SCORE Card
The eNewsletter for Small Businesses in Rochester, NY
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Greetings!
Welcome to our year end SPECIAL EDITION of SCORE Card, the eNewsletter for SCORE clients, partners, and friends.
In this issue we'd like thank some important people, share the highlights of our 2008 Accomplishments, let you know how all of this is made possible, and ask for your help. | |
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SCORE Rochester is proud to serve small businesses in our community by offering free counseling, low cost workshops, and free on-site team consulting.
In 2008 alone we conducted 839 confidential face-to-face counseling sessions and 572 email counseling sessions. In addition, we presented over 40 workshops and seminars downtown
and throughout the greater Rochester area. We averaged around 20 participants per event.
As all businesses do, we seek continuous improvement. This year we updated all of our brochures. We've upgraded all of our computer equipment and expanded the content and quality of our website as well.
We've also looked to extend our impact in the community. We became one of the first SCORE chapters in the country to publish an electronic newsletter. Over 1,000 people receive it on a monthly basis. We're also reaching out into the community by participating in Trade Shows, joining Chambers of Commerce, and becoming active participants in many local professional associations.
We no longer want to be called "The Best Kept Secret in Rochester!" Consequently, we've also greatly increased our marketing and paid advertising efforts to reach more potential clients and recruit a broader base of volunteers.
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| THANK-YOUs |
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Before this year ends, we'd like to salute those who have helped 2008 be one of our most successful years:
- The Small Business Administration and its staff at the Rochester Office for their help and support: Tammi Bennett and John Marino. They also provide us with counseling and workshop facilities.
- Our Local legislators who have sponsored our efforts: Jim Alesi, David Koon, Joe Morelle, Bill Reilich, and Joseph E. Robach.
- The local banks that have sponsored our efforts, referred clients to us and have also provided facilities where we have presented workshops.
- Our new partner, The Rochester Business Alliance, who has sponsored our membership in their organization and teamed up with us to provide counseling at their building.
- The local experts (bankers, lawyers, tax experts, accountants, Web designers, and insurance advisors) who have graciously and generously donated their time and expertise during many of our workshops.
- The local communities that have let us use their libraries, high schools or other facilities so that we could provide counseling services and present workshops.
- The 60+ volunteers who have contributed, on average, nearly 100 hours of their time over the course of 2008, gratis. For some of our most active volunteers this 100 (or more) hours is what they put in per month---unpaid.
THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!!! |
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What Makes SCORE Possible?
It takes resources to provide the services that we do to our community. Specifically, it takes funds to purchase new equipment, update websites, publish newsletters, buy advertising, participate in tradeshows, join professional associations / Chambers of Commerce, and provide high quality materials to our clients.
What few people realize is that less than 15% of our funding comes from the Federal Government and even that comes via the National SCORE organization.
Most of SCORE's financial support comes from the efforts of our volunteers. We reach out to our local legislators and banks to ask for support by showing them the impact we have on helping to make small businesses successful for a fraction of the cost of other programs and services. In the past their generosity has accounted for just under half of our funding. Given the current economic climate that is expected to be cut in half. The profits from our low cost seminars make up about 1/3 of our budget. The rest come from donations from our clients, local businesses, professional associations, and SCORE volunteers. | |
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Support SCORE Through the SCORE Foundation
The SCORE Foundation serves as the philanthropic support arm of SCORE: it assists in raising those vital funds needed to extend SCORE's counseling and training across America.
By philanthropically investing in SCORE, you will inspire and sustain the important American values of volunteerism and entrepreneurship.
Help us make 2009 an even better year!
Make YOUR choice today! May we suggest that you designate your gift to support the Rochester chapter of SCORE.
WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION |
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I hope you've enjoyed this Special Edition of SCORE Card. We wish you joyous holidays and look foward to serving you in the New Year.
Paula M. Hollinger
Editor |
Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a non-profit association and resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the formation, growth and success of small businesses. It provides professional guidance and information, accessible to all, to maximize the success of America's existing and emerging small businesses. Since 1964 SCORE has helped more than 8 million entrepreneurs.
The material in this newsletter is based on the work supported by the SBA under cooperative agreement number SBAHQ-05- 0001. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
© 2001-2008 SCORE Chapter 23, Rochester, New York | |
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