When requesting funds less than $10,000, you will need to write a letter of proposal to the issuing Foundation.  Foundations prefer to deal with organizations, unlike Philanthropists and CEO's, who prefer individuals.  If you create your own non-profit organization, then you would appeal to Foundations.  Information on how to start a non-profit organization can be obtained at:

Enterprising Publishing, 501 Beneficial Building, Wilmington, DE  19804.

Your proposal letter should be written on your letterhead and signed by the head officer of your organization.  Include:

-- A brief overview of the organization.
-- The reason(s) this grant is needed.
-- The plan in which these needs will be met.
-- Show the budget for your plan.
-- Tell how your plan will be supported after the grant expires.
-- Show evidence of your tax-exempt status.
-- Provide an audited financial statement from your organization.

List a specific program and not a list of different needs.

-- Be brief and to the point.  The letter is intended to outline your plan.  Inclued:
-- Your Plan.
-- State your specific needs.
-- Describe the organization.
-- Describe the financial potential(s) of your plan.
-- Your supporters.
-- The total cost of your plan.
-- Describe how your needs will be met.

It is imperative that you describe your unique situation honestly.

Percy Ross, c/o "Thanks A Million," 5151 Edina Industrial Blvd., Minneapolis, MN  55439-3013
Peter Lynch, 27 State Street, Boston, MA  02109
Anthony Robbins Foundation, 9191 Towne Center Drive, Suite 600, San Diego, CA  92122
Dave Thomas, c/o Wendy's International, Columbus, OH  43216
Truett Cathy Winshape Foundation, c/o Camp Winshape, Mt. Berry, GA  30149
Herman Cain, 9140 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300, Omaha, NE  63114
The Milton Hershey Foundation, c/o Hershey Chocolate U.S.A., Hershey, PA  17033-0815
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA  98052-6399
Tom Monaghan, 30 Frank Loyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI  48105
Amway Corporation, 7575 Fulton Street, Ada, MI  49355
MacArthur Fellowship, 4444 Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, IL  60630
Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha, NE  68131
Sheri Poe, Ryka Rose Foundation, Norwood, MA  02062
Welch Trust, P.O. Box 244, Walla Walla, WA  99362

Wheless Foundation, P.O. Box 1119, Shreveport, LA  71152
Simon & Schwab Foundation, P.O. Box 1014, Columbus, GA  31902
Coulter Foundation, P.O. Box 5247, Denver, CO  80217
Thatcher Foundation, P.O. Box 1401, Pueblo, CO  81002
Biddle Foundation, Inc., 61 Broadway, Rm. 2912, NY, NY  10006
Avery-Fuller Childrens Center, 251 Kearney Street, No. 301, San Francisco, CA  94108
Jane Nugent Cochems Trust, c/o Colorado National Bank of Denver, P.O. Box 5163, Denver, CO  80217
Unocal Foundation, P.O. Box 7600, Los Angles, CA  90015
Wal-Mart Foundation, 702 Southwest 8th St., Bentonville, AK  72716
The Piton Foundation, 511 16th St., Suite 700, Denver, CO  80202
Frank R. Seaver Trust, 714 W. Olympic Boulevard, L.A., CA  90036
Earl B. Gilmore Foundation, 160 S. Fairfax Ave., L.A., CA  90036
The Commonwealth Fund, One East 75th St., NY, NY  10021-2692
The Cullen Foundation, P.O. Box 1600, Houston, TX  77251
The James Irvine Foundation, One Market Plaza, San Francisco, CA  94105
William Penn Foundation, 1630 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA  19103
Blanchard Foundation, c/o Boston Sake, One Boston Place, Boston, MA  02106
Xerox Foundation, P.O. Box 1600, Stamford, CT  06904
Fairchild Industries, 20301 Century Boulevard, Germantown, MD  20874
Charles and Els Bendheim Foundation, One Parker Plaza, Fort Lee, NJ  07024
Blue Horizon Health & Welfare Trust, c/o Reid & Reige, Lakeville, CT  06039
Broadcasters Foundation, Inc., 320 West 57th St., NY, NY  10019
Copley Fund, P.O. Box 696, Morrisville, VT  05661
The Hawaii Foundation, 111 South King St. P.O. Box 3170, Honolulu, HI  96802
Inland Steel-Ryerson Foundation, 30 West Monroe St., Chicago, IL  60603
Northern Indiana Giving Program, 5265 Hohman Ave., Hammond, IN  46320
Cambridge Foundation, 99 Bishop Allan Drive, Cambridge, MA  02139
Barker Foundation, P.O. Box 328, Nashua, NH  03301
Morris Joseloff Foundation, Inc., 125 La Salee Rd, W. Hartford, CT  06107
Deposit Guaranty Foundation, P.O. Box 1200, Jackson, MS  39201
Haskin Foundation, 200 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY  40202
The Dayton Foundation, 1395 Winters Bank Tower, Dayton, OH  45423
The Ford Motor Company, The American Road, Dearborn, MI  48121
Bohen Foundation, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA  50303
Yonkers Charitable Trust, 701 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA  50306
Miles Foundation, P.O. Box 40, Elkhart, IN  46515
Gore Family Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 14725, Fort Lauderdale, FL  33302
Battistone Foundation, P.O. Box 3858, Santa Barbara, CA  90016
Elizabeth Irby Foundation, P.O. Box 1919, ackson, MS  39205
Albert B. Cutter Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 3189, Term. Annex, L.A., CA  90051
The Shea foundation, 655 Brea Canyon Road, Walnut, CA  91789
Hazard Memorial Foundation, 515 S. 2nd Avenue, Columbus, MS  39701
Houston Endowment, P.O. Box 52338, Houston, TX  77052
W.K. Kellog Foundation, 400 N. Avenue, Battle Creek, MI  49017
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, 630 5th Ave., NY, NY  10178
The Breech Foundation, 12723 Telegraph Rd., Detroit, MI  48239
J.M. McDonald Foundation, Inc., 2057 E. River Road, Cortland, NY  13045
Pulitzer Publishing Foundation, 4410 Main Street, Kansas City, MO  64111

The United States Government gives away more money than any other organization on Earth.  The greatest reason for this is to help people begin their own businesses.  To give you an idea: If each one of 8 Million businessess applied for an equal share of the Federal Grant jackpot -- each one would receive over $70,000.  That's not something to laugh at.

FIRST: Do Not write this off as a bureaucratic nightmare, because virtually every proposal is considered and can qualify.

SECOND: The FEDERAL REGISTER is a daily publication that contains everything that you need to know.  Write to:

Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC  20402  for subscription costs.

The following publication contains a list of Government invitation, contract awards, subcontracting leads, sales of surplus property and foreign opportunities.  Write to the above address and ask for the COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY in addition to the FEDERAL REGISTER.

IN POOR ECONIMIC AREAS: Contact the Economic Adjustment Division, Economic Development Administration, Herbert Hoover Bldg., Rm. H7217, Washington, DC  20230

MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Contact the Minority Business Development Agency, Department of Commerce, Washington, DC  20230.

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES: Contact the Associate Administrator for Small Business, 1141 L Street NW, Rm. 602, Washington, DC  20416.

RENTAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE: Contact the Chief, Program Support Branch, Management Operations Division, Office of Multi-Family Housing Management, Department of Housing and Development, Washington, DC  20420.

WOMEN'S ENTERPRISES: Contact the Office of Women's Business Ownership, U.S. Small Business Admisistration, 409 Third Street SW, Washington, DC  20416.

REAL ESTATE INVESTORS WHO RENT TO ELDERLY OR HANDICAPPED PEOPLE: Contact the Director, Office of Multi-Family Housing Management, Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC  20410.

INDIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES: Contact the Office of Tribal Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street NW, MS #4603-MIB, Washington, DC  20240.

TERMINOLOGY:

GUARANTEED LOAN: A Guaranteed Loan is any business, personal, real estate or venture capital loan that will be repaid by someone other than the borrower should the borrower default.  That someone is a co-signer.  You can get money a lot faster this way and the money is given to you, not the guarantor (co-signer).  The most popular Guaranteed Loans are Consolidation, Home Improvement, Vehicle, Medical, Education, Vacation, Furniture and virtually any purpose -- simply for wanting or needing the money.

REAL ESTATE LOAN: Used to buy buildings, land, factories, building for commercial use, land development, buying distressed property, fixing up property or for a down payment on Real Estate.

BUSINESS LOAN: Buy an existing business or start a new one, buy more equipment, expand business, payroll, past-due bills, hire new employees, lease equipment and anything else that would pertain to business.

HOW TO GET A CO-SIGNER:

Run one of the following ads in a newspaper with a circulation of 100,000+ that reads, "$15,000 Loan Needed -- will repay in 10 months, secured by assets.  Call 555-1212."  Use one of the following examples for placing your ad in the newspaper:

Wanted: Cosigner for $XX,XXX                Get Good Fee for Co-signing                  Guarantee a loan and earn
loan; fee will be paid.                                 On a $XX,XXX business loan                $1,000 fee, payable after
Call 555-1212                                            Secured by assets. Call 555-1212           loan is obtained.  Call 555-1212

This is the trick that many mail-order companies are charging an arm and a leg for.  You will need $1,000 to start.

-- Deposit your $1,000 into a regular passbook savings account at the bank of your choice and wait a few days for the deposit to post.

-- Return to the same bank and ask for a $1,000 loan, using your $1,000 savings account as security.  The bank has your savings account, so you are a zero risk if you default.

-- Take that $1,000 and repeat this process at a different bank.  Establish up to 5 seperate accounts in this way at 5 differnt banking institutions.

-- Take the $1,000 and open a checking account so that you can make small payments on each loan.

-- Continue to make your payments until each account is paid off.

Your credit report will show all 5 accounts in good standing.  If you pay two months ahead, better still.  If you are looking for a large loan amount, you will be able to ask for a larger amount as you demonstrate your ability to repay.  Your good credit rating will eventually allow you to request an unsecured loan -- and get it.  This formula also works for obtaining Credit Cards.

These companies will ask you "Who referred you?"  Tell them that "A Friend" referred you.   If you mention that you were referred to them by a website (or any organization for that matter) -- they will assume that you bought "credit repair" information from a "credit repair agency" and will automatically reject your application, if they accept it at all.

East Coast Funding Group Inc., 4001 Kennett Pike, Suite 134, Greenville, DE  19807
Universal Financial, P.O. Box 54434, Anderson, OH  45254
Alpha Resources: 1-800-265-5991 (loans from $300-$3,000) Based on your ability to repay.  Bad or NO credit is OK.

If you have repaired your credit rating, using the formula above, the following sources can help you:

Nation's Credit  1-800-FINANCE (up to $5,000)
Household Finance  1-800-992-4432 (approval within 4 hours)
AVCO Financial  1-800-835-2826 (up to $7,000)
Chase Manhattan  1-800-AT-CHASE (up to $25,000)
Apex  1-800-348-2739 (up to $35,000)
American Investment  1-800-453-9494 (up to $75,000)

EQUITY LOANS, based on Real Estate holdings:

United Lending Group, 26300 La Alameda, Suite 100, Mission Viejo, CA  92691   1-800-244-1228
Ameriserve Financial, Inc. 1-800-952-1231
Pacific Thrift and Loan  1-800-562-6784
World Wide Credit Corporation  1-800-562-6867 (no equity up to $75,000, imperfect credit OK)
Unicor Funding, Inc.  1-800-834-8388
United Companies Lending Corporation  1-800-239-8252
New Century Mortgage Corporation  1-800-314-4626 (easy qualifier homeowner loan, regardless of credit or circumstances)
Aames Home Loan  1-800-326-2626 (the equity in the home matters to them more than your income or credit)
Allied Bank, F.S.B.  1-800-211-CASH (2274) (accepts bankruptcy and derogatory credit).

SMALL BUSINESS LOANS:

Elfin Financial Architects, P.O. Box 1633, Silver City, NM  88062
Capital Formation Inc., 18 Glen Terrace, Stamford, CT  06906 (up to $75,000,000)  203-359-1708
Chet Nowlen & Associates, P.O. Box 6094, Jackson, MS  39288-6094 ($100,000 - $1,000,000)

ANNUITY FUNDING:

Legal Funding for lottery winners, mortgage holders and all other annuities:  1-800-990-3382

LOAN GUARANTORS:
Have you ever heard of a company that "rents" collateral so that you can get a guaranteed loan?  Here's one:

VENDETH UK, 9526 Park Street, Bellflower, CA  90706

-- Type (preferred) or hand-print neatly.
-- Stress your sincerity when you briefly write your need for the loan.
-- Include your current salary.
-- Open a savings and checking account prior to applying for the loan.
-- Be Patient: Sometimes lenders temporarily suspend loan operations; sometimes they do not even respond.
-- Do Not Lie on your application: If you are later forced to declare bankruptcy, you may not be able to discharge debts that were were granted under fraudulent conditions.

SAMPLE LETTER: (click here)

-- Employment and salary can be verified by telephone.  If you move around alot -- you might want to use the address of a parent, relative or a friend for a permanent address.  Length of residence is 'usually' not checked.  Friends and cooperative employers can sometimes give you an inflated salary, title and/or stretched length of employment in order to get a loan: When the creditor calls to verify the information, your friends vouch for the lies.

-- Bank accounts can be verified by the banking system.  Sometimes debtor's inflate their salary by establishing a dummy corporation.  They issue themselves private stock with an inflated value, then list this stock as part of their net worth.  A bank will usually accept this information as true, once they verify the existence of the corporation with State authorities.

-- Attaching an information sheet can sometimes sway a lender in your favor.

-- Establish a telephone in your name or ask a friend to list your name along with theirs with the telephone company.  Otherwise, you will need to state that your phone is Unlisted, and be sure that your friend vouches for your residence if called.

-- Use only your highest paying job as your salary if working more than one job.  List the income from your second job under "Additional Income."

-- Clearly state the purpose of the loan and expect to sign a lien on the property purchased with the loan; this protects the lender somewhat, should you default.

GOOD LOANS: Education, medical treatment, establish new credit, home improvement, vacation, vehicle, boat, home and real estate.

BAD LOANS: Debt consolidation, down payment, 3rd-party loan, speculative business venture, fines and penalties.

-- If you are aware of bad aspects of your credit history, have an answer ready for every objection that a creditor might have on approving your loan.

NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS: Do not count anyone that you are not supporting; the bank uses this figure to determine your cost of living expenses.

HOME OWNERSHIP is more favorable than renting, however, some borrowers can show that they have more disposable income as a renter than as a homeowner.  Homeowners of less than 3 years are considered to be no more stable than a renter.  KEY: Show that you are a stable part of the community.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: As long as each job change shows an increase in salary, frequent changes may not be detrimental.

PRESENT FINANCIAL STATUS: Do you spend your money wisely and do you have a surplus at month's end?  "Yes" to both questions will increase your chance of being approved, even if your primary income is low.

REASONS FOR BEING DENIED CREDIT:

Credit application incomplete             Insufficient credit references                 Unable to verify credit references
No credit file                                     Insufficient credit file                            Insufficient income
Unable to verify income                     Delinquent credit obligations                  Insufficient length of employment
Excessive obligations                         Unable to verify employment                 Temporary employment
Inadequate collateral                         Too short a period of residence               Temporary residence
Unable to verify residence                 Garnishment, attachment                        Bankruptcy
Foreclosure, repossession, or suit       Credit not granted on terms requested     Other specific

SCORING OCCUPATIONS FROM MOST PREFERRED TO LEAST PREFERRED:

Teachers, accountants, engineers, business executives, supervisors, dentists, pilots, laboratory technicians, farmers, clerical workers, civil service workers, nurses, pharmacists, newspaper employees, policemen, firemen, military officers, railroad workers, skilled technicians and equipment operators, sales clerks, salesmen, bus and truck drivers, janitors, mechanics, contractors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, tenant farmers, lawyers, self-employed businessmen, unskilled factory workers, cooks, painters, miners, retirees, free lance artists, musicians, barbers, students, nurses aides, cab drivers, common laborers, housewives, restaurant, hotel or amusement park employees, lower level military personnel, bartenders, farm hands, welfare recipients.

AGE: 18-21 = 0     22-25 = 1     26-65 = 2
MARITAL STATUS: Married = 2     Single, Separated, Divorced or Widowed = 1
YEARS AT PREVIOUS ADDRESS:  Over 6 = 3     Over 3 = 2     Less than 3 = 1
YEARS AT PRESENT ADDRESS:  Over 6 = 4     4 - 6 = 3     2 - 3 = 2     Less than 2 = 1

CREDIT HISTORY:
Previous loan at same bank you are applying = 5
Previous loan an another bank = 4
Savings account at bank you are applying = 3
Checking account at bank you are applying = 2

DEPENDENTS: Four or less = 2     Five or more = 1

LIVING FACILITIES:
Own-no mortgage = 5      Own-with mortgage = 4
Rent-Unfurnished = 2       Rent- Furnished = 1
With Parents = 1 (some banks now consider this a better risk and allow 2 points).

MONTHLY RENT OR MORTGAGE:
Over $750 = 1     Less than $750 = 2

TELEPHONE: Listed in applicants name = 1     Not in applicants name = 0

CREDIT REFERENCES: Depending on your payment performance will be either positive or negitive.  These include:
In-House Records
Credit Cards
Current Bank Loan(s)
Finance Company Loan(s)
Credit Report
Inquiries

INCLUDE A COVER LETTER TO EACH:

International Funding, Box 402 Star-2, Worcester, MA  01613
Frank B. Owen, 1378 Beacon St., Brookline, MA  02146
IWS Inc., Box 186, Merrick, NY  11566
David Samara, 68-44 136th St., Flushing, NY  11367
Schockley Financial Services, 66 Overlook Terrace, NY, NY  10111
Grayco Associates, 405 Sunset Dr., Johnson City, TN  37604
Guaranty Capital, Inc., 16345 W. Dixie Hwy. #314, Miami, FL  33160
Alvin R. Warren, 610 Cardwell St., Elizabeth City, NC  27909
Amoco Credit Corp., Box 9014, Des Moines, IA  50306
Valmart, Box 480, Prospect Heights, IL  60070
Credit Thrift Financial Corp., 601 NW 2nd St., Evansville, IN  47701
Pace Financial Association, Box 782, New Ulm, MN  56073
The Marigold Co. & Associates, Box 268547, Chicago, IL  60626
Central Financial Network, RR2 Box 84, Tilden, NE  68781
Diamond International Association, 8322 W. Little York Rd., Houston, TX  77040
RLW Enterprises, 3624 Briley St., Houston, TX  77040
Transcap Financial Group, 8125 Sunset Ave. #227, Fair Oaks, CA  95628
Myers Financial Services, 5780 NE St., Springfield, OR  97478