A few simple steps can help you make the most of your expenditures throughout the lifecycle of the technology. Servers, desktops, software, networking equipment and peripherals add up, but you do need them to keep your business running. Follow these steps to make cost-effective decisions.
1. Weigh Financing Options
Aside from purchasing, financing and leasing are viable options for a small business. Consider a combination of the three when going through the buying process. Installing and configuring the technology could also be financed and bundled into regular payments. Does the company you’re buying from provide “new and authorized by the manufacturer” sales? After you’ve got the equipment up and running, this could enable your company to get updates or enhancements directly from the manufacturer–and dealing with problems will be much simpler.
2. Warranty Wisely
Anticipate growth and business changes and decide whether or not the technology you are selecting today can carry you through these changes. Take into account the time that it will be considered useful for your business. To protect yourself when financing or leasing, align the term of the agreement with the warranty period. That way you’ll have protection direct from the manufacturer during the period of time you intend to own it.
3. Consider Total Cost
Prepare and budget for other costs to support your technology. For example, toner cartridges typically cost the owner or a laser printer two to three times the initial cost of the printer. Consider a program such as a Managed Print Service to include these costs in the monthly price. Typically this will lower the total lifetime cost.
4. Plan for Disposing of the Equipment
Considering your company’s strategy around technology disposal or recycling at the front end. There are basically 3 ways to properly dispose of technology at the end of the useful life:
Sell the equipment Donate the technology to a school, non-profit, etc. Formal Disposition – Certified companies will assure your computers or other hardware and software will be properly disposed of, including recycling and reuse of components. Another benefit: Your data is destroyed and made unrecoverable by professionals rather than relying on inexperienced staffers.
The total cost of ownership of technology includes more than the upfront price tag. Consider the total lifecycle costs of IT for your business, plan ahead and you’ll make sure you’re maximizing your investment.
Dec 05 2010
Minority Grants For Small Businesses
The US Federal Government recognizes the issue of improving disadvantaged people’s lives. Their constituents have voted congressmen and senators to power. Their primary election campaigns are based on the promise to minorities for their economic empowerment. t is these promises, which drive the politics of grant giving by Federal and local State governments.
Grants for Small Business:
A grant is a direct financial contribution made by certain organizations to the needy. It is made for very specific outcomes with no expectations of repayment. These grants are based on certain criteria and are designed to encourage entrepreneurs to start or expand their small business ventures. Millions of dollars in the form of small business grants are available for any minority group of Americans. They may be African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Indian Americans or any other minority.
Minority Grant Programs:
Government minority business grants are listed on all the government grants assistance programs. They allocate funds for lending to minority entrepreneurs, student business training, unemployed, community-based business opportunities, real-estate ventures and investment, research work and inventors, amongst others. A woman entrepreneur or an ethnic minority is entitled to funds specially earmarked for their business development.
Any entrepreneur seeking the fund for any type of business or any personal project must have a viable business plan. They should focus on how well their business would survive independent of these programs. Eventually, your aim should be to build a successful business. Have some sort of maturation plan in place to succeed without minority funds within three to five years. A lot of far-sightedness, hard work and perception of market need of your business are very important. If your business maturation plan is not in place, you are in a great risk of either business failure or being bought out. A good financial opportunity goes waste. So apply for these minority business grants and funding for a great opportunity to start your own venture and improve your social and financial status.
Types of Grants:
Ever since the Federal government has launched this minority grant for small businesses, the minority business has grown four times faster as overall US firms. Since 1992, the increase has been from 2.1 million to 2.8 million firms. These grants can be availed for:
o For initial business start-up, you can avail up to one billion dollars from minority business grants.
o Grants in millions available for expanding the existing business
o Receive $9,000 in minority grants for free legal advice.
o Millions available for purchase of your first home
o Up to $75,000 available from minority grants to remodel your home
o Receive $6,000 in minority grants for college tuition.
o Receive free monthly grant finances for emergency assistance.
o Receive special assistance for woman entrepreneurship program. There are many more listed priorities to receive these grants.
The federal government and local state government Active Affirmative Action has given a big opportunity to minor ethnic communities to start their small businesses. This will lead to their economic empowerment and social integration.
Nov 26 2010
Government Grants For Women Owned Business
There are many reasons for a woman to apply for a government grant. These include getting a home loan, continuing education, getting a business degree, or even a grant for personal needs.
One of the greatest things that a government grant can be used for is a woman owned business. These grants can be used to either start up a new business or to expand an existing one. They can be used for continuing education for you or your staff. They can be used to purchase or repair equipment. In short, they can be used for almost any purpose imaginable. And the great thing about a government grant, they do not have to be repaid like a loan does.
Another great thing about a government grant, unlike a loan, you do not need a co-signer, credit check, security deposit or collateral. You do need to fill out the grant application, which can be somewhat tedious, and if you do not fill out the application properly, you will be rejected. Usually, one of the major requirements of a grant is to submit a periodic progress report to inform the granting agency of progress toward your specific goals as outlined in your application.
Grants for women are not as hard to come by as you may think. Many agencies are actively looking to provide grants for women to start new businesses. Some of the grants are applicable for minorities or for starting business in economically depressed areas.
It is important to understand exactly what the granting agency is looking for when filling out a grant application. Many grants are rejected because the application is incorrectly filled out or the person is requesting a grant for a non-applicable purpose.
Before you apply for a grant, it is recommended that you locate all of the government agencies that supply them, and learn what they require in a submittal.
Nov 22 2010
Small Business Loans
After determining the level of working capital, a firm has to decide how it is to be financed. The need for financing arises mainly because the investment in working capital/current assets – that is, raw materials, work/stock-in-process, finished goods and receivables – typically fluctuates during the year.
Although long-term loans partly finance current assets and provide the margin money for working capital, such assets/working capital is virtually exclusively supported by short-term sources. When talking about small business loans, it is necessary to understand the term “trade credit”.
Trade credit refers to the credit extended by the supplier of goods and services in the normal course of transaction/business of the firm. According to trade practices, cash is not paid immediately for purchases but after an agreed period of time. Thus, trade credit represents a source of finance for credit purchases. There are no legal instruments or acknowledgements of debt, which are granted on an open account basis.
A variant of accounts payable is bills/notes payable. Unlike the open account nature of accounts payable, bills/notes payable represent documentary evidence of credit purchases and a formal acknowledgement of obligation to pay for credit purchases on a maturity date, failing which legal action for recovery will follow. A notable feature of bills/notes payable is that they can be rediscounted and the seller does not necessarily have to hold it until maturity to receive payment.
However, it creates a legally enforceable obligation on the buyer of goods to pay on maturity whereas the accounts payable have more flexible payment obligations. Although most trade credit is on open account as accounts payable, the suppliers of goods do not extend credit indiscriminately. Their decision as well as the quantum is based on a consideration of factors such as earnings record over a period of time, liquidity position of the firm and past record of payment.
Nov 21 2010
Business Grants for Women
Many women in business find that in order to meet their business’ financial needs, they turn to searching out a loan source. Business loans for women are widely available through the Small Business Administration and a variety of other sources such as banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Loans, however, are not the only source for financing. In some instances, business grants for women are available.
Business grants for women are a wonderful option for some women in business. Grants are an excellent source of funding because grants are not repaid. The funding is provided through government resources that have been budgeted for specific needs in our national community. Anyone is open to apply, so business grants for women are available to anyone regardless of gender, race, religion, or background.
The downside of grants is that business grants for women are not widely available. Rather, business grants for women are available only to select businesses and under very strict circumstances, mostly for research or development. Technologically-focused businesses, for example, will find it much easier to qualify for a grant than a craft or retail business. Still, because the money is readily available, even if your business is retail oriented, it may be of benefit to check into business grants for women available for various resources that could assist you in your business.
According to Denouement Solutions and Grants.gov, the United States government and its government organizations offer more 1000 grants totaling more than $400 billion in grant funding every year. Only 10 percent of citizens that qualify for these grants actually apply for grants, despite the fact that many more than that would qualify for a business grant for women. Therefore, even though not every individual or business is eligible for a business grant for women, it certainly can be beneficial to check into business grants for women.
According to grants.gov, the United States government’s web site and main resource for grants that are available and can be applied for, there are more than 1000 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies. These programs fall into 21 different categories, as defined by the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. While some agencies may list available grants under multiple grant categories, the Federal government lists these categories of grants as follows:
- Agriculture
- Art
- Business and Commerce
- Community Development
- Consumer Protection
- Disaster Prevention and Relief
- Education
- Employment, Labor, and Training
- Energy
- Environmental Quality
- Food and Nutrition
- Health
- Housing
- Humanities
- Information and Statistics
- Law, Justice, and Legal Service
- Natural Resources
- Regional Development
- Science and Technology
- Social Services and Income Security
- Transportation
Even though the category of Business and Commerce may be what appears to have the largest selection of resources for business grants for women, consider the other categories as well, according to where your business falls. For example, if your business is a restaurant, don’t hesitate to check the Food and Nutrition category for grants currently available. If your business is a farm, check the Agriculture section.
Grants aren’t available for starting or opening a new business, and they also aren’t available for expanding on an existing business. However, business grants for women can offer funding for research or development of the business. Many grants may not be applicable to your particular business or needs, but there may be funds available for research, education, or other things needed for you to operate and improve your business to help you achieve business growth.
In general, when considering the options for a business grant for women, do your homework and read carefully. Look at all grants available that might be related to your particular business. Consider looking into the Business and Commerce section, of Grants.gov, as mentioned, and also look into the different categories of grant fundings. Take the time needed to read the grant qualifications carefully. With any business, check into the Regional Development category, as well as the Community Development category. Depending on your location within the United States, it’s possible to qualify for a grant to economically develop certain areas, and expanding a business in one of these areas can possibly assist you in qualifying for a business grant for women.
Additionally, consider applying for an educational grant if returning to school is an option you’d like to consider. Many grants for higher education are offered each year, and not all are awarded. Knowledge is an extremely valuable business tool, and because the money is readily available for those who qualify, and educational grant is an excellent option to consider as a business grant for women.
Contact the specific government agency offering the grant for tips, information, and to ask questions before submitting your application.
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