Month: April 2012

Free Government Money? Believe It!

Government grants? Free government money? What? You’ve probably heard mutterings about this in the past, but it’s likely that you just don’t believe it for a second. Since when is the government giving away money, you might ask? You might also say something like, yeah, fine, the government has money to give away to people, but why should I think that applies to me? Why should I even bother?

Surprising Answers To Big Questions

You’d be surprised at the answers to a lot of those questions. You’d be surprised to know that the government is always giving away money to a fortunate few. You might also be surprised at who qualifies. Some government grants are difficult to get. Others will no doubt take aback at how easily they are to get.  It’s all a question of what you want.

And What Do You Want?

This is an important question to ask. One that requires as serious assessment of your life, goals for the present and even plans for the future. Are you looking to start a small business? Are you looking to go back to school? Is there perhaps something else you’re looking to do? You would be surprised to find out that are over nine hundred grant programs out there right now. Yes, you read that exactly right. Nine hundred grant programs are available to anyone who is willing to take advantage of them. That’s quite a lot, isn’t it? It’s probably more than even your best guess. This is spread out across twenty-six agencies. You can research all of these nine hundred programs and twenty-six agencies online, and that brings us into the next aspect of government grants.

How To Find Out More

There are a number of places online to find information about government grants, and everything you would ever need to know about making the most of them. You can try any place you like, but there’s one source you must definitely use in your hunt for some of that government money. That would be over at Grants.gov. This is the official government one-stop for all programs and agencies. This site is priceless. It’s fairly easy-to-navigate, and offers all the information on not only those grants and programs but on how to apply for them. It also shows you where you need to go to apply for a specific grant. It’s a process that can be difficult and competitive. But it’s not one you have to navigate blindly. Grants.gov is obviously going to be everyone else, but it’s still the place to start. The rest is up to you, but a keen eye and a willingness to do anything will help you considerably. Using grants.gov is just the first step, and perhaps best step.

What Do You Think?

A quick look at a site like Grants.gov will open a lot of doors for you. What you do next is up to you, but you can do worse than to look into government grants as a way of making your goals happen.

This article is written by Jon Emge who is a Senior Debt Advisor writing for a range of financial sites including www.debtmanagement.co.uk and www.paydayloans.co.uk

Don’t Overlook Federal Funds When You Apply For A Business Grant

We’ve all seen the commercials that claim there are millions of dollars in free money just waiting to be taken in the form of grants. But that money isn’t just floating in the air waiting for someone to reach up and grab it. You need to know where to look and how to apply for a business grant to see any of this “free money.”

Grants are available from a multitude of sources. The most well-known grants are government grants. Many people mistakenly believe these grants are at anyone’s disposal. This is not true. The majority of government grants are given to programs and institutions who then award the money to businesses and organizations that apply for a business grant. So the money comes from the government, but not straight to your business.

How to find government grants

If you are unsure what kind of government grants would best suit your business, start writing. Create a list of your business’s needs, interests and the goals you want to achieve through your grant. This will help you streamline your ideas to fit a niche. The more concentrated project you can come up with when you apply for a business grant, the more likely you grant application will be accepted.

Once you have a list of your business’s interests, find state and federal agencies that share those interests. A lot of government grants focus on economical, environmental and technological issues. Business proposals that utilize these areas are seen as more viable options because they can benefit more people. Don’t embellish your proposal, however. If you do not intend to “go green” and be environmentally friendly with your project, don’t tout your business as being environmentally conscious. Lies or inaccuracies can void your grant and you can be forced to repay and funds you have received.

The most common form of government grants is a research and development grant. These grants are awarded for projects and ideas that improve or revolutionize commercialization. Research and development grant programs available for small businesses have federal guidelines that must be met during every step of the project. In most cases, these grants are awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The SBIR and SBTT programs are comprised of three phases. The first phase awards funding for the exploration of the idea or project. During the second phase, businesses use additional awarded funding to expand results. And phase three implements the idea or project into the marketplace (funding is not provided in phase three).

Research and development grants encourage partnerships between organizations, businesses and institutions. Typically one side of the partnership is responsible for a larger percentage of the work and results achieved during the grant. However, it is not typically specified how much a partner should or can invest. So, while your business may be the primary partner, teaming up with a university or hospital willing to provide funding can be extremely beneficial. When you apply for a business grant, the awarding panel will want to know your business’s plan for funding during and after the the grant’s duration. Expecting a single grant to fully fund your business venture is not a sustainable reality.

So, the commercials are partly true – there is a wealth of funding available in government grants if you know how and where to find it.

This article is written by Jon Emge who is a Senior Debt Advisor writing for a range of financial sites including www.debtadvice.net and www.debtconsolidationloans.org.uk

Successful Business Grant Proposals Utilize Alternative Funding

Business grants are not a sustainable sourcing of funding or any organization, so you must consider finding additional funding. Grants always include a predetermined time frame in which funds will be released. Once this period has ended, the grant is over. Some grants allow businesses to reapply while others are considered a one-time grant. You can always apply for additional grants, but this can be time consuming. It is better for your business to seek alternate funding before, during and after you apply for a grant.

Finding additional funding for you business can be hard, but if you’re persistent and outgoing, you can ease the process.

Finding additional funding

Before you begin your search to find alternative funds, write your grant proposal summary. You will need a summary to submit with your grant proposal, and having a summary will provide possible investors with a tangible plan. Your summary should include your idea or project, a clear goal, how you will accomplish the goal and the amount of funding required for each step. A business or organization may want to provide funding for a specific part of your project or may even partner with your business to achieve your goal.

Many grants require business to find alternative funding during the grant application process. Outside funding shows that a business is serious about it’s idea or project and has gained support for it. Proposals submitted by businesses that base projects solely on grant funds are not usually successful. Granters want to invest in successful ideas, so the more support you find, the less risky your idea may seem. Granters want to see that a business is willing to gain support from the community, other businesses or educational institutions. So, those are the places you should start when requesting funding.

Research and development grants require two or more businesses, organizations or companies to work together to achieve the project’s goal. This is an excellent way to find alternative funds as the partnering business is likely to provide some funding. Depending on your proposal and your business’s interests, talk to universities, hospitals, corporations and charitable foundations who have similar economic or commercialization interests and needs. They may be willing to provide funding, equipment and researchers for your project.

Find alternative funds with loans and investments

Business loans are available if your project goes above the income of your business. However, it is important to remember that loans must be repaid, so if your venture fails, you could be forced to close the business, sell the business or file for bankruptcy. Also, granters require information on funding that will occur after the grant period has ended, so applying for multiple loans isn’t a sustainable idea. A start-up or expansion loan may be useful, but loans should not be the sole source when you find alternative funds.

 

Venture capitalists may be a viable resource in finding additional funding while seeing your company grow. Venture capitalists typically invest in a business that shows potential for substantial growth, that way they can see a profit when they decide to exit the business. A venture capitalist firm or individual might be more willing to invest a large amount of money if your business has a well-organized grant proposal.

Money is available for businesses who are willing to work to find it. Use your professional contacts, community leaders and top organizations and corporations to help you find alternative funding.

This article is written by Jon Emge who is a Senior Debt Advisor writing for a range of financial sites including www.debtadvice.net and www.debtmanagement.co.uk