| Free government grants are funded in one of | | | | one grant available -- and that is for research and |
| two ways: (a) the money comes from the taxes | | | | development for technology based products and |
| we pay and (b) from private foundations that | | | | services for the government. Government grants |
| must give five percent of their assets to stay | | | | are generally given to non-profit organizations for |
| tax-exempt. | | | | programs and services that benefit the |
| Gurus, companies, and others out to make a | | | | community or the public at large. |
| quick dollar will try to reel you in and get you to | | | | Unless your business involves the development of |
| buy their information on free grants. This | | | | new technology or is a non-profit organization, |
| information is already free and readily available to | | | | you will be wasting your time looking for a grant. |
| the public. Do NOT pay to receive this information. | | | | If you are looking for funding for an existing or |
| While the government does give farming, housing, | | | | new for-profit business, you WILL encounter |
| business, college, education, and house building | | | | difficulties in finding and getting grant funding. The |
| grants, these grants are given to non-profit | | | | U.S. government does not currently provide |
| organizations that help people -- they are not | | | | grants for starting or expanding a small business. |
| given to individuals. An individual grant is more | | | | However, the government does offer plenty of |
| likely to involve food stamp programs, section 8 | | | | free help in planning how to start or improve your |
| vouchers, FAFSA, job training, nursing traineeships, | | | | business and in securing low-interest SBA-backed |
| Head Start program, welfare/TANF/AFDC, | | | | small business loans. Also, many States DO offer |
| scholarships, free vaccinations, and other such | | | | small business grants to individuals. |
| programs. Grants to individuals are most often | | | | Women- |
| given for educational support (i.e., financial aid), the | | | | Women have the largest opportunity of any |
| arts, and various types of scientific or other | | | | group to benefit from the government's |
| research, although some agencies award grants | | | | generosity. In spite of the perception that women |
| to individuals for other purposes. | | | | should not look to the government for help, |
| Grants require you to fill out forms, generally on a | | | | government grants have remained so incredibly |
| quarterly basis, that tell how much money you | | | | huge that if each of the approximately 8 million |
| have spent and what you have spent it on, as | | | | businesses applied for an equal share, they would |
| well as how you are progressing on the work you | | | | each receive over $70,000 in free grant money. |
| promised to do. | | | | Scholarships- |
| Business- | | | | You will find many diverse educational grant |
| Even though many publications and talk shows | | | | programs in FREE databases, directories and |
| publicize grants to small businesses, there is only | | | | resources. |