National Association for the Self-Employed – Business Benefits, Educational Resources and Access to Health Insurance for Small Businesses and Startups > NASE Member Receives $30,000 Achievement Award

Washington, D.C. (June 18, 2009) – Tiffany Washington, owner of Waldorf, Md.-based small business Washington Accounting Services, today received a $30,000 gift from the National Association for the Self Employed (NASE) in recognition of the excellent small-business practices she employed to catapult her start-up venture into a successful business.

As a member of the NASE, the 26-year-old CPA applied for and received a $3,000 Business Development Grant in October 2008 – part of $350,000 in grants given by the NASE in the last three years in response to members’ needs to access capital.

According to a recent NASE Member survey, 77% of America’s micro-business owners do not believe there are enough funding resources available. A majority of respondents reported having to use personal savings to start their businesses and identified a need for funding from associations and nonprofit organizations that provided grants and loans for small businesses.

Washington’s $3,000 Business Development Grant was used to purchase tax preparation software, office equipment and supplies for her then one-year-old start-up business. The grant also helped her to move out of a home office and into an office building that was more conducive to her clients. By the end of this year’s tax season, less than 6 months after receiving the grant from the NASE, Washington had quadrupled her income from the previous year. The tremendous impact she made with her grant prompted the NASE to select her out of 15 other grant recipients for a further financial reward of $30,000.

"The NASE Business Development Grant gave me confidence to pursue larger goals and take my business further," Washington said. "Now with this unbelievable Achievement Award, the possibilities are just endless."

“Tiffany serves other small businesses in her area in an important way by helping them make the most with their money,” said NASE Executive Director of Communications Maureen Petron. “And she sets a good example of making the most of her own business’ finances by looking for creative funding resources and then employing very smart business practices that grew her business into something she should be very proud of. We’re thrilled to recognize her achievement.”

Petron and NASE Chief Operating Officer Keith Hall presented Washington with a $30,000 check at a ceremony in the NASE’s Washington office. Also in attendance to celebrate her achievement were Washington's family and staff. High resolution photographs of the ceremony are available. E-mail koberlander@NASEadmin.org.

About the NASE
The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) is the nation's leading resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses, bringing a broad range of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and to drive the continued growth of this vital segment of the American economy. The NASE is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit organization and provides big-business advantages to hundreds of thousands of micro-businesses across the United States. For more information, visit the association's Web site at www.nase.org.

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