FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

Leverette Consulting Group provides the highest level of service which includes providing answers that are genuine, direct, and clearly understandable.

1. If I am not sure what to do for branding, what do you suggest?
   1. For starters, it is recommended to seek a marketing or branding consultant. If you are unable to afford one, start with a brand archeology test. Once you determine which is the preferred style, research companies that use that type of branding in marketing materials and look for suggestions for fonts, advertising, colors, etc.

2. How do you select volunteers?
   1. Consider all the opportunities you have available for someone to help. Do not only consider the basic list of things to do, also think about leadership opportunities and upcoming projects. Also, remember most board members are volunteer positions.

3. What is a fundraising plan versus a fundraising strategy?
   1. A fundraising plan is thinking out 1 -3 years on how you are going to make a specific amount of targeted funs. A fundraising strategy breaks down the details of how you are going to implement fundraising techniques needed to strengthen the organization’s infrastructure long-term. For example, fundraising software selection, training, implementation.

4. What goes into a marketing plan?
   1. In order to market your business, product, service, nonprofit, program, etc. you should start general and work into specific. Research the overall industry historically to present. Are there any trends that may occur in the next 1-5 years? Then learn about the industry at the state and/or local city/county level. Finally, research your target customer and have a clear demographic profile of who that is. Think about who, what, how, when, where, and how to reach your target customer/client.
   2. You should be clear about what the general history is and how that affects today. Next, develop a plan of the types of marketing you want to use and how often you plan to do it. Remember to take ingot account the amount of time and money it will take to implement the plan.
   3. Finally, determine how you will evaluate if the marketing plan is successful or not. Make adjustments according to which marketing techniques work versus not.

5. How long does it take to get your tax exemption status?
   1. The official answer the Internal Revenue Service provides is up to 180 days from the date of submission. However, there is a 2-step review process. If all information is submitted properly in the 1^st review, it could be approved as soon as 30-60 days. If there are any questions, then a notice will be sent, and your application is put in the secondary review pile when they get to it in a timely manner.

6. When starting a business, when do you need an accountant?
   1. In the beginning, the accountant consultation may be needed to determine which tax structure you want to incorporate the business. In addition, he/she can assist with the bookkeeping setup and chart of accounts to maintain. This is important because you may not know what category your purchases/expenses fall under or if it is even tax-deductible.

7. When do you need a lawyer as a small business owner?
   1. In the beginning, the legal consultation may be needed to determine which tax structure you want to incorporate the business, contracts, forms
   2. . Remember, the response you receive from the lawyer that is focused on liability and the accountant that is focused on taxes may be two different answers. As the leader of the company, you will have to determine which is best for the business if they are not aligned with the same response.

8. Can you go back and make a business plan after you start the business without one?
   1. You cannot go backward, but you can make a plan to go forward. When you make a plan, you are looking at such categories as SWOT analysis, marketing, financial estimates, industry research, executive summary, cash flow analysis, operations, and risk analysis.

9. Is there a difference between a business plan versus a strategic plan?
   1. A strategic plan focuses on goals, objectives, responsible persons, and timelines to task completion. A business plan is focused on the details overall such as executive summary, industry research, marketing, and financial expectations.

10. Can nonprofit organizations get government contract certifications?
    1. No, government contracts use to set aside supports to help for-profit businesses to develop taxable income opportunities. However, there are some government contracts nonprofits can bid on the opportunity to perform the services/products requested.

11. If I get one government certification, can I use it for everything?
    1. No, there are different certifications for different divisions of government. For example, HUBZone is based on business location address, DBE is transportation contracts, WOSB are women-owned businesses, Veteran owned business, Female or Minority (FBE/MBE)

12. What is a SWOT analysis?
    1. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It can be used as a tool for independent decision making or competitive analysis in a marketing plan. The best way to explain the difference is strengths and weaknesses are internal and you have the influence to control these groups. Opportunities and threats, on the other hand, are external and you cannot control these categories. For example, in your business plan strengths could be marketing, training, experience, location; weaknesses could be financing, staff, incorporation; opportunities can be government regulation, new product/service development, partnerships; threats can be government regulations, weather, negative press

13. Why do I need a business plan?
    1. You do not need a business plan to start a business, but you would want As the saying goes: no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan.

14. What are the main criteria for HUBZone certification?
    1. The HUBZone program operated under the Small Business Administration (SBA) helps small business grow in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% percent of federal contract dollars to certified companies each year. Be a small business. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an Indian tribe. Have its principal office located in a HUBZone. Have at least 35% of its employees live in a HUBZone. HUBZone program (sba.gov)

15. What are the main criteria for WOSB/EDWOSB certification?
    1. The Small Business Administration (SBA) goal is to award at least 5% percent of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses (WOSB) each year. To be eligible a business must: Be a small business. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens. Have women manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions.
    2. To qualify as an economically disadvantaged business within the women’s contracting program (EDWOSB), a business must: Meet all the requirements of the women’s contracting program. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with a personal net worth less than $750,000. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with $350,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each $6 million or less in personal assets. Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program (sba.gov)

16. What are the main criteria for SDVOSB certification?
    1. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) goal is to award at least 3% of all federal contracting dollars to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) each year. To qualify for the disabled veterans’ business program, your business must: Be a small business. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans. Have one or more service-disabled veterans manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions. Eligible veterans must have a service-connected disability. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses program (sba.gov)

17. What are the main criteria for GSA certification?
    1. GSA Schedules (also referred to as Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) and Federal Supply Schedules) are long-term governmentwide contracts with commercial firms providing federal, state, and local government buyers access to more than 11 million commercial supplies (products) and services at volume discount pricing. Become a GSA Vendor | GSA

18. What are the main criteria for 8(a) certifications?
    1. The Small Business Administration (SBA) goal is to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to small, disadvantaged businesses each year. To help provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the 8(a) Business Development program. To qualify: Be a small business. Not already have participated in the 8(a) program. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged. Be owned by someone whose personal net worth is $750,000 or less. Be owned by someone whose average adjusted gross income for three years is $350,000 or less. Be owned by someone with $6 million or less in assets. Have the owner manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions. Have all its principals demonstrate good character. Show potential for success and be able to perform successfully on contracts. 8(a) Business Development program (sba.gov)

19. What is the Small Mentor Protégé Program?
    1. Your small business can learn from an experienced government contractor through the mentor-protégé program. To qualify as a protégé, your business must: Be a small business with industry experience. Have a proposed mentor prior to applying for the program. Be organized for profit or as an agricultural cooperative. Have no more than two mentors in the business’s lifetime.
    2. To qualify as a mentor, your business must: Be organized for profit or as an agricultural cooperative. Have no more than three protégés at a time. All Small Mentor-Protégé program (sba.gov)

20. What is the Natural Resource Sales Assistance program?
    1. The government sells large amounts of natural resources and surplus property. The Small Business Administration (SBA) works with federal agencies to set-aside a fair share to small businesses, so they get a fair share of government property sales and leases. Set-asides limit bidding on the products exclusively to small businesses first. That way, small businesses get a chance to bid with a limited competition before the products are offered to other businesses in the open market. Natural Resource Sales Assistance program (sba.gov)

21. What are the main criteria for MBE certification?
    1. Minority Business enterprise (MBE) is a collaborative effort between the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) provides a joint process for minority certification. Companies desiring to certify as a “minority business enterprise” or a “minority subcontractor” may do so by first applying for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification to GDOT. ga.gov/state-purchasing/supplier-services/minority-business-enterprise-certification

22. What are the main criteria for SBLE certification?
    1. This program was established to promote the participation of small and local firms in the procurements of Architecture and Engineering, Construction, Goods and Services, and Professional Services. Small firms locally based inside Clayton County and locally-based outside of Clayton County but within the following five (5) counties, specifically DeKalb, Fayette, Fulton, Henry, and Spalding. Small Local Business Enterprise Program | Clayton County, GA

23. What is Grants.gov?
    1. The Grants.gov program management office was established, in 2002, as a part of the President’s Management Agenda. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, Grants.gov is an E-Government initiative operating under the governance of the Office of Management and Budget. Provide a common website for federal agencies to post discretionary funding opportunities and for grantees to find and apply to them. grants.gov

24. What is SAM.gov?
    1. The System for Award Management (SAM) is an official website of the U.S. government to create a company business profile to do business with the U.S. government. sam.gov

25. What are NAICS codes?
    1. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. Companies and non-profit organizations are expected to select the code(s) that best represent the services and/or products when registering their organization. https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/index.html

26. What are NIGP codes?
    1. The NIGP Commodity/Services Code is an acronym for the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Commodity/Services Code. The NIGP Code is a coding taxonomy used primarily to classify products and services procured by state and local governments in North America. Companies and non-profit organizations are expected to select the code(s) that best represent the services and/or products when registering their organization. ga.gov/state-purchasing/purchasing-tools/nigp-codes

27. Is TIN and EIN the same thing or different?
    1. Essentially, they are the same thing Employer Identification Number implies a corporation with staff. Tax Identification Number is generally associated with small single or partnership businesses. They are considered the same thing which is the social security number of the company when you go to the Internal Revenue Service website to apply for it. Employer ID Numbers | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)