NO FREE LUNCH:

1. NO FREE LUNCH: THE TRUTH ABOUT FREE MONEY

2. THE BARE FACTS • Most “grant” and “loan” money for individuals are in entitlement money, Social Security, welfare, Medicare, etc. • Most grants go to state and local government, and local nonprofits, to create their own programs for individuals. Most of these are not grants

3. MORE FACTS: • Programs are rarely for “anything,” but to solve specific programs--home affordability, health insurance, job training, etc. Nobody gets a blank check.

4. NO ONE WILL CUT YOU A CHECK FOR BEING... • …a woman, or a minority, or disabled, etc. • Help may come in different forms, like guaranteed loans

5. SO HOW ABOUT ALL THAT FOUNDATION MONEY? • Most foundations only give money to nonprofit organizations (501 c 3). • Very few give money to individuals--virtually nobody gives to for-profit businesses.

6. OH YEAH? WHO SAYS SO? • The state of New York, for one. (http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/pdf/misleading_grant_guides.pdf), reveals all the tricks behind Lesko’s claims • Small Business Development Center in Idaho (http://www.csi.edu/support/ISBDC/grants.html)

7. HOW DO THEY DO IT? • Rule One: Smart liars don’t lie. They just leave stuff out. • The latest trend: just fib about government money. And don’t mess with foundations!

8. WHAT CAN WE DO? • Find real programs at the federal, state and local level that provide legitimate funds for individuals. Keep a list. • Print out exposes of grant scams to show your patrons. It won’t be your word against their print. • Prepare to tactfully tell them the truth, and offer good alternatives.

9. GENERAL AID: • Finding benefits: www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits/index.jhtml • If the feds owe you money: www.firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/Money_Owed.shtml

10. MULTIPURPOSE INFORMATION SOURCES • Foundation Grants to Individuals--Foundation Center • Michigan State University website on grants to individuals: http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm

11. MULTIPURPOSE HELP • Community Action Agencies • Created in the 1960s to help the poor, they often: • Fund homeownership programs. • Run heating/cooling assistance programs. • Aid new small businesses. • Find at: www.oacaa.org/aboutcaas.html

12. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTS • Save along with the client towards a particular financial goal, such as education, housing or small business. More nonprofits are offering these. • To find a nonprofit that offers this in your area, see: www.idanetwork.org

13. LEGIT HELP: HOUSING • State housing authority: www.ohiohome.org • First time homebuyers program: downpayment assistance and reduced mortgage costs. • Energy loan fund: http://www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/oee/ELFDS.htm

14. OTHER POSSIBILITIES: • City and county housing agencies. Help may include: downpayment assistance, tax breaks on property, reduced-interest mortgages, home repairs. • USDA Rural Development (www.usda.gov): direct and guaranteed home loans

15. MORE HOUSING HELP... • Community development corporations--nonprofit groups that try to develop housing and business within the borders of a city, county or neighborhood. May include home repairs, downpayment assistance, or low-interest loans.

16. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE GRANTS FOR BUSINESS? • Most help for business is not in the form of a grant. • They are mostly: tax breaks, loans, and loan guarantees.

17. MOST BUSINESS GET GRANTS BECAUSE... • They have suffered a disaster. • They are developing a cutting edge technology that the government really wants developed. • They are coming to a state or locality with a load of money (and/or jobs) already.

18. BUSINESS ASSISTANCE • Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov): • lower-interest loans • guaranteed loans • disaster loans and grants • SBIR/STTR grants for cutting-edge technology development

19. STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS • Ohio Dept. of Development loans, grants, and incentives (http://www.odod.state.oh.us) • City and county development agencies--check with them

20. USDA AND OTHER PROGRAMS • Loans and loan guarantees from the USDA • CAA’s --Loans

21. HEALTH CARE • The bad news: no funding after the fact! • The good news: help on the front end.

22. DRUG ASSISTANCE • Ohio’s Best RX for elderly or low income: http://www.ohiobestrx.org/ • Pharmaceutical company discounts: www.rxassist.org; www.needymeds.com; www.togetherrx.com, among others • National Organization for Rare Disorders: www.rarediseases.org/programs/medication/

23. CHILDREN’S HEALTH • Health insurance for low and moderate income kids--Healthy Start, Healthy Families: http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/bcps/hshf/ • Bureau of Children with Medical Handicaps: diagnostic services, and treatment for some conditions. http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/cmh/cwmh/bcmh1.aspx

24. HELP FROM PRIVATE SOURCES • Private charities will aid adults and children with specific diseases and disorders. • Vision USA • Mission Cataract • Starkey Hearing Foundation (www.sotheworldmayhear.org) • American Academy of Opthamology

25. DISABILITIES • Disability Resources on the Internet (www.disabilityresources.org) has listings of state, national and local agencies • Check under “financial information” • Check local organizations for adaptive equipment and housing help.

26. HELP FOR THE AGED • Ohio has an excellent support for the aged through regional offices, such as: • Home health care • Food delivery • Respite care, kinship care, home repair etc. • Identify and contact your local Area Office on Aging for more details (www.goldenbuckeye.com)

27. UTILITIES • Energy assistance • Telephone payment programs • You can find them in PUCO’s website: http://www.puco.ohio.gov/PUCO/Consumer/index.cfm under “billing and ways to save”

28. ARTISTS • Art Deadlines List: www.xensei.com/users/adl • Creative Capital Toolbox: http://toolbox.creative-capital.org • Ohio Arts Council: www.oac.state.oh.us/search/IndividualArtistOpportunities/SearchArtistOpportunities.asp

29. MORE FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS • Shaking the Money Tree -- Morrie Warshawski • Opportunities in New Music--American Music Center • Grants and Awards Available to American Writers--American Center of PEN

30. WHEN YOU CAN’T HELP • Old bills and debts • Money for no particular reason • Free money for a small business, especially when a person has no capital or will not have many employees

31. WHAT DO YOU SAY? • Money goes to specific purposes. • The help only lasts as long as the money does • Alternative help: the church, neighborhood groups.

32. PROACTIVE PREPARATION • Canvass the social service agencies in your county and city to create a list of financial help for individuals. It helps if it is electronic and easy to update. Re-check periodically • Approach each request as a possibility, and pursue it with the right authorities--remember each state and city is different.