Home Based Grant Writing Business Start-up expenses

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Permalink Reply by Heather Stombaugh on September 9, 2009 at 1:44pm

Hello George!

This is just my experience, but here goes:

Computer Equipment - superfast/uber high memory laptop, external hard drive, laser printer, digital camera, laptop briefcase, optical mouse = approx. $2,500

Accounting Fees - I actually do this myself (saves major $$)

Insurance - errors and omissions policy, equipment policy, and liability policy = annual cost of approx. $1,750 (I also have mortgage disability and life insurance policies to supplement - think double the cost of of what I've listed here.)

Legal & Consulting Fees - $100 one-time registration fee with the state for name registration (dba); I used a free resource from the SBA for the rest of my needs and have created my own contracts (reviewed by a friend who is in contract law - bless those friends!)

Office Supplies - annual cost approx. $150 (lots of paper, and I have a problem with sharpies. :)

Pre-Opening Advertising - none; I've been blessed with good word of mouth advertising. I recently spent $900 for a professionally designed logo and letterhead, invoices, proposal, embedded artwork in PowerPoint, and two types of uploadable artwork files.

Printing - I've spent only $15 through vistaprint for my first set of 500 business cards (I used one of their generic logo styles for the first run.) It will cost a lot more when I start using my own artwork but I intend to do only small batches as I do most of my work via email/web.

Don't forget about cell phone/blackberry costs (mine are quite high), virus protection subscrtiptions, tax submssion costs (I use turbotax and business filing can run to $100), etc. It's the incidentals that will get you!

Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by George Jackson on September 9, 2009 at 11:55pm

Hi Heather,

This is just what I was looking for! This will be really useful in my start-up estimates. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. If you don't mind, I might have some additional questions to bounce of you sometime if you wouldn't mind. Thanks again.

George

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Permalink Reply by Heather Stombaugh on September 10, 2009 at 9:44pm

No problem, George!

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Allen on September 29, 2009 at 9:37pm

I started with my laptop ($800)
Biz cards ($30)
Membership in Hispanic chamber of commerce ($250)
Membership in Phoenix chamber of commerce ($450)
Invitation to join BBB ($400+)
Networking event fees for first year ($150) Attended mostly free ones
Internet fees
Cell phone fees
AAGP dues ($125)
Registration with the state ($100) I don't remember exactly.
Accountant to do my taxes ($125)
QuickBooks Pro Nonprofit ($65) gifted by a nonprofit that I write grants for
I don't spend anything on marketing. I get all my work from word of mouth or from people I meet at networking events.

I don't print anything unless I need to deliver a grant. I keep EVERYTHING on a flash drive. Be sure to do a backup on your laptop.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by George Jackson on September 30, 2009 at 9:40pm

Thanks! This really helps!

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