New York SBDC Research Network

We have a print directory in our collection that provides contact information for nonprofit organizations around the U.S. It would be an ideal resource if it were only available online somewhere. Its layout makes identifying nonprofits in a given area a very cumbersome task. There are websites that provide this information, though they have their limitations, too. I recently suggested to an advisor that his client check out what I consider to be the best of this bunch: http://www.idealist.org/if/as/Org/npo As you'll see, the search feature gives you the option of searching by state/province, city/town, postal code, and "area of focus". Use of any or all of these fields can be used to create a pretty targeted list of NFPs in a given geographic area. Once you get your results, the name of each NFP is hyperlinked to a page with more complete contact information. Precision searching is a priority here. For example, I did a search of all NFPs in New York, and found 5,56...

Not to say it is recommended, but I still like to see sites that help people help themselves, and this one is offered by the US Courts: How to handle your own bankruptcy. Even if an attorney were consulted, at least it offers a clear idea of what needs to happen. Bankruptcy Basics runs through the chapters and what they mean and includes a glossary. There is also a page of Bankruptcy Resources . FYI: Bankruptcy Filings Down for Fiscal Year 2007, Up for Quarter Bankruptcy 'tweak' could save 600,000 homes Consumer group pushes for change to bankruptcy law; others worry about negative impact on mortgage-debt markets. By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer October 1 2007 Changes to Bankruptcy Rules (Effective 12/1/07) By Brett Weiss, Maryland Bankruptcy Attorney on Dec 15, 2007

Giving: Its the season of gift giving, including executives and their family foundations. Portfolio.com has created several features about the philanthropic habits of Wall Street family foundations, including Wall Street Family Values : Who's giving—and who's missing? and The Generosity Index . Receiving: Want to know how much they are keeping to themselves? The SEC has developed a new online tool, the Executive Compensation Reader , "that enables investors to easily and instantly compare what 500 of the largest American companies are paying their top executives."

In the December 6, 2007 New York Times , Brent Bowers writes that a study has concluded that dyslexics were more likely than nondyslexics to excel in oral communication and problem solving and to own two or more businesses. It has long been known that dyslexics are drawn to running their own businesses, where they can get around their weaknesses in reading and writing and play on their strengths. But a new study of entrepreneurs in the United States suggests that dyslexia is much more common among small-business owners than even the experts had thought. ... William J. Dennis Jr., senior research fellow at the Research Foundation of the National Federation of Independent Business, a trade group in Washington, said the study’s results "fit into the pattern of what we know about small-business owners." "Entrepreneurs are hands-on people who push a minimum of paper, do lots of stuff orally instead of reading and writing, and delegate authority, all of which suggests a high...

If there's one thing you need to hear about during the last days of the holiday buying season, it's your credit score. Sarah O'Connell from the Watertown SBDC forwarded this article to me recently from the LA Times , which reports the "facts" and "myths" associated with business owners & their attendant credit scores. She thought some of y'all would find it interesting. Much merriness to all!

The History of Christmas from the History Channel. How Christmas Works . Holidays.net's take . And the Census Bureau's .

Here's a site that's been around since the mid-1990s, in one form or another. I can't believe that I'd never blogged about it before, but it's been in my bookmark collection since I was in my late 20s - a loooooong time ago, apparently. You can search for websites for trade associations through a portal provided by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE): http://www.asaecenter.org/Directories/AssociationSearch.cfm It's come a long way, as you can now search by numerous methods (like "Association name contains," which is particularly handy). If you need it, you can also search for trade groups based outside of the U.S. Note that there's also a State field. If you're looking for trade groups with a headquarters in New York State, then this is the field to use. However, I'm assuming that most of these associations will have national or international scope. The National Restaurant Association is based in Virginia, but would s...