2015
YOUTH BUSINESS
GRANT
APPLICATION
First Time Applicant/Start Up Business
(505) 695-9139
www.losalamosbusiness.com
MINI-BUSINESS PLAN APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
for the
LOS ALAMOS BUSINESS ASSISTANCE SERVCIES
YOUTH BUSINESS GRANT
The Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation (LACDC) Business Assistance
Services is providing a unique opportunity to young entrepreneurs in the local community (Los
Alamos, Jemez Springs, Espanola, Pojoaque) to experience, first-hand, the rewards of starting a
new business. The Youth Business Grant (YBG) will make up to $400 available to enterprising
young business people, between the ages of 13 and 19, who are willing to start a business this
summer.
To apply for a youth business grant, you must prepare a MINI-BUSINESS PLAN for evaluation by
the Los Alamos Business Assistance Services staff and local business people. The enclosed
material will guide you in putting the plan together. The plan must be written by you and must
be typed. Grant funding might be reduced if the Mini-Business Plan is not typed.
Your completed MINI-BUSINESS PLAN is due by 5:00 p.m. on FRIDAY, MAY 01, 2015.
Applications must be returned to Bernadette Lauritzen at 190 Central Park Square, Los Alamos,
NM, 87544. You can also email them to Bernadette at [email protected] or fax them to (505)
662-0099 Attn: Bernadette Lauritzen, or submit it in person to the receptionist at the Small
Business Center (behind the Post Office). Late applications will not be considered. You will be
expected to present information from your business plan and persuade the interview panel why
you need a grant to start your business. You must be available for an interview in Los Alamos with
the YBG panel on one of the following days:
 May 18th
 May 19th
 May 20th
 May 21st
 May 22nd
 May 26th
 May 27th
All selected grant recipients are required to meet with Bernadette Lauritzen on June 5th or 6th, along
with a parent to receive their check and sign a contract. If you have any questions in preparing your
MINI-BUSINESS PLAN, contact Bernadette Lauritzen at 661-4846 or [email protected].
In addition, mentors will be available throughout the summer to assist you in managing the details of
your business and students will be required to speak to a mentor mid-July to discuss how their
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business is going and any questions or concerns. You will be expected to provide a FINAL
NARRATIVE and BUDGETED FINANCIAL REPORT at the end of the summer and give a
presentation.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
YBG Copy
Important Dates

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May 1st - Application and Mini-Business Plan Due
May 18th through May 27th -Interview Days
June 1st-2nd - Get Check and Sign Contract with Parent
June – ChamberFest (Marketing Opportunity)
Mid-July - Check In with a Mentor
Aug 6th - End of Summer Party
Interview Days
Between 2 pm & 5 pm
PLEASE SELECT ONE:
 May 18
 May 19
 May 20
 May 21
 May 22
Interested in ChamberFest - June
 YES
 NO
Contact Information:
Bernadette Lauritzen
(505) 661-4846
www.losalamosbusiness.com
190 Central Park Square, Los Alamos, NM 87544
[email protected]
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Keep This Copy
Important Dates






May 23 - Application and Mini-Business Plan Due
May 27, 28, 29, June 02. 03 - Interview Days
June 5-7 - Get Check and Sign Contract with Parent
June 8– ChamberFest (Marketing Opportunity)
Mid-July - Check In with a Mentor
August 6 - End of Summer Party
Interview Days
Between 12 pm & 5 pm
PLEASE SELECT ONE:
 May 27
 May 28
 May 29
 June 02
 June 03
Interested in ChamberFest - June
 YES
 NO
Contact Information:
Bernadette Lauritzen
190 Central Park Square, Los Alamos, NM 87544
(505) 661-4846
[email protected]
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MINI-BUSINESS PLAN
GRANT APPLICATION
TO GET STARTED
THE FIRST THING YOU MUST DO is to decide what business you want to start. It
must be something that you want to do and that you believe you can do well. It must
provide a service or product that enough people want in order to produce profits for
the business. Also, you must be able to price and market your service or product so
that people will perceive value to them in paying you for it. The business must
eventually produce sales revenues; the purpose of the YBG grant is to get a good
business idea started.
WHEN YOU HAVE DECIDED what you want to do, you’ll have to immediately start
gathering facts for your MINI-BUSINESS PLAN.
FIRST, start with Section #2 – Description of Business. Complete Sections #2 –
#9 before completing Section # 1. There are questions in each section to help you
think about the details of your business and guide you in completing your minibusiness plan. You will need to complete a budget of income (the money coming
into your business) and expenses (what you will have to pay for including equipment
and supplies) that you expect to have during the summer. This is important for your
final report where you will compare your budgeted amounts to what actually
happened. Don’t hesitate to adjust portions of your PLAN as you gather more
information and learn more about your business and industry. Please note that the
Marketing Plan requests TWO EXAMPLES/MOCK-UPS of marketing materials.
Remember, if you have any questions or would like someone to review any portion
of your MINI-BUSINESS PLAN, please contact Bernadette Lauritzen at 695-9139 or
[email protected]. Incomplete business plans are less likely to be funded.
Grant funding might be reduced if the Mini-Business Plan isn’t typed.
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Application for Youth Business Grant Program
Applicants Contact Information
Name
Street Address
City ST ZIP Code
Home Phone
Work Phone
E-Mail Address
Parents Contact Information
Name
Street Address
City ST ZIP Code
Home Phone
Work Phone
E-Mail Address
Why You Want To Start Your Own Business
Summarize why you want to start your own business.
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YOUTH BUSINESS GRANT
MINI-BUSINESS PLAN
First Time Applicant / Start Up Business
Name of Company:
Founder(s):
Ages:
Address:
Phone Number:
E-Mail Address:
Date:
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is a summary of your entire plan. This should be brief, no longer than a paragraph.
DO THIS AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL OTHER SECTIONS. REMEMBER THIS IS A
SUMMARY.
Write Your Summary Here
2. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Please provide a general description of your company and why you think the business is needed
in the community.
What product or services are you providing? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are the benefits? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are the business hours? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Where will the business be located? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
3. MARKET ANALYSIS
A. Describe the Target Market for your products and/or services.
Who is your customer? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Who will want to buy your products/services? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
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B. Describe your Competition.
Who are your competitors? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How are they similar to you? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Who do they market to? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How do they market to them? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What makes you different? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How will you use your strengths and opportunities to compete with them? ENTER YOUR
ANSWER HERE
4. MARKETING PLAN
The purpose of the Marketing plan is to describe your Marketing Mix. The
Marketing Mix details how you plan on combining the “Four P’s” of Marketing
into your overall marketing plan. The “Four P’s” are Product, Promotion,
Price and Place.
A. Product/Service:
This is your strategy for making your products or services available to your customers.
What is special about it that will interest customers? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How and where will your product/service be used? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How will your product/service meet your customers’ needs? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Do you plan to offer multiple products/services or will you concentrate on one product/service?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What makes your product/service unique? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
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B. Promotion/Advertising:
This strategy will explain how you intend to let people know about your business, it includes
advertising, salesmanship and other promotional activities.
How will you convince customers to buy your product/services? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How will you promote your product/service? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
When will you promote your product/service? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How much will it cost for marketing? (Enter your estimated amount for advertising on the Profit
and Loss Statement under Expense: #7 – Marketing Expense in the Budgeted Column.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
C. Price:
This strategy will outline what you plan on charging for your products and/or services. You will
have to know what the market traditionally charges and what your costs will be. You will want to
price your product or service using this information. Small businesses often work best offering
personalized services.
What prices will be charged for your product/service? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Will you make a profit and be competitively priced? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are your sales goals for the summer? (Enter your estimated amount for sales on the Profit
and Loss Statement under Income: #2 – Sales in the Budgeted Column.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are the costs associated with your product/service? (Enter your estimated amount for costs
on the Profit and Loss Statement under Expense: #8 – Operating Expense in the Budgeted
Column.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
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D. Place/Distribution:
This strategy will describe the placement or distribution of your products or services.
Discuss your transportation problems [for your products/services or yourself] and how you will
solve them. ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How are you physically going to make your products or services available to your customers?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How will you distribute your product or deliver your service? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Marketing/Promotion Samples
Include at least TWO examples/draft of advertising/promotional materials (e.g.
flyer, press release, newspaper advertising, business cards, etc.).
ATTACH 1ST EXAMPLE HERE
ATTACH 2ND EXAMPLE HERE
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5. Operating Plan
Where will your business be located? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Where will you perform the work to create the product or deliver the service?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Are you going to need any startup supplies for your business? (Enter your estimated amount for
startup supplies on the Profit and Loss Statement under Expense: #5 – Starting Purchases in the
Budgeted Column.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Will your business require additional purchases of supplies throughout the summer?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
When and where will you purchase these supplies and from whom?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
6. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Briefly outline the work history of the founder(s).
When and by whom was the business founded? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What kind of experience, hobby or work do you have related or unrelated to this business?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are your reasons for wanting to start or grow your business?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
Why do you feel you will be successful? What do you expect to pay yourself for working
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
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7. PROBLEM RESOLUTION
Problems Anticipated: Discuss any problems, difficulties, and any other contingencies that might
affect the business you’re proposing.
Will you be taking any vacations that may prevent customers from contacting you?
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What are your plans for the business at the end of the summer? (Enter your estimated amount for
any of these problems on the Profit and Loss Statement under Expense: #9 –
Other/Miscellaneous Expense in the Budgeted Column. A good estimate would be 10% of sales.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
8. MISCELLANEOUS
Other Information: This section can be used to include any additional information you feel might
be helpful to the interview panel making the decision about your Youth Business Grant
application.
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
9. FINANCIAL PLAN
A. The amount of YBG Grant Money requested (from $0 - $400): (Enter your estimated amount
for grant money on the Profit and Loss Statement under Income: #1 – YBGP Grant Proceeds
in the Budgeted Column.)
$ _______________________________________
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How the Grant Money will be used? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What will your equipment cost? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
What will your total set up expenses be and what are they? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How much will your inventory cost? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
How will you spend the Grant Money? ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
B. Other funding for your business (e.g. your savings, parents loan or contribution, profit from
previous summer ownership, etc.) and how it will be used? (Enter your estimated amount for
any other money on the Profit and Loss Statement under Income: #3 – Other Income in the
Budgeted Column.)
ENTER YOUR ANSWER HERE
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PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT
FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW: see explanation sheet (next page) for tips.
Your Company Name
June 2015 – August 2015
See Related Sections
for More Explanation
INCOME
1. YBGP Grant Proceeds
2. Sales
3. Other Income
4.
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENSES
5. Starting Purchases
6. Marketing Expense
7. Operating Expense
8. Other/Miscellaneous
Expense
9. TOTAL EXPENSES
NET PROFIT
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BUDGETED
See Sec. 9: A
See Sec. 4: C
See Sec. 9: C
Add Income Items
#1- #3
See Sec. 5
See Sec. 4: B
See Sec. 4: C
See Sec. 7
Add Expense Items
#5- #8
Subtract #9 from
#4
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EXPLANATION OF FINANCIAL TERMS
1. YBGP Grant Proceeds: Selected MINI-BUSINESS PLANS will receive a Grant (it doesn’t
have to be repaid). This money usually “bridges” any Cash Deficiencies, especially in the
beginning. Put in the amount you are requesting in the “BUDGETED” column.
2. Sales: The money you collect from selling a product and/or service; your sales revenues.
3. Other Income: The amount of your own money or parents or a loan that will be contributed
to the business during the summer. MINI-BUSINESS PLANS that list “zero” will not be
penalized.
5. Starting Purchases: The money you need to spend to buy things to start your business
(equipment and starting inventory).
6. Marketing Expense: Any money spent to let people know that you’re in business. This
includes fliers, radio spots, ads, telephone calls, etc.
7. Operating Expense: The cost of maintaining your business (supplies that your business
consumes or other regular costs resulting from being in business).
8. Other: You may wish to show a Contingency Expense on your Cash Budget to take care of
any unforeseen costs. Most companies estimate between 10% and 20% of total expenses as a
contingency cost. Select a percentage you feel is appropriate for your total expense estimate.
NET PROFIT: This amount is your profit. If it is positive then your business is doing well and
making money. If this number is negative, then you need to review your income and expenses
and decide what needs to change to make this number positive.
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