Qualifying for a Business Grant Can Be Easier Than You Think

As the government offers grants for almost any reason, it is perhaps the business grant that is the most popular and useful. Many people try to begin their own business every year and many more only hold the knowledge of how to do so, but out of a lack of money they don’t. It is for these people that the business grant was created. In general, the business grant is given to those applicants that have a solid layout for a business plan and a thoroughly researched return expectancy in the year. The more detailed the reports are, the better of a chance that you have to get the grant.

These business grants are given to new business owners, future business owners and existing business owners. Now you can open your own business now with over 80 sources of Federal business grants. There are many different types of business grants such as: Free Government Money for Women to start their own business, Free Government Money for Minorities to start their own businesses, Obtain Free Government Money for equipment, rent, offices, expenses and overhead. You can use this money to give yourself a salary as you begin your new journey. You must remember that this is Free Government Money and NEVER has to be paid back. It is the best way for business owners and wannabes to get the money that they need.

If you are looking for funding for an existing or new for profit business, you might encounter difficulties in finding and getting grant funding. Government grants are generally (though not always) given to non-profit organizations for programs and services that benefit the community or the public at large. Don’t be discouraged though because there are many grants that are given to for profit businesses as well. If you want to know if your business or business idea is eligible for a grant, visit the government’s business grant website at www.firstgov.gov

Some of the businesses that are eligible for a grant are: non-profits, self help business groups, anything to do with the arts like publishers or galleries, magazines etc. and businesses that are hoping to be the sole provider in a specific locale. You can also get business start up money if you are able to give an outstanding proposal. Sometimes the government grants will be given to people with a great proposal even if they are not necessarily regulated under the arts or beneficial to the community at large. You just need to WOW them in the application process.

How You Can Find Out About Available Small Business Grants

There are many places that you can turn in order to find the best grants for you to apply for. Here is where I will list them all. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a major provider of grant money for businesses. This is even in spite of its decline in funding for social services and health and welfare programs during the years. Most federal agencies have some type of grant program.

You can also check out the Federal Register. In order to keep current with the continually changing federal grants that are being offered, you may wish to keep on checking the Federal Register, the government's daily newspaper which you can also find at the Superintendent of Documents and lists notices of legal rules and regulations, and application deadlines for new grant programs from federal agencies.

FedBizOpps is another great resource for finding grants. Besides awarding grants, the federal government also awards contracts to some businesses. It’s a mechanism that you can use to support a project whereas an actual contract is an instrument that you can use to get a project. FedBizOpps is a great resource for finding federal government grant opportunities that are higher than 25,000. All federal agencies must use FedBizOpps as a means to tell the public about contract opportunities over $25,000. You can find it online at http://www.fedbizopps.gov.

Finding Out About Private Grants
Private grants come from both foundations and corporations. There are more than 65,000 private grant foundations in the United States. Every year, they award more than $20 billion to those people who ask for it. Federal law mandates that foundations must give away 5 percent of their market value assets or interest income each year, whichever of these amounts is greater. Foundations must follow the 5 percent rule or they risk losing their tax-exempt status.

Right now there are about 15 percent of the private foundations that actually maintain websites that offer grant-related information, and that number is slowly growing. There are two major Web sites that maintain links to these particular foundations. One of them is maintained by the Foundation Center: http://fdncenter.org. The other one of them is maintained by the Council on Foundations: http://www.cof.org. Foundations award grants to businesses and groups that are presenting a convincing case that they will help the foundation reach its long-term goals.

Some foundations make their money available for specific purposes, such as building funds, operating support, equipment, or seed capital. Some foundations make their money available for specific businesses. Of course, others have their own specific priorities and interests, which determine the types of programs they are willing to support. I would suggest your researching this to be sure you are eligible first.