WE magazine for women » Wealth & Prosperity

Top Ten: Responsible Investing

HeidiRichards — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:21:50 +0000

By Diane MacEachern

What you buy isn’t the only way to use your purse to change the world. Where you invest your money counts for a lot, and there are plenty of ways to invest that will pay social and environmental dividends on top of your earnings. Here are the top ten ways to invest your money in a socially responsible way.

• 1. Make socially responsible investing, or SRI, a key criterion for your portfolio. Evaluate companies based on the efforts they make to reduce pollution, stop global warming, and watch over parks, wilderness and wildlife. These “socially responsible” companies will also demonstrate respect for human rights and a strong commitment to their community. You can learn more about social investing from Co-Op America.

• 2. Earmark a percentage of your investments for SRI. If you’re hesitant to make your entire portfolio 100% “SRI,” commit to a percentage you feel comfortable with each quarter and gradually increase it as you watch its performance over time.

• 3. Participate in “shareholder actions ” to get companies to adopt specific policies that will result in a cleaner, safer, healthier world. If you’re a shareholder in a company, you can unite with other shareholders to encourage companies to pass environmentally-friendly resolutions governing their manufacturing processes.

• 4. Use your 401(k) plan and other retirement savings to invest in “green” companies and socially responsible mutual funds.

• 5. Vote your proxies. Watch your investment-related mail carefully. Vote your proxies on environment-related shareholder resolutions when the opportunity arises. You can check with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility to determine if any of the companies you invest in offer opportunities for important proxy votes.

• 6. Get your pension fund involved. If you have invested in a public, labor or private pension fund, ask your fund managers to support socially-responsible investments. If they support other companies, find out how they are voting they’re proxies. Collaborate with co-workers to let fund managers know you want them to support socially responsible investing.

• 7. Bank at institutions committed to reducing waste and pollution, conserving natural resources, addressing global climate change, and supporting organizations working to protect our quality of life.

• 8. Patronize banks that give borrowers loans to improve the energy efficiency of their home or auto transportation.

• 9. Choose a bank that offers free online checking and bill paying. You’ll use less paper and energy, and pay your bills on time, too! Options: Shorebank and Bank of America.

• 10. Stay informed. There are plenty of terrific books, newsletters and websites to help keep you up-to-date on investment performances and green money trends. To see some of the best, visit the Investing page of Your World.

Copyright by Diane MacEachern, Founder Big Green Purse Using Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World. No part of this material may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, redistributed, republished or commercially exploited in any way without the explicit prior written permission of Diane MacEachern. Please contact: Diane MacEachern at www.biggreenpurse.com

More Living The Good Life on Zero Cash

HeidiRichards — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:01:58 +0000

by Simone Kelly Brown

Would you love to eat at a lavish restaurant at least once a week? Itching to take that dream vacation to an exotic Island? You need to refurnish your home office, but ummmm … it’s not really in the budget right now. The mortgage, sky rocketing gas bills, and your kid’s tuition seem to be taking center stage instead. Without taking on the guilt of enjoying life … you CAN get many of these things and live good. I mean really good by finding cool barters. I mean, come on, that’s what this is all about, Livin’ the Good Life, baby!

A spark of creativity, a great connection, a desire to save, and a buried treasure or talent you possess are all you need. You can get what you desire with just some of those main ingredients to lead you to a trade that can blow your mind. I’ll admit, finding good deals isn’t always easy, but when you stumble upon someone who has something amazing to offer and is open to trading or, better yet, a member of a trade exchange that you’re a member of, then GO FOR IT!

I looked around and found some really interesting deals that others have been able to nail and wanted to share them with you.

In Tallahassee, FL, a photographer traded for:

- A year’s lease of office space

- A Jacuzzi tub

- Pavers for landscaping

- Hair, Nails, Massage, Permanent Makeup, and other personal services

- Clothing and Shoes

- Computers – Hardware and Services

- Signage

- Furniture

- Print Advertising

- Hotel Rooms

- Concrete Patio

- Restaurants

In Brooklyn, NY, Publicist Fiona Bloom was able to get a week-long vacation in a luxurious villa in Barbados for publicity work. She did it not only once but two years in a row.

In Boca Raton, FL, an owner of a human resources firm created custom employee handbooks and in exchange was able to rack up on:

- A billiards table

- Office furniture

- Event tickets

- Restaurants

On barternews.com they mentioned a barter and cash mixed that was a great savings for hotel rooms:

- Koh-I-Noor, a manufacturer of artists’ instruments in Bloomsbury (NJ), bartered trade credits held in its account with Active Travel for accommodations at a hotel in Woodcliff Lake (NJ) for a four-day meeting. Jeffrey Murray, manager of sales promotion, education, and training, said, “The rate for a single room was $130, but, by bartering, we saved a third off that amount and paid a rate of only $80.”

- Hi-tec, a division of a UK-based athletic shoe manufacturer, is getting more than just a reduced room rate when it holds its annual sales meeting for 150 attendees at a Fort Lauderdale resort. Hi-tec paid 35% of the room bill in trade credits along with 25% of its food and beverage costs.

Some of my very own favorites that I’ve been able to barter are marketing coaching for:

- Web design

- Pampering (massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials)

Ghost Writing for Someone:

- Getting my office, living room, and dining room redecorated and painted.

Team Motivation presentations for a salon’s staff:

- My hair done whenever I’d like, on the house!

Now you have an idea of some things that others are doing in the barter world. Pick up your own magic lamp to conjure up your own barters that rock. Who needs a genie?

Keep Livin’ Good,

Simone

7 STEPS TO IMPROVE CASH FLOW

HeidiRichards — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 05:21:21 +0000

By Zelda Greenberg

Are you a little short on cash? Does it seem like every time you turn around you seem to be strapped for cash? Every business goes through the challenge of how to improve their cash flow situation. There are a few basic steps that you can do immediately to get the cash coming in faster.

How often are you sending out statements? If you’re like many small businesses the answer is, when you get around to it. This is definitely not the right attitude to take when you are in need of a cash infusion. Set aside a designated time each week for sending our statements. Make this a top priority. Consider this, once you mail the statement the customer receives it and puts in in their payable stack. They will then pay this bill when they get around to paying. Which can be in 7, 21,45 and some pay in 90 days…ouch! The longer it takes you to send out a statement the longer you wait to collect.
Offer customer incentives and rewards for paying early! If you have a customer that typically pays late then offer a 2% discount for paying in a much reduced period such as in 7 days, then offer a 1% discount net 10. The goal is to get the money coming in much faster. There will always be those that continue to pay in 21-45 days (average) but a few will jump at the chance to get a savings.
Check Please! Have you shopped in large retail shops lately? They scan your check and hand it back. The check is treated like a debit card. You get paid instantly instead of the typical 3-7 day wait for the check to clear the bank period. This will become more popular and become the norm soon so why not jump on the bandwagon now.
Inventory Reduction. Do you really need all those widgets and gadgets on the shelves? On the shelves and not moving is costing you money. Order fewer products. Look at what your business really needs on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. Then order accordingly. You can’t afford to have your money tied up in inventory that sits on the shelves for long.
Trade for services and goods. It’s the old fashion barter system, you have what I want and I have what you need. Review what your customers have in goods or services. Talk to them and work out a trade. Perhaps it is a dollar for dollar trade or something with a mix of trade plus fee. Get creative and ask because if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Consolidate Loans. Are all those small business loans breaking you? Can you say, renegotiate? Renegotiate the terms of the loan(s). Interest rates have changed and most likely they have decreased since you got that loan. Go back to the bank and credit card companies and ask for a lower rate. You can also consolidate a few of those loans. Put a couple of loans together at the lower interest rate. This reduces a payment and every little bit helps you.
No Free Lunch. Forget taking clients out for lunch. It’s too expensive. Instead offer to take them for coffee or tea. Make an excuse that you are in meetings all week, all month and can work in a mid morning or late afternoon coffee. Then meet at a coffee house, there are plenty of them on just about every corner. Coffee is a lot less expensive than a meal.

One final thought, many restaurants are not raising their prices. Instead they are reducing portion sizes. These establishments have seen cost of food soar and they have a fixed menu so they are reducing the size of that juicy steak. Get creative, are there ways you can trim your product without sacrificing quality? Try different things until you find what works for your industry.

Zelda, The Bounce Back Guru™ keynote speaker, radio personality, and author of The Art of Bouncing Back and a licensed CAM. She speaks to associations, organizations, and college students about, seizing opportunities, reinventing yourself, positive attitude, and bouncing back in challenging times. To learn more visit Zelda at www.BouncebackGuru.com.

HOW TO SPEND FOR A BETTER WORLD

HeidiRichards — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:59:43 +0000

by Ritchie Lowry

Who Cares was the title of a national quarterly journal of service and action published a decade ago. The problem is that a great many of us care, but we don’t believe we have the power to change things. Environmental pollution, low pay for women and minorities, homelessness, and the other socials ills afflicting our planet appear to be so great and intractable that they are beyond our individual power to correct. However, we all have access to that power through two of the fastest growing movements in the U.S. – socially responsible investing (SRI) and socially responsible consuming (SRC).

Only a decade ago, just a few hundred millions of dollars was committed to SRI. By the year 2000, that figure had skyrocketed to almost $2 trillion dollars in the U.S. alone, and today it is even greater. That’s well over 10% of all managed market investments in the U.S. Increasing numbers of churches, city and state retirement and pension funds, and colleges and universities are screening their investments to support companies with good environmental records, equal opportunity programs for women and minorities, and responsible community relations – and to avoid investments in companies with bad records in these and other social areas. And, nobody knows how much money is involved in SRC, though the Council on Economic Priorities’ (CEP) published an annual runaway best-seller, Shopping for a Better World, for many years. If you have a checking or savings account, a retirement account or a credit card, or a small investment in a publicly traded fund, you can make your money work for your values. As a consumer, you can also purchase the products and services of companies with good social records and avoid the products and services of companies with bad social records.

If you have managed to hide away several thousand dollars, consider one of the over 100 socially screened (many environmentally oriented) equity, bond, money market and mutual funds now available to the public. You will be pleased to know that research shows that social screening has no negative impact on financial return, and some of the social funds have done much better than the market averages. These funds are also a good place to put money for Individual Retirement Accounts. Some of the socially screened funds have proactive practices where the fund managers actively dialogue with corporate management about social issues. If you work for a company or organization that has a retirement account supported in whole or part by contributions from your paycheck, remember that the money belongs to you, not to them. Find out who manages the money and where it is invested. The same thing can be done if you are a member of a church, community group or other organizations that have investments.

Cause-related credit cards are growing in number, especially those that make contributions to environmental groups with each use or purchase of a new card. If you want to support a number of different activities with your purchasing power, Working Assets Funding Service offers a VISA card giving donations to a variety of social action and environmental groups for each use. Working Assets Long Distance gives a portion of all long-distance telephone charges to environmental and social change groups, and provides customers with the opportunity to let their political representatives know what they think about a variety of social issues.

Some banks have good records for keeping their loans in the local community to help small businesses, to build low- and moderate-income housing, and to help socially beneficial enterprises. There are a number of community-oriented banks and credit unions around the country. Even if you don’t have such a bank in your neighborhood, ask your local bank what it is doing with your money. Under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977, banks are required to meet community credit needs. But because Federal Reserve Bank regulators are usually lax, citizens have to become the watchdogs. Ask your bank for its CRA report and regulatory rating. If your bank doesn’t give you a satisfactory answer, tell others and bank elsewhere.

Finally, all citizens can use the extraordinary economic power they have as consumers. The opportunities are literally almost endless. When you shop at the grocery or drug store, have you ever wondered what the companies making the products are doing to the natural and social environments? Whether or not they test on animals? Whether or not they make weapons of war? You can find this type of information on a variety of social investment and social investing web sites.

Can all of this really make a difference? Here’s what Robert E. Wood, President of Sears, Roebuck from 1928 to 1954, said:

“Business must account for its stewardship not only on the balance sheet, but also in matters of social responsibility.”

When you invest and spend in a socially responsible way, remember that you are not alone. In cooperation with Roper, Boston-based Cone Communications completed a 1994 survey of cause-related marketing. The Cone/Roper Survey concludes that some 55 million consumers put great stock in a company’s sense of integrity and duty.

This is how CEO Carol Cone puts it:

“A major finding of [our] survey is that one-third of Americans say that, after price and quality, a company’s responsible business practices are the most important factor in deciding whether or not to buy a brand. In fact, social responsibility was slightly more influential than advertising.”

Reprinted with permission – GOODMONEY.com

Stop Spending and Start SAVING

HeidiRichards — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:14:21 +0000

By Molly

Are you a nonfat-hold-the-whip-caramel-mocha-latte addict? Do you find yourself digging under the couch cushions for the money to pay for that yummy drink? Maybe it’s time to hold-the-coffee altogether, and keep that spare change in your pocket. Try it, like a 30-day challenge. You may be shocked to find the change is enough to make your car payment. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but what’s the point here?

The point is most of us don’t track those wee things we buy every day-a coffee, a magazine, or a candy bar when we fill up on gas. But those small purchases can add up to a lot more than we sometimes realize. And just by eliminating those impulse purchases you may discover you do have the cash to make your credit card payment this month, instead of wondering how you will explain to your credit card holder-when they call again-that no money’s coming.

You may think your inability to pay is because you just don’t make enough income. Sometimes that is true, and when you finally look at what you owe, a part-time job may be necessary to dig yourself out. Often, though, that’s not the case at all. The problem, very often, is that most of us just don’t pay close attention to what we spend, and where.

Tracking your spending is perhaps one of the biggest favors you can do for yourself if you find yourself short on loan payments, missing payments, bouncing cheques, or asking family and friends to bail you-just this time-and never paying them back. Not meeting financial obligations can ruin your life-keep you awake at night, cause all manner of family arguments, and wreck relationships.

Learning how to manage your debt load and maintain good credit and a high credit score takes time. Start with a few simple principles and build from there.

First, track your discretionary spending only. See what it adds up to for one month. You may be unpleasantly surprised. Second, hide your credit cards for one month, and try to pay for everything you buy using only cash. Third, if you can stand to do it, stop carrying cash, credit cards, or debit cards altogether. Keep one credit card locked in your glove compartment for emergencies only.

These small tactics can add up to a lot more money in your bank account every month, and may show you the way to save as well as how you really can meet your financial obligations with just a bit of money management.

BHM Financial is one of the most trusted names in the Canadian car title loan industry. If a budget isn’t enough to allow you to climb out from your mountain of debt, consider consolidating your debt with a Bad Credit Loan. Visit our Car Title Loans website today. Visit our Bad Credit Loans Blog for more articles like this one.

YOUR MILLION DOLLAR DREAM MAKES IT POSSIBLE

HeidiRichards — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:09:20 +0000

… FOR ANYONE TO BE THEIR OWN BOSS ~ Best-Selling Business Author Tamara Monosoff, Provides the Concrete Steps to Turn Your Passion Into Profit & Make Money Your Way~

If you had the opportunity to follow your passion and make money doing it, would you? Now, acclaimed best-selling author Tamara Monosoff reveals the clear road map in Your Million Dollar Dream: Regain Control & Be Your Own Boss, Create a Winning Business Plan & Turn Your Passion into Profit (McGraw-Hill, May 2010). Tamara Monosoff has helped tens of thousands of people take control of their lives and careers by launching and growing successful businesses of all types. In Your Million Dollar Dream, she brings her years of experience
directly to readers, providing expert insight, invaluable resources, and examples to help readers:

. Link your dream to practical business possibilities
. Identify your skills & motivations
. Get your business in the media spotlight
. Use Twitter, Facebook & the Internet as powerful business tools
. Create Value & Build Your Brand
. Find the funding to support your business
. Create a compelling & effective business plan

“As we climb out of the global recession there is an opportunity to access our creativity and construct our career on our own terms,” says Monosoff. “Many people dream that ’someday’ they will finally do what they’ve always wanted to do — be their own boss and make money doing what they love. I wrote this book to provide the actionable steps necessary to make that ’someday’ — Today!”

Your Million Dollar Dream combines clear step-by-step guidance with the resources needed to start immediately. It offers compelling and true stories of others who have created rewarding businesses and made significantlifestyle changes. Your Million Dollar Dream features stories like that of Jean Thompson, a former Microsoft employee who built Seattle Chocolates and Kelly Strowd, who traded in a 10-year law enforcement career for a pet-sitting business. This book makes otherwise daunting tasks fun and enjoyable and paints the exciting picture of successful entrepreneurship.

About Tamara Monosoff

Tamara’s best-selling book, The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thing was launched by McGraw-Hill in 2005. Her book Secrets of Millionaire Moms: Learn How They Turned Great Ideas into Booming Businesses–and How You Can Too! hit bookstores globally May 2007 and she co-authored, The One Page Business Plan for Women in Business (January 2010). Tamara is also an “Expert” business columnist for Entrepreneur.com and WomenEntrepreneur.com.

Monosoff is CEO & Founder of Mom InventedR, a dynamic company with the mission to. “Inspire, Inform & Boldly Promote Courageous Women in Business” and “Celebrate the creativity of moms by launching innovative Mom InventedR products around the world.” Internationally trademarked Mom InventedR products can be found in stores worldwide.

Find the book on Amazon:

$eeking Financial $uccess

HeidiRichards — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:48:15 +0000

by Richa Gulat

Money may be one of life’s most complicated essentials. We certainly need it to live and usually want more of it for enjoyment. But for many people the decisions surrounding money are stressful. Surprisingly, women are one group likely to encounter a difficult relationship with money. As a group, women are more educated and wellcompensated than ever. Yet as leading financial experts recently noted, being able to earn money does not automatically mean that we manage that money well.
Suze Orman is one of the nation’s leading personal finance experts and the author of several financial best-sellers. Women and Money, her latest book, was published this past spring.
In choosing to author a book specifically for women, Orman says she “never targeted women in her books because she does not believe gender affects the mastery of financial management.” She was, however, astonished to learn how many “smart, accomplished, and competent women” in her life were “clueless” about their personal finances, leading to disastrous consequences. Women’s roles have dramatically changed in this past generation, taking many from home to the office for work. The transition has given women unprecedented access to money, but at the same time, female financial role models are few. “It doesn’t matter whether I am in a room full of business executives or stay-at-home moms, the core problem is universal: when it comes to making decisions with money, [women] refuse to own your own power, to act in your own best interest,” Orman says.

She cites fear, inexperience, guilt, and shame as common reasons why many women avoid issues regarding money all together. But that behavior does not serve women well: many of life’s most important milestones, like the ability to take out loans for school or to buy a home, for example, and the ability to retire are all ultimately financial decisions.

Importantly, healthy financial habits can be learned. Though earning a paycheck is one element of financial success, making smart decisions with the money we earn is critical, too. Below are some simple tips to get you started.

The Cost of Coffee
The hardest part of understanding how much to save is taking an honest look at what you spend. Every small contribution counts but how do you find out what costs to cut out of your budget to save more effectively? One simple solution is a spending diary. Keep track of every purchase you make for a month, including all cash, credit, debit card purchases. Patterns will emerge of where to stop spending and start saving-your daily latte might add up to over $100 a
month.

Turning FICO from Foe to Friend
Healthy habits start young. Like school report cards, check your credit report annually. A credit report, which assigns you a “FICO” score, is your credit “report card,” providing your financial health status to all potential lenders. Routine checks of your credit report can catch errors that can affect your ability to get a mortgage, credit card, or even a cell phone plan. Even if your FICO score is less than ideal, it provides a concrete goal that tracks your annual financial improvement. The government recently made these reports free at
www.annualcreditreport.com.

Don’t Wait for a Rainy Day
Don’t put off to tomorrow what you should start today, especially when it comes to saving money. It’s easy to convince yourself while young that concerns about saving are for the old. If you believe that, simple math proves you wrong. The sooner you start saving, the longer you have to take advantage of compounding interest. For example, if you are 25 and save just $1000 a year, it would be worth $530,000 at the average retirement age of 65, calculated with the stock markets historical rate of 10%. If you start just 10 years later at age 35, it will only be worth $198,000. When it comes to money, time is on your side.

Say Goodbye to Debt
Offered more widely and at younger ages than ever, credit cards are an unavoidable temptation. Though they are necessary to build the credit history required for loans and mortgages later in life, maxed-out credit cards on which you make the minimum monthly credit raise red flags. Credit cards likely have huge annual interest rates, often near 20%. It’s important to know each credit card’s interest rate. A top priority should be eliminating all outstanding, high-interest debt, starting with the debt with the highest interest rate. In order to use credit cards safely, charge only the amount you can pay off in its entirety each month, unless it’s an emergency. The Hardest Part is Getting Started It’s all too easy, particularly if you have made unwise financial choices in the past, to avoid getting back on track to fiscal health.

Remember that just taking the first step toward financial discipline often the hardest part, so begin by discussing financial issues with someone you trust, rather than avoid your financial situation. Talking about money may be uncomfortable but your relationship may depend on it; money is the number one cause of strife among couples, for example. If confiding in a friend or significant other is uncomfortable, look for alternative resources to get started. Books, online guides, and professionals can provide basic financial advice.

About the Author: Richa Gulati is a freelance writer and attorney based in New York City. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she has studied flamenco dance for the past eight years. Her work is available at www.richagulati.com.

(article first appeared in the Fall 2007 issue)

125 Grants, Loans and Scholarships for Women

HeidiRichards — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:59:13 +0000

Thank you for stopping by the WE Magazine for Women 125 Grants, loans and scholarships for women. This list has been completely updated from the original 100 Grants, loans and scholarships list posted in November 2007. As of May 8, 2010 all links have been checked for accuracy. Should you offer grants, loans or scholarships for women or know of additional resources feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

GRANTS FOR WOMEN

1. The Amber Foundation ~ http://www.womensnet.net/Amber-Grants/
2. School of Computer Science ~ http://women.cs.cmu.edu/Resources/Funding/ (replace ADA)
3. Womens Fund of Central Ohio ~ www.womensfundcentralohio.org/
4. American Association of University Women ~ http://www.aauw.org/learn/fellows_directory/index.cfm
5. The Asia Foundation ~ http://asiafoundation.org/about/grant-guidelines.php
6. Avon Foundation ~ www.avoncompany.com/women/
7. Boston Women’s Fund ~ http://www.bostonwomensfund.org/grantinfo.html
8. Breast Cancer Fund – www.breastcancerfund.org
9. Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation http://www.bms.com/searchresults/Pages/home.aspx?k=grants
10. Business and Professional Women’s Foundation ~ http://www.bpwfoundation.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4553
11. Business Owners’ Idea Cafe ~ www.businessownersideacafe.com/small_business_grants/index.php
12. Canadian Women’s Foundation ~ http://www.cdnwomen.org/EN/section07/1_7_1-intro.html
13. Targeted Small Business Assistance ~ http://www.iowalifechanging.com/business/tsb.aspx
14. Kimberly-Clark Program ~ https://www.huggiesmominspired.com/About.aspx
15. Chicago Foundation for Women ~ http://www.cfw.org/Page.aspx?pid=225
16. The Commonwealth Fund ~ http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Grants-and-Programs.aspx
17. Count Me In ~ http://www.countmein.org
18. The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting ~ http://www.efwa.org/research.htm
19. Ellis L. Phillips Foundation ~ http://www.ellislphillipsfndn.org/ellislphillips/guidelines.html
20. Exxon Contributions ~ http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/community_women_invest.aspx
21. Federal Money Retriever ~ www.fedmoney.com
22. Financial Women International ~ www.fwi.org
23. The Fund for Women Artists ~ http://www.womenarts.org/fund/index.htm
24. Fundsnet Services ~ www.fundsnetservices.com
25. Girls Global Education Fund ~ http://www.ggef.org/program.html
26. Global Fund for Women ~ www.globalfundforwomen.org
27. The Henry Luce Foundation ~ www.hluce.org
28. Intuit’s Love a Local Business ~ http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/
29. Iowa Women’s Foundation ~ www.iawf.org/
30. The Kentucky Foundation for Women ~ http://www.kfw.org/grants.html
31. Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation ~ www.lpwhitehead.org
32. Limited Brands ~ www.limitedbrands.com/social_responsibility/index.jsp
33. Liz Claiborne Foundation ~ whttp://www.lizclaiborneinc.com/web/guest/lizclaibornefoundation
34. Maine Women’s Fund ~ www.mainewomensfund.org/
35. Microenterprise Development Industry ~ http://www.microenterpriseworks.org
36. National Association of Commissions for Women ~ www.nacw.org
37. The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development ~ www.ncaied.org
38. National Organization for Women (NOW) Foundation, Inc. ~ www.nowfoundation.org
39. Super Mompreneur Fund ~ http://www.happyandhealthymom.com/happy_and_healthy_mompreneur_fund
40. New Israel Fund ~ http://www.nif.org/about/search/search.jsp
41. New Mexico Women’s Foundation ~ http://nmwf.org/index.php?s=grants
42. Nokomis Foundation ~ www.nokomisfoundation.org
43. Open Meadows Foundation ~ www.openmeadows.org
44. Procter & Gamble Fund ~ http://www.pg.com/company/our_commitment/community.jhtml
45. Small Business Administration (Office of Women’s Business Ownership) ~ www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness
46. Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/SBT) – www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5527&org=IIP&sel_org=IIP&from=fund¬
47. Small Business Innovative Research Program (SBIR) ~ www.grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm
48. Travel Grants for Women ~ http://www.advance-africa.com/Travel-Grants-for-Women.html
49. Seeds for Success ~ http://seedsforsuccess.smallbusiness.yahoo.com/index.php
50. Three Guineas Fund ~ http://www.3gf.org/
51. United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) East and Southeast Asia ~ www.unifem-eseasia.org
52. Verizon Foundation ~ http://foundation.verizon.com/
53. The Vermont Women’s Fund ~ www.vermontwomensfund.org
54. Web of Benefit ~ www.webofbenefit.org
55. Whirlpool Foundation ~ www.whirlpoolcorp.com/social_responsibility/buildingcommunities/whirlpoolfoundation.asp
56. WHO Foundation ~ www.whofoundation.org/
57. Women’s Business Grants ~ www.womensbusinessgrants.com
58. Women’s Finance ~ www.womens-finance.com
59. Women’s Net ~ http://www.womensnet.net/
60. Women’s Fund of Central Indiana ~ www.cicf.org/page26569.cfm
61. The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham ~ http://www.thewomensfundbham.org/grants/
62. Women’s Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation ~ www.akroncommunityfdn.org/cgi-bin/displayContent.pl?type=section&id=64
63. Women’s Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Vancouver ~ http://www.jewishcommunityfoundation.com/
64. Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley ~ www.womensfoundation.org
65. The Chicago Foundation for Women ~ http://www.cfw.org/Page.aspx?pid=226
65. Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona ~ www.womengiving.org
67. Women’s Funding Network ~ www.wfnet.org
68. Women’s Philanthropy Institute ~ www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/PhilanthropicServices/WPI/
69 Eileen Fisher Co. ~ http://www.eileenfisher.com/EileenFisherCompany/CompanyGeneralContentPages/SocialConciousness/Women_Owned.jsp
70. Smart Women Grants (ZION BANK) ~ https://www.zionsbank.com/swsm_grant.jsp
71. The One Family Scholar ~ www.onefamilyinc.org
72.The Girls Going Places® Entrepreneurship Award Program ~ http://www.guardianlife.com/womens_channel/girls_going_places/girls_going_places.html
73. The Margaret MacNamara Memorial ~ Fund www.mmmf-grants.org/

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WOMEN

74. Talbots Women’s Scholarship https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/talbotswomen
75. The Sunshine Lady Foundation www.sunshinelady.org/
76. Women In Business Scholarships http://www.zonta.org/WhatWeDo/InternationalPrograms/JaneMKlausmanWomenInBusinessScholarship.aspx
77. Laurels Fund ~ http://www.efwa.org/laurels.htm
78. Women in Transisiton and Women in Need http://www.efwa.org/witwin.htm
79. Michele L. McDonald Scholarship ~ http://www.efwa.org/mcdonald.htm
80. Rowling, Dold & Associates LLP Scholarship ~ http://www.efwa.org/rowlingdold.htm
81. Scholarships4moms.com ~ http://www.scholarships4moms.net/form.php?c=253373187&forcelp=&ga_medium=html&ga_source=528&ga_name=Scholarships4Moms&ga_content=
82. Anita Borge Memorial Scholarship ~ http://www.google.com/anitaborg-emea/
83. AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship Program ~ www.aarp.org/states/…/foundation_womens_scholarship.html
84. National Association of Women In Construction ~ www.nawic.org/nawic/NFSF.asp
85. The Society of Women Engineers ~ www.swe.org/scholarships/brochure.aspx
87. Women Gamers scholarships ~ www.womengamers.com/scholarships/
88. WorldStudio AIGA Scholarships ~ scholarships.worldstudioinc.com/
89. College Art Association ~ www.collegeart.org/fellowships
90. National Sculpture Society, Inc. ~ www.nationalsculpture.org
91. Handweavers Guild of America, Inc ~ www.weavespindye.org

LOAN SOURCES FOR WOMEN

92. Accion USA (formerly Working Capital) http://www.accionusa.org/
93. American Express Small Business Network http://www.openforum.com/
94. Bank of America www.bankofamerica.com
95. Business Matchmaking http://www.businessmatchmaking.com/
96. First Union http://www.firstunion.com/
97. Fund Isabella- www.fundisabella.com
98. New Vista Capital Fund www.nvcap.com
99. Prosper.com – People-to-People Lending http://www.prosper.com
100. Silicon Valley Bank http://www.svb.com/svbank/
101. United Bank www.unitedbank.com
102. Wells Fargo www/.wellsfargo.com
103. Womens Venture Fund http://www.womensventurefund.org/
104. Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) https://www.fbo.gov/
105. The American Academy of Chefs ~ www.acfchefs.org/content/education/scholarships/default.htm/
106. International Association of Culinary Professionals Foundation ~ www.iacp.com/
107. The Restaurant School ~ www.walnuthillcollege.edu/Content1.aspx?cid=2.4.2
108. Scholarship Information from Starchefs ~ www.starchefs.com/cooking_school…/scholarship.php
109. Scholarship Listings from Chef2Chef ~ www.chef2chef.net/culinary…/scholarship-grant/resources.htm
110. Women Chefs & Restaurateurs ~ www.womenchefs.org/
111. The James Beard Foundation Individual School Scholarships ~ www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/jamesbeard/guidelines.pdf
112. The Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation ~ www.charlietrotters.com/about/foundation.asp
113. Obama Scholarships For Mothers – http://www.scholarshipsformoms2010.info/
114. Know Your Worth Scholarships ~ http://www.royalneighbors.org/Membership/Scholarships.aspx
115. American Business Women’s Association ~ www.ABWA.org

Angle Investors, Venture Capital and Other FUNDING Resources

116. Angel Capital Association Web site (www.angelcapitalassociation.org)
117. Angels in America http://www.inc.com/magazine/20050701/angels-in-america.html
118. Angel Investor Directory http://www.inc.com/articles/2001/09/23461.html
110. Ark Capital Management http://www.arkvc.com/
119. Diversity 2000 – http://www.div2000.com/
120. Finance Wizard – Find Your Financing http://www.bplans.com/FinanceWizard/index.cfm?affiliate=wfn
112. Financing for For-Profit Organizations http://www.managementhelp.org/fndrsng/fp_raise/fp_raise.htm
122. Loan Checklist – http://www.missouribusiness.net/docs/loan_checklist.asp
123. Raising Start-Up Capital http://www.inc.com/welcome.html?aw=640&ah=480
124. Women’s Finance – www.womensfinance.com
125. Loans: http://www.business.gov/industries/woman-owned/

Additional Resources on Angel Investing, Grants and MORE:

Earning Your Wings Angel investors are getting tougher. To land seed money, you should, too. http://www.inc.com/magazine/20050101/getting-started.html

Who exactly are angel investors? http://www.inc.com/articles/2000/12/21310.html

Finance and capital mentor Guy Kawasaki defines angel investors, and when and how an entrepreneur should seek them out. http://www.inc.com/articles/2000/12/21310.html

How do you get investors to read a business plan? Finding a go-between can help get your business plan in front of interested investors, according to Writing a Business Plan mentor Rhonda Abrams. http://www.inc.com/articles/2001/01/21601.html

ABCs of Borrowing – http://www.howtoadvice.com/Borrowing/

Take the Proposal Writing Short Course: http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index.html

Writing From the Winner’s Circle http://epscor.unl.edu/rfps/winnerscircle.shtml ~ A comprehensive online booklet on writing and submitting competitive grant proposals.

One note of caution, as with anything you find online, please use due diligence when applying to these sites and especially when hiring ANYONE to assist you with your grant proposals. You can avoid scam artists by thoroughly researching any unfamiliar programs before spending your hard earned money and more importantly sharing your personal information with potential grant writers.

For more information on how to GET A GRANT, check out the post: GRANTS FOR WOMEN ~ How to Get Them.

One Woman’s Trash is Another woman’s Treasure

HeidiRichards — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:16:14 +0000

How to turn your “trash” into cash! by Heidi Richards Mooney

Here’s the scenario: You have a closet full of suits from “back in the day” when you went to work in an office every day, just hanging there taking up space. You tell yourself that you might need them again someday. But let’s be realistic. You’ve been working from home for 5 years now. If you don’t do something with those suits soon, they will be so outdated you won’t be able to give them away!

And what about that bread maker your sister gave you? Baking bread may have seemed like a good idea at the time – and then you went on a diet. And so did the whole family! No more bread for you. It’s practically new and you really don’t want to throw it out but you could use the space… for other things you will actually use. Let’s not forget an office full of books, CD’s DVD’s and video games taking up space in the room and your head. And what about all the sports memorabilia collecting dust in a corner of the room?

Sure you could give them away or you could turn these treasures into cold hard cash! A whole industry was created just to take care of making space in your home. Online Auctions and classifieds are everywhere you look fro all corners of the internet and they are there just to help put more green in your wallet.

Here are just a few places you can sell your“trash” online and make your wallet overflow instead of your closets and cupboards:

Craigslist.org – is an online community of classifies and forums that is region-specific and easy to use – and it’s free! There’s even a section dedicated to cleaning out your closets – click “for sale,” then click on “clothes and acc.” When you post, details matter. The more descriptive you are with an item, the greater chance you have of actually selling it. And a picture is worth a thousand words. Include pictures of those hot off your hanger items.

Exchange it! – exchange stores (unlike consignment shops) give you cash on the spot or credit toward a purchase or those items that are almost new and no longer fit or are no longer desirable.

Check out Plato’s Closet – www.platoscloset.com and Crossroad Trading Co. – www.crossroadstrading.com. They carry and buy popular brands, stylish “digs” and more.

Cupboards overflowing? – Oodle.com is the perfect place to sell those unwanted household items. Post your ad and photo (for free) on a local classified provider such as PennySaverUsa.com, local.oodle.com or Lycos.com and someone looking for what you are selling will find it.

Heard of Half.com? Half.com is owned by ebay and according to their site here are just a few great reasons to list on Half.com: “No start-up or listing fees… we only make money when you do. Easy listing… using ISBN or UPC makes listing a snap. The items you list are seen by millions of potential buyers. Who knows, it could even lead
to a new business venture.”

Have collectibles you’d like to part with? Collectibles generally get nice resale prices. If you are a Hummel Collector, check out HummelExchange, a site that connects buyers and sellers looking for specific pieces.

And of course if you want to sell your used Computers, Consumer Electronics, (or other categories) there is always eBay, the world’s largest online marketplace… As a Half.com member, you are already registered for eBay! Just be aware of the fees you will be charged as a reseller.

Don’t want to go the Internet route? There are still old-fashioned garage sales and consignment stores just for you! Garage-sale-specific sites such as GarageSaleHunter.com offer free listings to visitors. List your event there and in your local newspapers and sell, sell, sell.

Babies R Us offers a 20% discount on cribs, strollers and other pieces of baby gear to customers who bring in used ones.

And other retailers will pay for your unwanted books, CD’s, DVDs, broken iPods ~ no purchase necessary.

And finally, if you don’t want to sell your “trash,” give it away! There are charities in abundance just waiting to “recycle” the treasures you no longer want.

Final Countdown to April 15

HeidiRichards — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:08:56 +0000

Illinois CPA Society Answers Last Minute Tax Questions

This is it. There are only a few days left to finish your taxes. Whether you’re a procrastinator by nature, or you’ve stalled just because you dread filing (or paying) taxes, there’s no avoiding the April 15 deadline. If you count yourself among those who have waited until the last minute, the Illinois CPA Society offers answers to some of your last minute questions:

What should be double-checked on the return? Don’t forget the obvious. Even if you e-file, print and check the return before mailing and be sure to print a final copy, too. Check the math, check to see if you’ve put the right numbers in the right places, check to see that your social security number is correct and that you (and your spouse) sign and date the return. Make sure all the necessary forms are attached.

What’s the penalty for filing a return late? If you owe money, always file a tax return on time or file for an extension. Penalties for late filing can range from five percent a month up to a maximum of 25 percent of the amount of tax due on a late return.

How do I file for an extension? You can get a six-month extension by using Form 4868 available electronically or in a printable version from the IRS web site, www.irs.gov. But it’s not an extension of the time to pay. You still need to estimate what you might owe and pay any taxes due by the April 15th deadline. Also check for state filing extension requirements.

Can I charge my taxes? Taxes can be paid using a debit or credit card, but keep in mind if you can’t pay the card balance in full you end up paying a significant amount in interest and fees. The interest rate on your credit card is probably higher than the IRS interest rate for installments, so see if you’re eligible for an installment agreement to arrange a monthly payment plan with the IRS; visit www.irs.gov for more information.

What if I can’t pay? First of all, don’t ignore the situation by not filing a return. File the return by April 15th and pay as much as you can by the deadline to avoid penalties. Work with the IRS. Although you would still have to pay interest and possibly a late payment penalty, see if you’re eligible for a payment plan. The IRS has also eased its rules on settlements. Detailed financial statements must be filed, but depending on your situation, you may be able to work out a compromise with the IRS. Taxpayers who are unemployed or struggling financially should contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 or visit the Tax Center to Assist Unemployed Taxpayers on the IRS site.

How soon can I expect a refund? Those who e-file will get their returns processed more quickly. If you file electronically and choose to have your refund deposited directly into your bank account, you could have your money in as few as 10 days. With other filing methods it may be about four to six weeks before you receive a check.

Where can I get help? The IRS web site (www.irs.gov) has forms, publications and information and offers assistance though their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). There are also other agencies that might be able to help such as AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) which provides free volunteer-run tax assistance and other local groups in your area. The Illinois CPA Society offers free personal income tax preparation to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were on active duty in a combat zone or recently returned from combat.

Remember you can e-file your return 24 hours a day, any day of the week. Visit the Illinois CPA Society site – www.icpas.org – for more information including direct links to IRS topics. The Society’s site also has a “Find a CPA” directory if you want to start planning now to be better prepared for next tax season.

The Illinois CPA Society, founded in 1903, is the fifth largest state CPA society in the nation, with more than 24,000 members. It is the premier professional organization that represents CPAs in Illinois. During its over 100 years of existence, the Society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession, and has been a leader in educating the public on financial issues.