Small Business works in Kansas

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced last week they are providing funds to two banks in Kansas via their Small Business Lending Fund. This fund was created as part of the 2010 Jobs Act to help banks lend to new small businesses. This fund is just one of many resources available to entrepreneurs. Find more resources for new business start-ups below.

Small Business Lending Fund (U.S. Treasury)

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sb-programs/Pages/Small-Business-Lending-Fund.aspx

Kansas Business Center (Kansas Department of Commerce)

http://www.kansas.gov/businesscenter/

Network Kansas (Non-profit)
http://www.networkkansas.com/

Kansas Small Business Development Center (Partnership between Kansas Department of Commerce and US Small Business Administration)
http://ksbdc.kansas.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Minority and Women Business Development (Kansas Department of Commerce)
http://ks-kdoc.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=231

Federal and State business grants (Network Kansas)
http://www.networkkansas.com/entrepreneurs/funding-options/business-grants

Federal grants (Small Business Administration)
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants

Business incentives to locate in Kansas
http://ks-kdoc.civicplus.com/index.aspx?nid=93

Small Business Workshops (Kansas Department of Revenue)
http://www.ksrevenue.org/smbusworkshops.html

Advantage Loan Initiatives (Small Business Administration)
http://www.sba.gov/advantage

Financing for small business and non-profits
http://www.self-help.org/business-and-nonprofit-loans

New markets venture capital (Small Business Administration)
http://www.sba.gov/content/new-markets-venture-capital-companies

Article contact: Kim Harp

Presidential Election 2012

And so it begins... Another race to the White House is underway. Below are some basic sources on U.S. presidential elections, campaigners, campaign finance, the Electoral College and other resources available from government and non-government sites.

Federal Election Commission
http://www.fec.gov/

2012 Presidential Form 2 Filers
http://www.fec.gov/press/press2011/presidential_form2nm.shtml
(All individuals who have filed a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) with the FEC to register as a 2012 presidential candidate)

2012 Presidential Campaign Finance
http://www.fec.gov/disclosurep/pnational.do
(Summarizes financial information disclosed by each Presidential candidate who has reported at least $100,000 in contributions from individuals other than the candidate)

2012 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions Alphabetically by State
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/events.phtml

2012 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions Chronologically by State
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/events.phtml?s=c

What is the Electoral College
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html

Electoral College FAQs
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html

Distribution of 2008 Electoral Votes
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/allocation.html

2008 Voting and Registration (U.S. Census Bureau)
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/index.html
(Information on reported voting and registration by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics is collected for the nation in November of Congressional and Presidential election years in the Current Population Survey)

American Presidential Elections
http://amview.japan.usembassy.gov/e/amview-e20080123-02.html
(Document by Allan J. Lichtman issued online by the American Embassy in Japan explaining how Americans elect their president)

Election of the President for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/president.html

Political Party Information
http://www.votesmart.org/party_info.php

Open Directory Project
U.S. Presidential Elections
http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/Government/Elections/President/
2012 Presidential Election
http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Candidates_and_Campaigns/President/

Gallup Pole: Election 2012
http://www.gallup.com/poll/election.aspx
(Presidential polling questions, results, reports and comparisons over the campaign cycle)


United States Presidental Election 2012 (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012
Includes Links to Official Candidate Websites

MEDIA SITES
ABC News (click Vote 2012)
CBS News Elections
CNN Election Center
FOXNews
MSNBC Politics
PBS Online NewsHour

Back to School!

It's hard to think of fall and returning to school when it's been so hot. The calendar has turned another month, making parents check school supply lists and trying to squeeze in a few last-minute summer activities. Listed below are some resources available from government and private organizations to help orient your mind to school days.

Assistance in getting school supplies

Operation School Bell (Wichita area)- provides back-to-school clothes, uniforms and hygiene items to students in need
http://assistanceleaguewichita.org/programs/

Communities in Schools (statewide)- provides a variety of assistance to keep kids in school
http://ciskansas.org/about-us/services-programs/

Salvation Army- provides school supply, children’s programmng, tutoring, preschools
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/usc/www_usc_kan.nsf/vw-sublinks/796AE67B170E332D86257558007142FA?openDocument

For your back-to-school vaccination and health needs:

Laws that require vaccinations and the statutory exceptions:
http://www.kdheks.gov/immunize/download/Kansas_Statutes_Related_to_School_Immunizations.pdf

Form to verify your child’s vaccinations:
http://www.kdheks.gov/immunize/download/KCI_Form.pdf

Kansas physical forms for participating in high school sports:
http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/PDF/FORM-PPE.pdf

School Lunch

School nutrition programs as provided by the Kansas Department of Education:
http://www.kn-eat.org/SNP/SNP_Menus/SNP_Home.htm

National school lunch program:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/

Play Hard, Stay Healthy from the USDA
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle/

Childcare

How to pick the perfect before or after school childcare:
http://www.childcare.gov/

ERC Resource & Referral provides customized child care referrals, professional development and resources for early childhood professionals, and referrals to community resources:
www.ercrefer.org

United Way 2-1-1:
www.211kansas.org/

Parent Resources

PTA:
http://www.ptacentral.org/kansas.htm

Kansas Parent Information Resource Center:
http://www.kpirc.org/

Article contact: Kim Harp