NCET

Smart phone users interested in starting or growing a small business can now find helpful resources at their fingertips via a new SBA mobile application from the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

“Increasingly, smart phones are the vehicle through which Americans access information.  This is certainly true of many entrepreneurs and small business owners and this new application ensures they will have access to SBA’s resources and programs – literally at their fingertips,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills.  “Greater mobility fits with the new user-focused SBA.gov launched recently, and is another example of the steps we are taking to do a better job of connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the tools to help them start or grow their businesses and create jobs.”

Developed and donated as a gift by Palo Alto Software, Inc., the SBA mobile app will make the search for extensive resources more efficient, whether users are starting a new business or taking an existing business to a new level.  The app will first be available for the Apple iPhone®, with future versions for other smart phone platforms.

The mobile app will help users connect with SBA district office staff and SBA-affiliated counselors and mentors who can provide free, personalized small business assistance.  The user-friendly format of the app will help answer questions such as: How do I start a business? Where can I go in my area to get free help with writing a business plan? And where do I begin finding funding for my business?

The SBA mobile app also features a built-in startup cost calculator to help estimate the costs associated with getting a business off the ground, plus an SBA partner locator to help users find SBA offices, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE.

The free mobile app can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/content/sba-mobile-app.

The Geothermal Energy Association’s annual report, issued in April, identified 3,633 to 4,050 MW of confirmed new geothermal power plant capacity under development in the United States. The annual report counts 15 states with projects currently under consideration or development: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Between confirmed and unconfirmed projects there are a total of 146 geothermal projects in development, the report said. The Association’s geothermal reporting terms and definitions categorize projects for each state by one of five phases.

There are currently 21 operating geothermal power plants in Nevada with a total operating capacity of 441.8 MW. In 2010 Ormat Technologies brought its Jersey Valley power plant online, adding 15 MW to Nevada’s geothermal capacity. With more developing projects than any other state, it is expected that Nevada’s geothermal generating capacity will increase significantly in the future.

In addition to the 65 geothermal projects in development, 26 geothermal prospects with potential for power production have been identified. Read more:

Tell Entrepreneur magazine how you’re making a difference with your business and you could be the Entrepreneur of 2011!

If you’re making an impact–on your industry, for your employees and in your community–this is your award to win. Past winners have rocked our world with radical headgear, taken us back to basics with healthy snack ideas, and made innovative contributions to the sustainability movement. Now it’s your turn. 

Entrepreneur® magazine’s ENTREPRENEUR OF 2011 and EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR OF 2011 Contest was recently announced. To enter, complete the contest entry form on Entrepreneur ® magazine’s website, www.entrepreneur.com/e2011.  Entry forms must be completed electronically and submitted online.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITY – EPSCoR Implementation Grants

The U. S. Department of Energy’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DOE EPSCoR) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for Implementation Grants from the academic or industrial research community in states and territories (hereafter referred to as jurisdictions) eligible for the program.

Specifically, applications are sought for improvement of research competitiveness in key science and technology areas related to DOE Mission(s) identified by the jurisdiction’s EPSCoR governing committee or other appropriate organization on behalf of the jurisdiction. Grants awarded under this program are meant to improve research infrastructure and to support a group of scientists and engineers including graduate students and post doctoral fellows working on a common scientific theme within or across one or more than one EPSCoR jurisdictions. These awards are not appropriate mechanisms to provide support for individual faculty science and technology research projects.

LOI Due Date: June 1, 2011,

Please submit to the Director, Nevada EPSCoR Office: Lori Brazfield at: lori_brazfield@nshe.nevada.edu

Preproposal Due: June 13, 2011

Full Proposals Due: June 23, 2011

All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov

Being successful with social media is as easy as falling off of a log – for individuals; for small businesses, not so much.

The goals of these two groups are very different: Individuals use social media to connect and share with friends and family. The return-on-investment expectation is pretty low – just “hit” them back, and they’re happy campers.

Businesses develop a social media strategy to connect with and ultimately sell to customers. And that last part – sell – is what makes their social media ROI so tricky. Read full story: