News on Grants. Ordinary people and businesses just like you are receiving millions form these
programs and you don’t have to pay this money back!

Introducing many free grant money programs like:

• Business Grants 
• Personal Grants
• Healthcare Grants 
• Educational Grants
• Money to Start a Company
• College Tuition assistance
• $50,000 to Open a Coffee Shop
• $30,000 to Go to School in Hawaii
• $43,000 to Become a French Chef
• $100,000 to Open a Country Inn
• $70,000 to Study Arts Management
• $6,500 For College 
• $5,000 to Train Your Employees

• Federal Direct Loans
• Scholarship Programs
• Free Tutoring
• Free Tuition If You’re Over 55
• Home Business Assistance
• Minority assistance programs
• $10/hr for a Part Time Job 
• $75,000 to Renovate an Old House
• $2,000 to Study Storytelling
• $63,000 To Cover College Expenses
• $100,000 to Start a Day Care Center
• $22,000 to Train a School Dropout
• $50,000 to Edit Science Magazines

Just to name a few...

This year over $25 Billion Dollars will be given away by these programs

 Success Story... 

 Minority Business
 Entrepreneur Succeeds

 Millenium Photo Lab Approved for $307,000

 The Puerto Rico Minority Business Development Center assists Millenium Photo Lab 
 to purchase building through SBA loan guarantee program.

 Mr. Evelio Perez and his wife, Ana, established their first photo studio and lab in Levittown, Toa Baja,
 Puerto Rico, under the name "Amalia Photo Art." It originally consisted of a laboratory specializing in
 professional photography services. The husband and wife team also offered photography services for
 weddings, schools and glamour photos. The initial six years were challenging. Like many small
 businesses, they endured hard work and long hours in order to provide excellent service to their
 clientele.

 Although based in Levittown, the Perez family reached out to nearby towns and began expanding their
 client base. As business grew, they knew they would have to find a different facility to meet market
 demand. In March 2000, Mr. and Mrs. Perez moved into a store slightly larger than the first. They
 were able to assist more clients and offer increased service.

 The Levittown facility offered increased capacity to serve clients. The business continued to grow
 beyond its original business concept. The business name "Amalia Photo Art" no longer fit their core
 competency. The time had come to develop a new image that best represented what the business
 was. As such, they strategically changed the business name to Millenium Photo Lab.

 The year 2001 brought many new opportunities. The Levittown facility expanded its capacity as the lab
 space was not enough to meet projected sales volume, let alone new business accounts. Once again,
 they decided to look for a larger facility that met their increasing needs. A new site was identified in
 the metropolitan area and commercial sector of Santurce, Puerto Rico. The new site offered a large
 building, ample parking and photographic equipment. However, as with many existing real properties,
 it also needed work; the pavement needed repairs and an electric gate was required.

 The Perez family sought the assistance of the Puerto Rico Islandwide Minority Business Development
 Center (MBDC). Together, they investigated the deal, analyzed their current and projected business
 model and structured financing that met their business needs. The Puerto Rico Islandwide MBDC
 prepared a loan package for submission to Banco Popular. The loan was backed by a SBA loan
 guarantee through the 504 Program for $307,000. The Perez family received notice of loan approval on
 August 27, 2001, and was able buy the property.-  January 7th, 2002

Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans says minority enterprise is key to economic security.

Minority Enterprise is Key to Economic Security

On September 26, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans said that the success and vitality of minority-owned businesses are key to the United States' economic security, and that the economic fundamentals are in place for future growth.

In his remarks during the national Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference, Evans expressed his confidence in the fundamentals of the economy and discussed the steps the Bush Administration has taken to create the proper economic conditions to help minority businesses prosper.

"According to the latest data, minorities owned over three million firms. That's almost 15 percent of all U.S. businesses," said Evans. "Minority-owned companies had more than $591 billion in revenues. They produced about $96 billion in annual payroll. And they created over four-and-a-half-million jobs."

Secretary Evans was the guest speaker at the 20^th anniversary of the MED Week Conference, which was held September 24-27 at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC. This year's Conference focused on "Strategies for Growth in the American Economy, Part II: The Entrepreneurial Economy." The Business Expo on September 26 brought together minority businesses from throughout the country to market their services to government procurement officials and other potential customers. The Conference also provided opportunities for minority entrepreneurs to discuss strategies for economic growth with key government officials and leading venture capital experts. The national MED Week Conference is sponsored by the Minority Business Development Agency (U.S. Department of Commerce), in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Approximately 1,200 entrepreneurs attended.

"The fundamentals of our economy are strong," added Evans. "We have virtually all the fundamentals that any economist or entrepreneur would hope for. We have low inflation, low interest rates, rising incomes, increasing productivity, a highly innovative culture and a ready labor force."

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