Community Development Credit Unions
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CDCUs are nonprofit organizations with a tax-exempt status. These credit unions are typically owned and managed by its members but are also regulated by the government.

Community Development Credit Unions are capable of offering a wide selection of benefits to its members. Usually, some of the most notable benefits are as follows:

a) The ability to provide fairly priced loans to members who have limited or no credit history.

b) The ability to help its members in the process of saving money.

c) The ability to conduct financial transactions at reasonable costs.

d) The ability to provide financial counseling and education to all of its members.

e) The ability to assist its member during the process of proving services which will potentially help them shy away from high-cost loans, and simultaneously gain more control over their finances.

In cases where banks and other commercial institutions can no longer help, small businesses can turn to CDCUs for financial assistance.

In general, CDCUs are great instruments for providing financial lifelines to low income individuals and communities who wish to gain financial stability and gain traction in the business community.

Community Development Credit Unions
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About The Author Michael Saunders is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com one the the most comprehensive Websites offering information on government grants and federal government programs. He also maintains Websites providing resources on grants for youth programs and home improvement grants.

Additional Resources

category - Small Business Grants

Department of Agriculture: Value Added Producer Grants
The Value-Added Producer Grants program is geared towards helping the Independent Producers of Agricultural Commodities, Agriculture Producer Groups, Farmer and Rancher Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures in developing techniques that would create marketing opportunities and establish business plans involving viable marketing opportunities that involve the production of bio-based products from agricultural commodities.

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Small Business Administration Background
The Small Business Administration was established in 1953. Since that time the agency has dispensed millions of dollars in loans and loan guarantees, contracts, consulting assistance and other programs for small business across the United States.

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Small Business Administration's Portable Assistance Program
The Small Business Administration has established the Portable Assistance Program wherein they seek to provide grants to Small Business Development Lead Centers that provide services to small businesses in an effort to increase the success of small business establishments and their viability in certain communities where economic hardship is apparent and is attributable to the impact of a major disaster.

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Common Bean Productivity Research for Global Food Security Competitive Grants Program
In keeping with this mission, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture has recently established the Common Bean Productivity Research for Global Food Security Competitive Grants Program in an attempt to develop approaches and methods that can efficiently address the various challenges facing common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production among small holder producers in food insecure countries.

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