$1,500 a Month to Live on While You Start Your Own Business

There are a number of states, including New York and Iowa that will allow you to collect unemployment money while you try to get your business started. It used to be that you could only receive unemployment compensation if you were actively looking for a job. Now Uncle Sam considers entrepreneuring to be a legitimate job. Contact your state unemployment labor office to see what your local rules are on entrepreneuring.
Income Eligibility: Must be unemployed or starting a business.

This Program is available for:
Income	:	60000
State	:	all
Age	:	Adults
Subject Category	:	Living Expenses
Money Type	:	Free Money
Contact Information	:	Contact your state unemployment labor office to see what your local rules are on entrepreneuring. Income Eligibility: Must be unemployed or starting a business

Loans for Low-Income Entrepreneurs

Very low-income individuals can start their own businesses with the assistance of a loan from the Grameen Foundation USA. This international organization dedicated to stopping poverty administers a microcredit program for poor Americans looking to start a small or home-based commercial business. Contact Grameen Foundation USA, 1029 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 400,Washington, DC 20005; 202-628-3560; Fax: 202-628-3880; www.gfusa.org
Income Eligibility: Determined on a case-by-case basis.

Money for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

The Abilities Fund is a nationwide developer targeted exclusively to advancing entrepreneurial opportunities for Americans with disabilities. They deliver a combination of training, technical assistance services, and advisory supports to individuals with disabilities and the organizations that support them. For more information contact The Abilities Fund, 4177 Alyssa Court SW #1, Iowa City, IA 52240; 866-720-3863 or 319-338-2521; Fax: 319-338-2528; www.abiltiesfund.org
Income Eligibility: None

Help to Start or Expand a Micro-Enterprise

The PRIME program was created to help the smallest of small businesses, those with fewer than six employees. Under the Program for Investment in Micro-entrepreneurs (PRIME), the SBA provides federal funds to community based organizations that in turn offer training and technical assistance to low-income and very low-income micro-entrepreneurs. For more information on the program (59.050 Micro-Enterprise Development Grants) contact Judy Raskind, Office of Financial Assistance, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street, SW, Washington, DC 20416; 800-UASK-SBA or 202-205-6497; www.sba.gov/INV
Income Eligibility: Determined on a case-by-case basis.

Grants to Local Organizations That Help Veterans Start Their Own Businesses

This program establishes Veteran Business Outreach Centers to provide long term training, counseling, and mentoring to small businesses and potential small businesses owned and operated by eligible U.S. Veterans. For more information on this program (59.044 Veteran’s Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling) contact Reginald Teamer, Office of Veteran Affairs, Small Business Administration, 5th Floor, 409 Third Street, SW, Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6773; www.sba.gov
Income Eligibility: None

Money to Local Organizations for Small Businesses

The Micro Loan program provides very small loans to start ups, newly established or growing small businesses. Its objective is to help business owners, especially women, low-income entrepreneurs, minorities, potential entrepreneurs, and those located in hardship areas lacking credit due to economic conditions. These micro-loans can only be used for working capital, supplies, furniture, fixtures, inventory, equipment and/or machinery. The SBA makes grants to participating intermediary lenders to provide marketing, management and technical assistance to micro-loan recipients. For more information on this program (59.046 Micro-loan Demonstration Program) contact the Small Business Administration, Office of Financial Assistance, Micro-Enterprise Development Branch, 409 Third Street, SW, Eighth Floor, Washington, DC 20416; 202-205-6490; www.sba.gov
Income Eligibility: None

Get $5,000 to $250,000 to Advertise Your Product Overseas

Through the Branded Program you can get matching funds to support the promotion of branded food and agricultural products in foreign markets. You can receive anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000 per year and receive up to 50% back on international marketing expenses such as brochures, POS materials, in-store demos, trade shows, advertising, and labels for foreign markets. Matthew even knows someone who got money from this program to sell a product overseas, so the program really does offer help for those people with new ideas. To find out if you're eligible or for a list of reimbursable expenditures, go to: http://www.wusata.org/services/BrandedIndex.html or contact: Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, 4601 NE 77th Ave., Suite 120, Vancouver, WA 98662; 360-693-3373; Fax: 360-693-3464
Application: Applications are accepted in October each year. The first step is to pre-qualify on-line at http://www.wusata.org/services/branded/08online/PreQualWorksheet.html
Income Eligibility: None