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I am 32 years old and a professional educator in South Carolina. I have spent the last 15 years working in the childcare and preschool field and now turned to starting a program of my very own. While the last 15 years have been very rewarding, there is so much more I want to provide for the children in my area. Computers, foreign language, trained and educated caregivers, nationally recognized curriculum, are among the many things I would like to include in the new state-of-the-art center. I have already put together a business plan and have the knowledge required to start a program from the ground up. (The program I am currently the Director of was started by me in May 2007. It is a church-owned program.) Do you have any suggestions on ways to secure funding? I have 2 options: Lease the building with an initial down-payment of $50,000 or buy the building for $400,000. In addition to whichever route is chosen, I would also need an additional $100,000 for start-up capital (to be used for furnishings and a reserve for teacher's salaries). I am not sure which would be better... secure financing for $500,000 and go ahead and use the building as collateral or lease the building and get financing for $150,000. With the lease option, there would be no real collateral other than the furnishings. Any insights or assistance is greatly appreciated.