If you’re frustrated by the conflicting and inaccurate information you’ve found regarding grant money for a small business, then don’t worry. This article is your best source for the most accurate and up to date data. Read on and find out why!
Many people today searching for small business grant money to start their own for profit business assume that grants are nothing more than “free money. ” Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but small business grant money is hardly “free money” at all. In fact, these grants are more like contracts with their own set of obligations and restrictions that you must comply with or risk suffering sanctions imposed by your funding resource.
In the case of government grants, the rules are even stricter. One of the first places that people often turn to is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, which is where all listings of government grants approved by Congress are announced. The problem with this resource is that there are very few programs available for small businesses.
These grants are usually awarded to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations having some community-based project in mind. Rarely will you find a government grant awarded to help set up a for profit business. That is why when searching for a small business grant you should not turn only to the government for funding resources.
A good source of grant money is the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The AFP is considered the chief professional association for fundraisers. The association was formerly known as the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE). Their website at AFPnet. org offers sections on ethics, public policy, publications (including AFP’s online bookstore), professional advancement, local chapters, jobs, and youth in philanthropy (along with a member gateway/dashboard).
Besides that, the AFP also provides a list of organizations (including their websites) that are among the top basic resources of grant money. Foremost on their list is the Foundation Center at FDNCenter. org, which publishes the revered Foundation Directory.
Consider contracts. Government money can sometimes come in the form of contracts. “If you can demonstrate that your company can execute a budget line item, if you can shape part of your idea to what the government wants done for a particular project – say something educational or construction-oriented – if you can fill a need, you can compete,” says Francie Ward, CEO of the Business Owner’s Idea Café at BusinessOwnersIdeaCafe. com.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it has helped you and that you were able to find, through our research, the answers you were seeking.
Posts Tagged ‘Money For Small Business’
Grant Money For Small Business
December 16th, 2009Pursuing Government Grants For Your Small Business
December 13th, 2009What is free government money? Here are a few facts about federal government grants. These grants truly are free government money. You do not have to repay this government grant money. You are not charged any interest on these government grant money. The grants are totally tax free money. You do not require any credit history or banking record to receive these grants.
All the facts above are very good reasons for ordinary people to pursue government grant money.
A commonly asked question is, are there really any government grant programs for the type of business I want to start, an online business?
The Answer, Yes, there are lot many government grant programs or free government money for all types of small businesses, including home based internet businesses.
But before we go into details about government grant programs or free government money for small business, let me caution you about some things.
The money is free but it is not free from government regulations and rules. The first thing you must know is that there is full monitoring and auditing of these government grants. You are expected to spend the money you request in particular manner and for the particular purpose that you applied for.
The grant money that was mutually agreed upon must be spent within a particular time frame. If you fail to follow the conditions set from the government, then there can be heavy penalties, sometimes leading to fines and maybe even your imprisonment. So make sure that the grant you are seeking for your small business is used for the specific purpose that you stated when you applied grant. And make sure the money is used within agreed upon time frame.
Another question that is very common is, how much money is really distributed by the US government for small business purposes?
The answer, can you believe that more than thirty billion dollars are given annually by the government to help small businesses? Yes It’s true.
The thirty billion dollars comes from more than eighty sources at the federal government level, all allocated for small businesses across America. There are also more than three thousand state level sources that sre the source of funding for almost any small business.
There are sub categories also. There are different government grant programs for women, for low income groups and for minorities. More than twelve millions is set aside for these sub category groups.
There can be two basic types of monetary help for small businesses. You can get start up capital to start the business. You can also get monetary help to expand your existing business. More than one million small businesses have received free government money on an annual basis.
What sort of businesses are covered under these government grants for small business programs? As I mentioned before, practically every type of industry, home base industry and so many others are covered under these programs. There are just to many to list in this short article. The research you perform will expose the exhausting list of qualified businesses available for these federal and state grants.
If your grant search is intensive and thorough enough you will have no problem finding a grant to fit your needs. When you do find one choose one that is suitable for your needs. Make sure that you qualify and are truly eligible for the grant. If you are persistent enough to get through all of the red tape and follow the application instructions as instructed you may be well on your way to benefitting from a free government grant for your small business.
I hope this article was of some use to you and good luck with your search for a federal or state government grant.
Tips To Get Grant Money For Your Small Business
December 9th, 2009Grant money for small business owners, or rather potential owners, is a growing niche. People have begun to realize that they can indeed get help from the United States government to help them fulfill their dreams of owning a small business.
Without that start-up money, many businesses would fail the first year due to under capitalization. The grant allows them the chance to see their business make it off the ground and become what they have always dreamed it could be.
Grant money for your business is out there and you just have to know where to look. You can perform a google search on ‘government grant money’ or you can contact your local small business association and ask them for information. Either way, you are sure to find the information that you are looking for and the information that you need in order to find that free grant money.
If you have found the government grant programs you wish to apply for, then your next step is to carefully review all of their requirements to ensure that you meet said requirements. There is absolutely no use in applying for a grant when you know that you will be denied because you do not meet one of the requirements. Reading the fine print is a necessity and you will need to know what the process will take in order to be considered for the grant.
Your next step is to formulate a business model. This is basically a run down of how your business will operate, where you see it going and how you intend to utilize the monies given to you should you be warded government grant money.
For government grants, the requirements will vary so it is important to pay attention to what it is that they need. Different grants will require different paperwork so it will be a long process. Do not expect immediate results.
Small business grant monies do not come easily. There is a lot of information that is needed and it will not always be a smooth, easy process. That is why it is very important to use that money wisely.
Grant money for your business is important but it is not the only factor that will ‘make or break’ your venture. You need to have dedication and a willingness to succeed if you are to make it work. All the free grant money in the world can not save your business if you are not willing to work hard.
