The Small Business Administration has rolled out significant changes to help speed our economic recovery:

• Temporary Elimination of Loan Fees
• Temporary 90 percent Guarantees
• Secondary Market Liquidity for Section 7(a) loans, SBA’s largest loan guarantee program, which serves a wide variety of small business borrowing needs
• America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) Stabilization Loans – up to $35K debt deferral for qualifying small businesses
• Expanded Microloans
• Surety Bond Program Expansion
• Secondary Market for First Mortgages associated with Section 504 Certified Development Company loans, which support small business capital-asset and real-property investments
• Expanded Refinancing Project for Section 504 Loans
• Small Business Investment Company Program Expansion

SBA 2009 Recovery Act Overview

Call your local SBA field office for more information or visit them online at www.sba.gov/recovery

Business Tips from WCA

What the Stimulus can do for you:

• The federal “Work Opportunity Tax Credit” has been expanded! Two new qualifying “target groups” have been created. You are now eligible to claim a tax credit for 40% of the first $6,000 in wages (up to $2,400) paid to workers who qualify as “disconnected youths”. A worker counts a “disconnected” if they’re between the ages of 16 and 25 and haven’t attended school or had regular employment in the past six months. Veterans who left the military within the past five years and collected unemployment for at least four weeks before being hired also qualify.

• Last year’s temporary increase of “section 179” expensing, a provision that lets small businesses deduct as an expense the costs of some property purchases such as vehicles, machinery and computers, has been extended for another year. You can write off up to $250,000 for expenditures through 2009, but the deduction is phased out for businesses that spend more than $800,000 on capital expenditures for the year.

Contact Gary Amico at DCI Tax Credit Solutions (a WCA Member Benefit) for more details on these and other tax credit opportunities.

*Source: California Small Business Advocate

Free Computer Technology Training

Microsoft has announced the launch of Elevate America; free and low cost resources that provide the skills, training and certifications needed for people of all ages in today's changing economy.

Upgrade your business by offering free skills training to your employees and managers today! The Unlimited Potential Community Learning Curriculum offers self-paced training courses in both English and Spanish (as well as other languages) in the following subjects:

Computer Literacy:

• Computer Fundamentals. Provides a solid foundation in basic computer concepts and the essentials of hardware, software, operating systems, and the Internet.

Information Literacy:

• Using the Internet and World Wide Web. Covers exploring the Web using search engines, working with e-mail, and creating Web pages.
• Digital Media Fundamentals. Teaches students how to get started with digital media, including music, photography, and video.

Productivity Applications:

• Word Processing Fundamentals. Teaches students to use a word processor to write and revise a variety of personal and business documents, from simple letters and memos to complex layouts containing graphics and tables.
• Spreadsheet Fundamentals. Teaches students the basics of spreadsheet concepts and practices, including creating worksheets, editing data, building charts and graphs, and publishing spreadsheets to the Web.
• Presentation Fundamentals. Covers everything students need to know about putting together persuasive electronic presentations, from creating basic slide shows to adding graphics, audio, and video for rich multimedia presentations.
• Web Design Fundamentals. Takes students through the complete process of Web page design, from the basics of HTML to strategies for designing and building a complete Web site.
• Database Fundamentals. Introduces students to the basics of using a relational database to create tables, forms, and reports.