Lancaster, PA -- Gerard Glenn, President of the Lancaster Chapter of SCORE announced its sponsorship of the First Step FastTrac class for this Spring. First Step is a twelve week course which teaches budding entrepreneurs how to start their own small businesses. The series, co-sponsored by SCORE and ASSETS Lancaster, is the second one to be held in Lancaster.
"Our first course last Fall was so successful, we decided to hold it again," Glenn said. "We graduated 19 students who are looking to open businesses ranging from restaurants and remodeling contractors to accounting and veterinarian services. Their response to the program was simply outstanding."
The comprehensive course - developed by the prestigious Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas -- teaches students the basics of starting their own businesses including in-depth sessions on how to conduct a feasibility study, how to market your business, pricing your product, how to prepare accurate budgets and financial projections, how to write a business plan and how to find funding for your start-up. Each course is taught by successful businessmen and women from the Lancaster area and includes lectures, hands-on entrepreneurial experiences and individual and group coaching and mentoring.
"The sessions included all necessary aspects you need to know when you plan to start a business. They were clear and easy to follow step by step. The entrepreneur's handbook, the extra information, the email message follow-ups to all sessions were fabulous!", according to Nilda Vega, a Fall graduate.
"We've taken the suggestions of our first group of graduates and made the course even better, " said Lou Davenport, the FastTrac� instructor. "We've added more time with the individual coaches; increased the amount of hands-on time students have in our computer lab with the financial templates; and will tailor the business examples we use to meet the specific needs of the local businesses students want to start up."
The First Step FastTrac�course takes place every Tuesday night, beginning March 2, 2010 and runs from 6 to 9 PM. It is held at the Earl B. Hess Training Center, located in the ASSETS building at 237 North Prince Street in Lancaster.
Tuition for the course ranges from $75 to $575 and is based on household income. Some tuition reimbursable scholarships are available thanks to a grant from Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
For more information on the upcoming courses, please contact: SCORE at (717) 397-3092 or Maria Iniesta at (717) 393-6089 or visit: www.scorelancaster.org.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
SCORE Helps Baby Boomers Drive the Economy
By Beth Fowler, Central Penn Business Journal
January 28, 2010
Many economists believe baby boomer entrepreneurs will drive the economy toward health.
Surprised? Score volunteers throughout Central Pennsylvania aren't. The largest age group of our population also is the most entrepreneurial.
Compared with their predecessors, people born between 1946 and 1964 are experiencing increased longevity and better health as they age. Those trends -- combined with a reputation for being socially conscious, productive and having a positive effect on society -- help explain the forces compelling baby boomers to start their own businesses.
Of course, a drop in the number of so-called "lifetime" jobs provides motivation to run one's own enterprise, too.
Tom Burgum of Lancaster Score and his counterparts at the other local chapters want to clear up a misconception about the nonprofit organization. "Many people seem to believe Score focuses only on emerging businesses," Burgum said. "Score counselors mentor existing small businesses as well as start-ups."
As the economy showed signs of stalling, many businesses significantly reduced their budgets and can't afford to hire consultants and experts in sales, marketing, management, costs, etc. Score offers many free and low-cost services dealing with those very issues to help businesses remain successful.
Mike Atkins said he noticed a change in the type of clients coming to York Score a couple of years ago.
"We started seeing more clients who had been running successful businesses for several years," he said. "They were facing tough problems -- fewer contracts in the pipeline, funds drying up."
For that reason, Atkins knew it was important to get the word out to the business community that Score's programs aren't only for new businesses.
"A visit to Score isn't a one-shot deal," Harrisburg's Andy Green explained. "Our business advisers can become ongoing mentors, an unbiased team of professionals who will listen and help business owners separate the trees from the forest."
About half of the face-to-face and online sessions between Score advisers and clients are follow-on cases in which the clients are not new to Score, but are returning for more guidance, more brainstorming, more tools and techniques for survival.
Typically, on-going mentoring takes place at the client company's site. It was described by the owner of an office equipment sales and service company as being "like a board of advisers that I don't have to pay."
Running a business always involves risk. Score CEO Kenneth Yancey said, "You'll have to continue to keep a sharp eye on expenses and pay close attention to collecting your receivables to stay afloat. Even in a flush economy that's how small business should operate to stay on the positive side of cash flow. Today's economy just makes the challenge a bit tougher. But I know you can do it."
Score is here to help small businesses do it.
Lancaster Score, for example, conducted 13 roundtables at which participants shared issues, solutions and best practices geared toward specific industries. Last year 1,776 people attended the business planning workshops hosted by local Score chapters.
Score chapters sponsored new workshops on topics such as marketing on the Web, search engine optimization and QuickBooks. York Score in cooperation with York County Economic Development Corporation organized the timely seminar "Struggling with Sales?"
Chapters have developed strategic partnerships to strengthen services to clients. For instance, to see the range of alliances Reading Score has forged, visit www.Reading008score.org. Each chapter has its own content-rich, user-friendly Web site with links to other sites important to start-up and existing businesses.
Capital is harder for business owners to get, so Score chapters responded in a variety of ways: initiating micro-loan programs, having bankers provide insight into sources of capital and requirements for obtaining it, making clients aware of the Community First Fund and of SBA-guaranteed loans.
"The counselors found that sometimes just asking the hard questions to reorient thinking was a great help to our clients," Burgum said.
Knowing that today's entrepreneurs prefer laptops over three-ring binders, Pottstown Score, to name one, offers online workshops and several chapters e-mail newsletters to clients and strategic partners.
Because the skills and tools needed to succeed in business are ever-changing, National Score decided years ago to recruit volunteers who are actively employed. Today, nationally and locally, nearly 40 percent of Score's volunteers are employed. I'm a case-in-point. Grateful for the role Score has had in my success as a business owner, I became a Score volunteer as well as a Score client.
More than 170 volunteer business counselors keep the local district Scores running smoothly. They are current and former business owners. They are professionals from corporations and nonprofit organizations. Some are retired, some are semi-retired and some are enjoying their second or third careers. The men and women range in age from thirtysomething to ninetysomething.
It's no surprise that many of the volunteers at Score, like many of the entrepreneurs they advise, are baby boomers. People ranging in age from 45 to 63 have the highest volunteer rate of any group of Americans, according to a 2005 study by the Corporation for National & Community Service.
Score has numerous services to choose from to meet entrepreneurs' needs. Counselors with real-world experience in whatever issues you're tackling are available.
"Even if you're doing well in business, a mentor can confirm that or suggest changes," said a client who received ongoing help from Score before buying out her partner's portion of their business.
According to a recent Kauffman Foundation study, baby boomers are in the driver's seat of our country's economic recovery. If you know someone whose business idea needs a tune up, tell him or her about Score. Whether you're a baby boomer, if you own a small business or are thinking of starting one, you don't have to drive alone.
•
Beth Fowler is a Score volunteer in York. To find out more about Score in Harrisburg, go to www.panetwork.com/Score; in Lancaster www.scorelancaster.org; and in York, www.yorkscore.org
January 28, 2010
Many economists believe baby boomer entrepreneurs will drive the economy toward health.
Surprised? Score volunteers throughout Central Pennsylvania aren't. The largest age group of our population also is the most entrepreneurial.
Compared with their predecessors, people born between 1946 and 1964 are experiencing increased longevity and better health as they age. Those trends -- combined with a reputation for being socially conscious, productive and having a positive effect on society -- help explain the forces compelling baby boomers to start their own businesses.
Of course, a drop in the number of so-called "lifetime" jobs provides motivation to run one's own enterprise, too.
Tom Burgum of Lancaster Score and his counterparts at the other local chapters want to clear up a misconception about the nonprofit organization. "Many people seem to believe Score focuses only on emerging businesses," Burgum said. "Score counselors mentor existing small businesses as well as start-ups."
As the economy showed signs of stalling, many businesses significantly reduced their budgets and can't afford to hire consultants and experts in sales, marketing, management, costs, etc. Score offers many free and low-cost services dealing with those very issues to help businesses remain successful.
Mike Atkins said he noticed a change in the type of clients coming to York Score a couple of years ago.
"We started seeing more clients who had been running successful businesses for several years," he said. "They were facing tough problems -- fewer contracts in the pipeline, funds drying up."
For that reason, Atkins knew it was important to get the word out to the business community that Score's programs aren't only for new businesses.
"A visit to Score isn't a one-shot deal," Harrisburg's Andy Green explained. "Our business advisers can become ongoing mentors, an unbiased team of professionals who will listen and help business owners separate the trees from the forest."
About half of the face-to-face and online sessions between Score advisers and clients are follow-on cases in which the clients are not new to Score, but are returning for more guidance, more brainstorming, more tools and techniques for survival.
Typically, on-going mentoring takes place at the client company's site. It was described by the owner of an office equipment sales and service company as being "like a board of advisers that I don't have to pay."
Running a business always involves risk. Score CEO Kenneth Yancey said, "You'll have to continue to keep a sharp eye on expenses and pay close attention to collecting your receivables to stay afloat. Even in a flush economy that's how small business should operate to stay on the positive side of cash flow. Today's economy just makes the challenge a bit tougher. But I know you can do it."
Score is here to help small businesses do it.
Lancaster Score, for example, conducted 13 roundtables at which participants shared issues, solutions and best practices geared toward specific industries. Last year 1,776 people attended the business planning workshops hosted by local Score chapters.
Score chapters sponsored new workshops on topics such as marketing on the Web, search engine optimization and QuickBooks. York Score in cooperation with York County Economic Development Corporation organized the timely seminar "Struggling with Sales?"
Chapters have developed strategic partnerships to strengthen services to clients. For instance, to see the range of alliances Reading Score has forged, visit www.Reading008score.org. Each chapter has its own content-rich, user-friendly Web site with links to other sites important to start-up and existing businesses.
Capital is harder for business owners to get, so Score chapters responded in a variety of ways: initiating micro-loan programs, having bankers provide insight into sources of capital and requirements for obtaining it, making clients aware of the Community First Fund and of SBA-guaranteed loans.
"The counselors found that sometimes just asking the hard questions to reorient thinking was a great help to our clients," Burgum said.
Knowing that today's entrepreneurs prefer laptops over three-ring binders, Pottstown Score, to name one, offers online workshops and several chapters e-mail newsletters to clients and strategic partners.
Because the skills and tools needed to succeed in business are ever-changing, National Score decided years ago to recruit volunteers who are actively employed. Today, nationally and locally, nearly 40 percent of Score's volunteers are employed. I'm a case-in-point. Grateful for the role Score has had in my success as a business owner, I became a Score volunteer as well as a Score client.
More than 170 volunteer business counselors keep the local district Scores running smoothly. They are current and former business owners. They are professionals from corporations and nonprofit organizations. Some are retired, some are semi-retired and some are enjoying their second or third careers. The men and women range in age from thirtysomething to ninetysomething.
It's no surprise that many of the volunteers at Score, like many of the entrepreneurs they advise, are baby boomers. People ranging in age from 45 to 63 have the highest volunteer rate of any group of Americans, according to a 2005 study by the Corporation for National & Community Service.
Score has numerous services to choose from to meet entrepreneurs' needs. Counselors with real-world experience in whatever issues you're tackling are available.
"Even if you're doing well in business, a mentor can confirm that or suggest changes," said a client who received ongoing help from Score before buying out her partner's portion of their business.
According to a recent Kauffman Foundation study, baby boomers are in the driver's seat of our country's economic recovery. If you know someone whose business idea needs a tune up, tell him or her about Score. Whether you're a baby boomer, if you own a small business or are thinking of starting one, you don't have to drive alone.
•
Beth Fowler is a Score volunteer in York. To find out more about Score in Harrisburg, go to www.panetwork.com/Score; in Lancaster www.scorelancaster.org; and in York, www.yorkscore.org
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Business Name Registration - DBA - "Doing Business As..."
The legal name of a business is the name of the person or entity that owns a business. If you are the sole owner of your business, its legal name is your full name. If your business is a partnership, the legal name is the name given in your partnership agreement or the last names of the partners. For limited liability corporations (LLCs) and corporations, the business' legal name is the one that was registered with the state government.
Your business' legal name is required on all government forms and applications, including your application for employer tax IDs, licenses and permits. However, if you want to open a shop or sell your products under a different name, then in Pennsylvania, you will have to file a "fictitious name" registration form with the state.
A fictitious name (or assumed name, trade name, or DBA name, short for "doing business as") is a business name that is different than your personal name, the names of your partners or the officially registered name of your LLC or corporation.
For example, let's say Mary Smith is a sole proprietor of a catering company she runs out of her house. Mary wants to name her business Riverside Catering instead using her business' legal name, Mary Smith. In order to use Riverside Catering, Mary will need to register that name as a fictitious business name with a government agency. In Pennsylvania fictitious names must be registered with the state government; in other states, you register fictitious names with the county clerk's office; and in some others, there are no laws requiring businesses to register a fictitious business names.
Here are links to the requirements for fictitious name filing in Pennsylvania:
State DBA Filing Requirements Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of State:
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/corps/cwp/view.asp?a=1093&q=431168
Fictitious Name Registration Requirements
Application for Registration of Fictitious Name
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/corps/lib/corps/20/7/311.pdf
Your business' legal name is required on all government forms and applications, including your application for employer tax IDs, licenses and permits. However, if you want to open a shop or sell your products under a different name, then in Pennsylvania, you will have to file a "fictitious name" registration form with the state.
A fictitious name (or assumed name, trade name, or DBA name, short for "doing business as") is a business name that is different than your personal name, the names of your partners or the officially registered name of your LLC or corporation.
For example, let's say Mary Smith is a sole proprietor of a catering company she runs out of her house. Mary wants to name her business Riverside Catering instead using her business' legal name, Mary Smith. In order to use Riverside Catering, Mary will need to register that name as a fictitious business name with a government agency. In Pennsylvania fictitious names must be registered with the state government; in other states, you register fictitious names with the county clerk's office; and in some others, there are no laws requiring businesses to register a fictitious business names.
Here are links to the requirements for fictitious name filing in Pennsylvania:
State DBA Filing Requirements Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of State:
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/corps/cwp/view.asp?a=1093&q=431168
Fictitious Name Registration Requirements
Application for Registration of Fictitious Name
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/corps/lib/corps/20/7/311.pdf
Monday, July 13, 2009
Lancaster Libraries Programs
The following classes will be held at the Library System office in Greenfield Corporate Center at 1866 Colonial Village Lane, Suite 107. For more information, contact Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, t 717-207-0500 x1225 or kleiman@lancasterlibraries.org
Geodemographic Tools for Target Marketing, Wednesday July 22 8:00-9:30am OR Tuesday, July 28 6:30-8:00pm
You’ve read the article about Simply Map and Local Market Audience Analyst. Now, come and see for yourself what these resources can do for your business. The features and capabilities of these powerful tools will be demonstrated using a variety of practical examples. While these tools are most helpful when marketing to consumers, businesses of all types are sure to find many practical applications. This seminar will be offered on two different dates and times to accommodate various work schedules. When responding, please indicate which session you’d like to attend. A third session is scheduled for September (see below for September events). Presenter: Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System
ReferenceUSA Refresher, Thursday, July 30 8:00-9:00am
See a demonstration of ReferenceUSA’s newly redesigned U.S. Businesses module. Many new features and enhancements have been incorporated into this new interface. If you are a regular user of ReferenceUSA, you will want to attend this class to learn how to navigate the changes. If you’ve never used ReferenceUSA before, you will also learn the basic features and capabilities of this invaluable database. Presenter: Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System Thursday September 10 6:30-8:30pm
Blog Basics for Beginners, Thursday September 10 6:30-8:30pm
Blogging has become a great way to let off steam, get an audience for your work and even profoundly impact the lives of others. With all the free and simple tools available, there’s no better time to get started. We’ll cover the basics of blogging: where and how to set up a blog, how to choose a topic, how to write compelling content, and more. This course is best suited for those with little or no blogging experience. CD of tools included. Limit is 15 people. Presenters – Kae Kohl & Bede Fahey, Kiwi Marketing Group
Geodemographic Tools for Target Marketing, Thursday September 17 6:30-8:00pm
(See July events above for details)
Competitive Intelligence Certification Program
Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System of Lancaster County, will be presenting this five-part series in partnership with the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Penn State The Lancaster Center.
For a full description of the seminar series, visit http://www.lancastermarketedge.com/. Cost of series is $495 for Chamber members and $695 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.lancasterchamber.com/event.aspx?eid=1138 or call Angi Fritz at 717-397-3531 x172. Please note that this course is being presented as a series and will not be offered as single sessions at this time. A free preview session will be held at the Library System office on Thursday, September 24 from 4:30-5:30pm. Registration for this session is also required.
Thursday, October 8– Session One: Introduction to Competitive Intelligence; Scope of Program; Creating Company Lists
Thursday, October 15 – Session Two: Company & Industry Information
Thursday, October 29 – Session Three: Financial Information; International Information
Thursday, November 5 – Session Four: Trade & Regional Business Journals, Magazines and Newspapers
Thursday, November 12 – Session Five: Government Information; Web 2.0; General Trend Information; Wrap-up
DUKE Street Business Center Programs
The following free programs will be held at the Lancaster Public Library at 125 N. Duke Street. Since seating is often limited, please register as soon as possible for those programs that are of interest. Contact Diane Pawling or Heather Sharpe at 717-394-2651 x131 or dsbc@lancaster.lib.pa.us for more information or to register.
Just for Nonprofits! Thursday July 30 3:00-4:30pm
An overview of nonprofit resources found in the Duke Street Business Center – including a hands-on-demonstration of the Foundation Center’s Foundation Directory Online. As a Foundation Center Cooperating Collection site and the location of the LeadWell Nonprofit Information Collection, the DSBC is a valuable resource for nonprofit information. Presenter – Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian
ReferenceUSA Refresher, Tuesday August 4 3:30-4:30pm
See a demonstration of ReferenceUSA’s newly redesigned U.S. Businesses module. Many new features and enhancements have been incorporated into this new interface. If you are a regular user of ReferenceUSA, you will want to attend this class to learn how to navigate the changes. If you’ve never used ReferenceUSA before, you will also learn the basic features and capabilities of this invaluable database. Presenter: Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian
DSBC Nonprofit Network Event , Tuesday August 18 3:00-4:30pm
The Duke Street Business Center at Lancaster Public Library hosts a free quarterly Nonprofit Network Event for representatives of local nonprofit organizations. This event will begin at 3:00pm with attendee introductions followed by an informal roundtable discussion on the topic of Nonprofit Survival in Tough Economic Times. Each attendee should come prepared to share at least one thing (a new fundraising or cost-cutting effort, etc.) that their organization has done differently in 2009 because of the current state of the economy. The event will conclude with a brief agency highlight and a time to informally swap experiences with colleagues. Registration deadline – August 13, 2009
businessKillers® Thursday September 3 3:00-4:30pm
This educational presentation, designed by industry experts and business owners like yourself, allows you to access how well you have protected your company from the six biggest mistakes that can “kill” a business. Presenter-James McPherson, M&T Bank Corporation Registration Deadline–August 27, 2009
Solving the Mystery of Federal Grants for Nonprofits!, September 15 3:00-4:30pm
Applying for federal grants is not usually an easy, quick way to access funding for your nonprofit. Join us as we attempt to demystify the federal grant process – including the steps involved in 1) searching to see if there are grant opportunities available for your type of organization, 2) the registration process, 3) completing the application, 4) how to choose and track reasonable outcomes, and 5) how to track your completed application throughout this sometimes lengthy labor intensive process. Presenter – Daniel L. Jurman, Director of Development, SouthEast Lancaster Health Services. Registration Deadline – September 10, 2009
Preparing Business-to-Business Mail Lists for Sales or Solicitation, Thursday September 24 3:00-4:30pm
A hands-on training focusing on two of the library’s licensed company databases-- Reference USA and Harris Selectory Online. Includes a detailed comparison of these resources and how they can be used most efficiently to prepare targeted lists (and mailing labels) for business-to-business marketing/sales leads or for nonprofit-to-business solicitations or event invitations. Presenter-Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian. Registration Deadline – September 21, 2009
Geodemographic Tools for Target Marketing, Wednesday July 22 8:00-9:30am OR Tuesday, July 28 6:30-8:00pm
You’ve read the article about Simply Map and Local Market Audience Analyst. Now, come and see for yourself what these resources can do for your business. The features and capabilities of these powerful tools will be demonstrated using a variety of practical examples. While these tools are most helpful when marketing to consumers, businesses of all types are sure to find many practical applications. This seminar will be offered on two different dates and times to accommodate various work schedules. When responding, please indicate which session you’d like to attend. A third session is scheduled for September (see below for September events). Presenter: Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System
ReferenceUSA Refresher, Thursday, July 30 8:00-9:00am
See a demonstration of ReferenceUSA’s newly redesigned U.S. Businesses module. Many new features and enhancements have been incorporated into this new interface. If you are a regular user of ReferenceUSA, you will want to attend this class to learn how to navigate the changes. If you’ve never used ReferenceUSA before, you will also learn the basic features and capabilities of this invaluable database. Presenter: Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System Thursday September 10 6:30-8:30pm
Blog Basics for Beginners, Thursday September 10 6:30-8:30pm
Blogging has become a great way to let off steam, get an audience for your work and even profoundly impact the lives of others. With all the free and simple tools available, there’s no better time to get started. We’ll cover the basics of blogging: where and how to set up a blog, how to choose a topic, how to write compelling content, and more. This course is best suited for those with little or no blogging experience. CD of tools included. Limit is 15 people. Presenters – Kae Kohl & Bede Fahey, Kiwi Marketing Group
Geodemographic Tools for Target Marketing, Thursday September 17 6:30-8:00pm
(See July events above for details)
Competitive Intelligence Certification Program
Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, Library System of Lancaster County, will be presenting this five-part series in partnership with the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Penn State The Lancaster Center.
For a full description of the seminar series, visit http://www.lancastermarketedge.com/. Cost of series is $495 for Chamber members and $695 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.lancasterchamber.com/event.aspx?eid=1138 or call Angi Fritz at 717-397-3531 x172. Please note that this course is being presented as a series and will not be offered as single sessions at this time. A free preview session will be held at the Library System office on Thursday, September 24 from 4:30-5:30pm. Registration for this session is also required.
Thursday, October 8– Session One: Introduction to Competitive Intelligence; Scope of Program; Creating Company Lists
Thursday, October 15 – Session Two: Company & Industry Information
Thursday, October 29 – Session Three: Financial Information; International Information
Thursday, November 5 – Session Four: Trade & Regional Business Journals, Magazines and Newspapers
Thursday, November 12 – Session Five: Government Information; Web 2.0; General Trend Information; Wrap-up
DUKE Street Business Center Programs
The following free programs will be held at the Lancaster Public Library at 125 N. Duke Street. Since seating is often limited, please register as soon as possible for those programs that are of interest. Contact Diane Pawling or Heather Sharpe at 717-394-2651 x131 or dsbc@lancaster.lib.pa.us for more information or to register.
Just for Nonprofits! Thursday July 30 3:00-4:30pm
An overview of nonprofit resources found in the Duke Street Business Center – including a hands-on-demonstration of the Foundation Center’s Foundation Directory Online. As a Foundation Center Cooperating Collection site and the location of the LeadWell Nonprofit Information Collection, the DSBC is a valuable resource for nonprofit information. Presenter – Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian
ReferenceUSA Refresher, Tuesday August 4 3:30-4:30pm
See a demonstration of ReferenceUSA’s newly redesigned U.S. Businesses module. Many new features and enhancements have been incorporated into this new interface. If you are a regular user of ReferenceUSA, you will want to attend this class to learn how to navigate the changes. If you’ve never used ReferenceUSA before, you will also learn the basic features and capabilities of this invaluable database. Presenter: Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian
DSBC Nonprofit Network Event , Tuesday August 18 3:00-4:30pm
The Duke Street Business Center at Lancaster Public Library hosts a free quarterly Nonprofit Network Event for representatives of local nonprofit organizations. This event will begin at 3:00pm with attendee introductions followed by an informal roundtable discussion on the topic of Nonprofit Survival in Tough Economic Times. Each attendee should come prepared to share at least one thing (a new fundraising or cost-cutting effort, etc.) that their organization has done differently in 2009 because of the current state of the economy. The event will conclude with a brief agency highlight and a time to informally swap experiences with colleagues. Registration deadline – August 13, 2009
businessKillers® Thursday September 3 3:00-4:30pm
This educational presentation, designed by industry experts and business owners like yourself, allows you to access how well you have protected your company from the six biggest mistakes that can “kill” a business. Presenter-James McPherson, M&T Bank Corporation Registration Deadline–August 27, 2009
Solving the Mystery of Federal Grants for Nonprofits!, September 15 3:00-4:30pm
Applying for federal grants is not usually an easy, quick way to access funding for your nonprofit. Join us as we attempt to demystify the federal grant process – including the steps involved in 1) searching to see if there are grant opportunities available for your type of organization, 2) the registration process, 3) completing the application, 4) how to choose and track reasonable outcomes, and 5) how to track your completed application throughout this sometimes lengthy labor intensive process. Presenter – Daniel L. Jurman, Director of Development, SouthEast Lancaster Health Services. Registration Deadline – September 10, 2009
Preparing Business-to-Business Mail Lists for Sales or Solicitation, Thursday September 24 3:00-4:30pm
A hands-on training focusing on two of the library’s licensed company databases-- Reference USA and Harris Selectory Online. Includes a detailed comparison of these resources and how they can be used most efficiently to prepare targeted lists (and mailing labels) for business-to-business marketing/sales leads or for nonprofit-to-business solicitations or event invitations. Presenter-Diane Pawling, DSBC Business Reference Librarian. Registration Deadline – September 21, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Special April 7 Marketing Workshop
In today's fragile and challenging economy, having an effective marketing plan is essential to business survival.
This special Marketing Workshop is aimed at owners of existing businesses, start-up businesses or anyone thinking about creating a business.
SCORE's new marketing workshop helps you:
- decide on the right budget
- choose the best strategies for maximizing your return on investment
- build your plan for continuing profit and growth.
Carol Aubtiz, President of Excelsior Marketing, leads the session. For more than thirty-five years Carol has created marketing plans and designed successful strategies for a wide range of businesses, from small family operations to giant international corporations. She has helped clients through four recessionary periods, from the 1970s through the post 9/11 crisis. She writes the weekly marketing e-mail newsletter, The Monday Morning Muse, and is author of the book, "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Marketing."
Workshop participants will learn:
. How to set goals to generate leads and sales
. Best ways to define and prioritize customers to achieve maximum profits
. How to establish the right-sized marketing budget
. Methods to evaluate media and media choices
. How to adjust a plan for seasonality, cycles and market changes
. Ways to integrate marketing with media
. Developing predictive models for market results
. How to measure and evaluate marketing effectiveness
This SCORE workshop is presented on Tuesday, April 7 -- 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the SCORE Learning Center, Liberty Place, 313 Liberty Street, Room 231, Lancaster, PA.
REGISTER NOW!
This special Marketing Workshop is aimed at owners of existing businesses, start-up businesses or anyone thinking about creating a business.
SCORE's new marketing workshop helps you:
- decide on the right budget
- choose the best strategies for maximizing your return on investment
- build your plan for continuing profit and growth.
Carol Aubtiz, President of Excelsior Marketing, leads the session. For more than thirty-five years Carol has created marketing plans and designed successful strategies for a wide range of businesses, from small family operations to giant international corporations. She has helped clients through four recessionary periods, from the 1970s through the post 9/11 crisis. She writes the weekly marketing e-mail newsletter, The Monday Morning Muse, and is author of the book, "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Marketing."
Workshop participants will learn:
. How to set goals to generate leads and sales
. Best ways to define and prioritize customers to achieve maximum profits
. How to establish the right-sized marketing budget
. Methods to evaluate media and media choices
. How to adjust a plan for seasonality, cycles and market changes
. Ways to integrate marketing with media
. Developing predictive models for market results
. How to measure and evaluate marketing effectiveness
This SCORE workshop is presented on Tuesday, April 7 -- 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the SCORE Learning Center, Liberty Place, 313 Liberty Street, Room 231, Lancaster, PA.
REGISTER NOW!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
It's All About Workshops
This SCORE Lancaster Blogspot resource is shifting its focus away from timely small business news in order to emphasize the many workshops that SCORE Lancaster offers to help aspiring Lancaster County entrepreneurs.
We are planning on making this site a one stop center for people interested in learning more about starting and growing small business.
Stay tuned.
Visit us at http://scorelancaster.wordpress.com for timely small business news that affects Lancaster.
We are planning on making this site a one stop center for people interested in learning more about starting and growing small business.
Stay tuned.
Visit us at http://scorelancaster.wordpress.com for timely small business news that affects Lancaster.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Facts About Federal Grants
SCORE Lancaster is frequently asked how to get government grants. Many people contact us after viewing late night infomercials which advertise “millions in free money.” They are hoping SCORE can put them in touch with that “free money.”
The reality is that the infomercials are hype designed to get unsuspecting people to pay money to buy a “grant information package” or sign up for some grant application software package.
It is true that there are many grants shown on the federal government’s website www.grants.gov. It is equally true that very few of them are available to individuals and NONE of them are available for personal financial assistance or business start-up help.
A grant from a federal agency is an award of financial assistance that will enable the recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation that is authorized by a law of the United States.
In all, there are 26 federal agencies offering over 1,000 grant programs annually in various categories.
There are many groups and organizations eligible to apply for government grants. Typically, most grantee organizations are government entities (state, local, city, township or special public authorities), educational institutions (school districts, colleges and universities) and not-for-profit organizations. In certain instances small business grants may be awarded to companies that meet U.S. Small Business Administration size standards.
The most common size standards are as follows:
• under 500 employees for most manufacturing and mining industries
• under 100 employees for all wholesale trade industries
• less than $6 million for most retail and service industries
• below $28.5 million for most general & heavy construction industries
• under $12 million for all special trade contractors
• less than $750,000 for most agricultural businesses
With few exceptions, all federal agencies, and many state and local governments, use these size standards established by SBA. You can search for further information about small business loan opportunities on the Small Business Administration’s website.
You can also explore other government sponsored loan opportunities at http://www.govloans.gov .
To find a complete alphabetical listing of governmental assistance for individual citizens, visit USA.gov website’s Government Benefits, Grants, and Financial Aid page.
If you are a business or a non-profit and would like more information and answers about government grants that might be available for your situation, contact SCORE Lancaster at (717) 397-3092. The office is open weekdays from 10AM to 2PM.
Visit our new Blog at http://scorelancaster.wordpress.com
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Score Lancaster Blog Moves to Wordpress
The Score Lancaster Blog is migrating to Wordpress.com because the Wordpress blogging application has features that gives Score Lancaster more flexibility in presenting news and information to you.
Please visit us at http://scorelancaster.wordpress.com
Please visit us at http://scorelancaster.wordpress.com
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