grants
Odor-Z-Way
In April of 2010 we applied for a grant through the Special Request Funding program from the Phillips County Economic Development to help fund our marketing strategies. The grant paid for 50% of our marketing efforts as Odor-Z-Way matched the other 50% of funds. This was a huge help as we were able to expand our exposure with a commercial that we ran in 25 major cities throughout the US. We were also able to purchase more banners and advertising gimmicks to help our customers advertise our products in their stores. We were able to greatly reduce our cost and maximize the customers that we were trying to reach.
The PCED was very instrumental in helping us complete the necessary paper work and steer us in the right direction to complete everything in its entirety in a timely manner. The process does entail some work by the applicant, but overall, this is a simple process and is one that is worth-while for any company needing financial help for marketing.
I would highly recommend any company needing assistance in expanding their marketing efforts to look into this program. This is a great program for any company looking to market their business and products locally on a small scale or nationally on large scale. I guarantee you will cut costs and reach more customers overall.
Jeremiah James
Wind Power For Schools
In light of the increasing utility costs, expanding schools needs, and deminishing revenues, schools across the country should consider (if possible) a new and forward-thinking solution with countless benefits: renewable energy from wind power. By harnessing the wind that blows across playgrounds, school buildings, and parking lots, the administrators and communities could realize the immediate rewards of a community-sized wind turbine brought to their facility.
From lower energy bills to hands-on energy education, schools win when they implement wind power.
- Educational opportunities: Having a turbine in your backyard – and even the process of planning for it – adds an experiential dimension to your school’s science, math, and civic classes. What better way to train the technicians, engineers, and leaders of tomorrow?
- Lower utility bills: Your electrical costs drop the second your blades start spinning.
- Taxpayer benefits: Lower facility costs for your public schools can help balance budgets and lower the tax burden on community residents.
- Stable cost of power: You’ll know what your wind-powered electricity will cost you for 20 years or more so you can safeguard your school’s budget against the volatile and increasing costs of energy. In a way, making your school financially independent from most of your energy costs, if planned out.
- Green economy: Your school-based wind turbine – and each new installation it fosters – will bring high-value jobs to your community.
Turbine considerations
When considering which turbine to purchase, schools should think about their setting, local permitting regulations, and economics. Here are some of the issues that schools consider in making their turbine choice.
- Load matching: All else being equal, schools will want to choose a turbine – or 2 or 3 – that can support as much of its electricity needs as possible so it can gain the greatest benefit from site-based generation.
- Aesthetic fit: The turbine’s height profile and operational sound levels will be a consideration if it will be located near neighbors and/or classrooms.
- Educational support: Educators will often create their own curriculum around their turbine, but it can be a big help if the turbine supplier can provide supporting materials and ideas.
- Technology: Not every wind turbine is created equal. A turbine’s technology and design can affect many things including energy capture, maintenance requirements, and sound performance.
- Proven operation: Like any major capital investment project, you will want to know that your wind turbine is not a concept waiting for a test site. Proven results are very important.
The first step of project is difficult. Wind projects take funding, and in today’s economy that can stop most decision makers in their tracks. Though, if nothing is done now to help, we will probably be dead in tracks in the future. Proactive thinking is the solution. Kansas now has a grant program provided through the Kansas Corporation Commission to assist with ONLY State agencies, counties, cities, and unified schools districts for upgrading to green energy, such as wind, solar, and geothermal. This grant has many requirements and will not pay for the entire project, but it definately is an avenue consider. More information can be found at KCC’s website.
In challenging times...Beware Free Money calls.
In these challenging economic times, businesses and residents alike are having a tough time making ends meet. It is during these times, we have to be careful about spending friviously in the HOPES to get money back. This is specifically written to make honest, hardworking citizens and business owners aware of the many SCAM’s and miss information out there today on “Grants” or “free money from the government”. I was always brought up in a culture that nothing is “free”, you must work for it or it will have a gotcha of some kind. Most recently, there has been a larger amount of calls from soliciters that sell their professional talents as grantwriters. Yes, of course there are legitimate grant writers in the business realm. As I have been in that realm for more than 10 years, I can tell you there are very few that do a GREAT job, and those that do are so busy that they don’t need to be soliciting. This should be your first “red flag”; the phone soliciation.
Many of these “so called” grantwriters will promise you a huge grant, if you only put down a huge amount of money. They say there is a lot of “free money” out there. This should be a second “red flag”; the statement “free money”. All financial assistance of any kind, has requirements on it. Many times it is that the money must be given out to an individual or business as a “loan” through a non-profit or governmental agency. If it has to be paid back, it is NOT free. Most of these types of grants (loans) come from the government. There is another source of “grants”. These funds come from private and community foundations; but, it is illegal for them to give grants “free money” to businesses (for-profits). They can only give to other charitable programs and organizations, which excludes any of that money getting to (for-profit) businesses or individuals (directly).
There are some programs out there in business development circles, such as the Phillips County Economic Development, which offer special programs which provide assistance toward business development and expansion; but they have their own guidelines and regulations. Every area is a little different in these programs, but usually these programs are offered through a non-profit or county/city government.
I am sharing this information, so that in these times of need our local businesses that need the most help will know where to find it or ask for help. Common Sense as my grandfather said to me, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. Watch out for phone calls from professional grantwriters willing to find you thousands of dollars for a nominal fee. Ask them questions, get information on their company, and what they do. If you must (and feel compelled), do a better business bureau search for them. You will probably be very supprised at what you find. Keep a level head and don’t let anyone get away with taking your money; especially in these difficult times.
Financial Help for Green changes!
In today’s economy, saving money is very important for businesses and personnally. With the cost of energy changing, but most definately on the rise (again), it may be time for you to consider a change in your heating and/or cooling system(s). With the push for green power and energy conservation, there are many tax credits for you to possibly take advantage of with such improvements.
For homeowners, there is a program called “HowSmart” provided through Midwest Energy. In a nutshell, they provide an energy audit to be done on the energy efficiency of your home, then the audit shows your possible energy savings with new systems/performed maintanence. The cost savings for the homeowner (the difference) can be utilized through the existing credit maintained through Midwest Energy to establish the payments (over 180 months) for the changes, with very little if any immediate out of pocket cash (depending on circumstances).
For the business owner, the USDA Rural Development provides applications for grants and loan guarantees for farmers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements, or conduct feasibility studies for a renewable energy system. These funds are administered through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) program. At this time, this is an ongoing program for the USDA. The energy audit needed for this program is a cost to the business owner, but if assistance for the audit is needed; the business could possible recieve financial assistance for the audit through the local EBE program in Phillips County. Please visit with PCED staff and schedule an appointment.