid foreclosure.
At any time, the U.S. government offers over 1,400 programs offering discretionary assistance or benefits. Most people call these grants, but "grants" is far too general a term. Under the general category of "domestic assistance," are 15 types of assistance available including surplus equipment, training, guaranteed loans, and even some grants.
The Federal Trade Commission plays an important role in keeping American businesses honest and protecting consumers.
On April 3, 2007, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) reported that it is holding $133 million in unclaimed pension benefits for 32,000 people owed money from terminated defined benefit pension plans. PBGC also offers a convenient way to find out if you have some pension benefits due you. Here's how.
In hopes of helping millions more low- and moderate-income American families become homeowners, U.S. Sen. Jim Talent (R-Missouri) has introduced the Expanding American Homeownership Act. If approved, the Act would implement sweeping modernizations of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) designed to make it a more attractive alternative in today's home financing market.
Rather than simply paying our money and taking our chances, U.S. taxpayers now have a simple way of finding out which federal programs are working, which are not.
American small businesses set a record pace of borrowing to start and expand their companies over the first three months of the current fiscal year, securing backing from the U.S. Small Business Administration on 23 percent more loans than in the same period a year ago.
U.S. aid to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster now totals $35 million. Where do the funds come from, why does the United States contribute relief to disaster victims around the world and how can you help the tsunami victims?
The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking comments from the general public on key issues relating to its current small business size standards, the rules used by the SBA and other federal agencies to determine whether a business is "small" enough to qualify for SBA loans.
New legislation signed by President Bush will make more than $21 billion available to small businesses through the SBA's two main small business loan programs.
Nearly 90,000 Americans are missing out on $73 million in federal income tax refunds they're legally owed, but an online database from the non-profit National Taxpayers Union (NTU) that is quicker and much easier to use than the IRS online version can help people find out if there is money waiting for them.
Does anybody really get those SBA small business loans? As a matter of fact, the SBA approved about $50 million-a-day in 7(a) program loans during just the first 21 days of fiscal year 2005. During 2004, the SBA disbursed a record 74,825 loans for $12.5 billion in the 7(a) program.
Two-thirds of the American people say the American Dream is becoming harder to achieve, especially for young families, and they point to financial insecurity and poor quality public education as the most significant barriers, according to a new survey released today by the National League of Cities (NLC).
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has unveiled a new electronic online application that will make it easier, faster and less expensive for small companies to apply for 8(a) Business Development and Small Disadvantaged Business certification directly from SBA's Web site.
Investors should not let their investment decisions be “overly swayed” by who wins, or who they think will win, the White House this November, says a columnist in the August 2004 issue of the Journal of Financial Planning, published monthly by the Financial Planning Association (FPA®).
Did you ever wish you could get a quick, concise overview of the current status of the U.S. economy? If so, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has a Website you just have to see.
The government form you're feverishly filling out has a blank demanding your business's "Federal Tax ID Number" or "Employer Identification Number (EIN)." Unfortunately, you don't have one. What is a federal tax ID number, does your business even need one, and how do you get it?
No direct grants to individuals for starting a small business are currently available, but the SBA offers several low interest, flexible loans which are funded by government grants.
Unlike the federal government, the states do offer almost 200 direct grant programs for starting or growing a small business. Here you will find links to the business development resources of all 50 states.
There may only be one sure-thing in starting your own business, and that is that you will not get a loan without a complete business plan. No plan - no loan - no business. Here is a sample of one that works.
Complex new laws and regulations could spell the end of small community banks, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Vice Chairman John M. Reich stated in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.
The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004, if passed by Congress, would boost the U.S. minimum wage from $5.15 to $7 over three years and would be the first raise in the minimum wage in seven years.
Every month, over a half-million Internet users hit the "Homes for Sale" page of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) where they find a daily-updated selection of thousands of highly affordable homes and apartments offered by HUD plus nine other government agencies.
You want to buy a house that needs repairs -- a "fixer-upper." Unfortunately, you cannot borrow the money to buy the house, because the bank won't make the loan until the repairs are done, and the repairs cannot be done until the house has been purchased. Don't give up. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a loan program that might just get you that house.
An overwhelming majority of Americans believe first priority in federal higher education aid increases should be given to low and middle-income students striving for college, rather than to college graduates who have already received an education, according to survey results released by the U.S. House Committee on Education & the Workforce.
You want to go to college so you can make a lot of money but you don't have a lot of money, so you can't go to college. Congratulations! You have just met the main requirements for getting federal student aid.
U.S. employers could reduce or eliminate health benefits for their retired employees who qualify for Medicare under a new federal rule proposed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Here are the background and facts surrounding this controversial action that could affect the health benefits of millions of American retirees.
