New York SBDC Research Network

Don't know about you, but I've been a bit beat up by bad economic news and a desparate need to make heads or tales of the economic stimulus on the micro level. Not to mention that taxes are due next week. So I was interested to find out how the economic crisis has affected the American dream. "Have American behavior and values shifted in the past year? The third MetLife Study of the American Dream set out to determine American attitudes and perceptions in light of our current economic situation and the ongoing erosion of traditional corporate and social safety nets. The study surveyed a cross-section of U.S. adults, in all generations and ethnic groups, to find out how lives have changed—and how the American dream itself has changed—in the past year. "The results show an American dream that has been revised, not reversed. Americans are resetting their priorities, and the dream is now buoyed by pragmatism rather than consumerism."

As the press is using stronger harsher words to describe the state of the economy, solutions to help small business may come in smaller packages. Here are a few on the growing popularity of microloans. Microlenders Widen Their Client Base Amid Tight Credit Market, More Firms Look Beyond Banks for Financing By Anjali Cordeiro "No loan is too small for small businesses these days." Microloans Entrepreneur Magazine When you need only a little cash to grow, it's time to check into microloans. Micro-loans for Americans? Non-profit Kiva.org plans to launch system of small loans in the U.S. Fortune Magazine By Jeffrey M. O'Brien March 23, 2009

I was asked earlier this week to find out who got a contract for a specific service within a specific Congressional district. Normally, these questions fill me with dread. I've never had a reliable source that kept up-to-date information on awardees of Federal contracts, presented in a fairly easy-to-understand format. It was very surprising, then, to discover USASpending.gov. Its mission has a tinge of populism about it: "Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where Federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the Government is really doing with your money." Well, as a matter of fact, earlier this week I was very interested in knowing what the Feds did with a specific contract. So, I navigated the site, and arrived here: http://www.usaspending.gov/fpds/index.php?reptype=a Note the left-hand side. It allows you to search for contract awards by a specif

Last week I blogged about Small Businesses and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This week I would like to blog about ARRA and how it will effect New York State. NYS will be recieving at least $600 million dollars for labor-related relief. Below are links to articles and websites that explain how this money will be allocated, what New Yorkers can do to recieve assistance, and where to get more information. New York State Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 NY Leaders Detail Stimulus Spending In New York, Stimulus Project Planning Under Way Stimulus Funds Offer Relief to City and State Stimulus Money Wipes Out $1.3B in NY Taxes New York Survey Shows Only 27% of Small Business Owners Approve of New $787B Stimulus Bill

I can’t say that I particularly enjoy April Fools' Day. I choose to think that I am a trusting person who takes people at their word, rather than call myself totally gullible. As you might guess, April 1 puts me a bit on edge. Do you love the thrill of a April Fools' joke? The internet is on your side. For some of the best from this year, check out Wired’s Finest Internet Jokes for April Fools' Day 2009 . Maybe next year your joke will make the list, and create some nifty viral marketing opportunities...

An invitation, once again, to follow the NYS SBDC on Twitter like these folks (as of 3/30/2009, 10 a.m.): Get your twitter mosaic here. *** Recent Twitter-related tweets that interested me (NOT from the nys_sbdc feed): RT @WNYT RT @nytimes: When Stars Twitter, Ghost May Be Lurking re: celebrities who use ghost writers for Twitter WSJ: Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500 - "Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it" 2nd definition of twit in American Heritage Dictionary: a reproach, gibe or taunt. If newspapers are the 1st draft of history, then Twitter is the reporter's notepad.