Finding Bussiness Opportunity in the Stimulus Bill (325 hits)
No matter the side that is taken on the passage of the stimulus bill (I certainly have my own opinion), the fact is that bill has been signed into law and we taxpayers are on the hook to repay this money. How and if we can is not my purpose here. There are many funding opportunities as well as benefits for all stakeholders in this massive bill.
On, February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the most enormous economic stimulus spending bill in U. S. history. With the principle aim being to jump start our ailing economy, along with this legislation came some very exciting business opportunities.I will now outline one project my company has undertaken to help the nation's serious energy crisis and in which much opportunity can be found to put money into the economy, vis a vis, funds from the stimulus allocations to the many states and their respective counties. Believe me, this is only one opportunity among many, many contained in the stimulus package if one knows how and where to look for them. Contact your congressman or local officials for information as to how to locate a copy of the actual bill, perusing it for the opportunity that appears right for you.
Since most federal, many state agencies also got stimulus fund allocations, another good reference for meeting a need, idea or dream you may have can be found on www. grants.gov and elsewhere. Be sure to check your state's stimulus website. Alabama's, for instance, is www.stimulus.alabama.gov.
One opportunity I have seized upon from this bill is the Department of Energy's conservation initiatives and assistance programs. We have just begun and hopefully, you who want to help the nation's drive to reduce energy loss and dependence will find inspiration to assist in this worthwhile effort, as America is running out of easy "to-to-get-to' natural resources, as well as having immediate need to find alternatives to relying on toxic assets such as hydrocarbons.
Since February of this year, I have combed through this historical statute with more than 20 titles, as the various chapters are called, teeming with bits of legal language spread over more than 1,000 pages, I set out to make this bill my personal "instructor's" manual.
And thus, I became the "Voice" of the stimulus bill. The opportunities contained within it and how to access those opportunities. I attended and continue to show up at various state, county, local forums and attempt to find any setting in which I can relay the new found information to those on 'Main Street', especially those of limited socio-economic standing, even literally, showing up at our state Capitol and self-appointing myself as the spokesperson for the little man, so to speak. The Governor's Man obliged and has made no small point of admiring my bold assertion at subsequent forums on the stimulus bill in the meetings we have attended together.
My point is this. We all remember some years back the terrible tribal conflicts in Africa's Rwanda and Burundi. Will you also recall that the area was consumed practically by strife, brutality, and starvation? Yet, Rwanda has better broadband coverage (cable) than many areas of rural America today! Entrepreneurs! Hundreds of millions are in the stimulus bill for projects in this field. Just one example! The Small business Administration has lots of money to try out for one of their backed loans. In spite of the many come ons out there, SBA will not pay your personal bills or lend money, say, to repair your' Aunt Susie's' washing machine,. Such offerings are scams. I also work with the SBA (www.sba.gov) to give guidance to those seeking to come up with a viable loan package in which the SBA will guarantee if the loan goes into default.
But here is an easy and more immediate stimulus funding opportunity. Here is one that can be applied to many who are reading this blog. It can be found in the Department of Energy's allotment of funding in the cause for helping to reduce this nation's wanton loss of energy. Therefore , many millions of dollars are available for contractors, roofers, and other building maintenance personnel to perform as "energy doctors to stem this flow of energy use. See www.doe.gov.
Here is the way I am taking advantage of this funding opportunity in my state of Alabama, more particularly Jefferson County, Alabama's largest.
On May 8, 2009, I was invited with an associate to attend a Commissioner's stimulus economic forum at the Civic Center Sheraton, Downtown Birmingham. Many local and state officials were present and served as presenters on the program.
