I need a small business grant.?

Could someone please point me to a place wheree I can apply for one?

You stand a greater chance of getting a government-guaranteed loan through the Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/financing than a government grant. Read the SBA Financing page to learn about criteria needed for borrowing

It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for starting a for-profit business.

One possible exception is for companies developing or exporting agricultural goods, including food and forest product. Another exception could be the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbir/index.html , which fund the research and development of technological innovation that meets specific government needs.

Your best bet actually will be from the states if they offer grant programs for women (or any other special interest groups -- minorities, women, disabled, veterans, etc). Or check with non profit organizations, particularly women organizations if they offer grants. Examples include

Iowa Women's Foundation http://www.iawf.org/
New Mexico Women's Foundation http://www.nmwf.org/guidelines.html

Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CON_FAQ2.html

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business -- THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online http://gtionline.fdncenter.org . It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.

If it is a for-profit business you can NOT get grant money (unless you're really lucky to live in a state with lots of extra money - sometimes they have grants but only for certain types of businesses the state has decided it wants to promote/save). Check with your State Department of Commerce.

If you are a non-profit business then go to grants.gov

Best wishes.

go here, http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/blstategrants.htm and put in your state.

or you can try http://www.sba.gov/

good luck!

many community colleges have 'small business centers' on campus. go talk to them.

Check with your local community college for their SBDC (Small Business Development Center). Go to SCORE for help (Service Corps of Retired Executives), or your local bank. The first thing everyone will want to see is your business plan. SBDC and SCORE can help you with this. There should also be many good books in your local library or bookstore.

First things first. You MUST get IRS 501(c)(3) tax status or you don't have a chance in - uh - Hell, Pastor Tom, of getting a grant from anyone.

Even if you DO have 501(c)(3) status the competition for bucks is fierce out there. Almost ten percent of the American workforce is involved in one way or the other in the non-profit industry. (If you're a profit-making biz, you don't need a grant. Or if you do need a grant, you're not a profit-making biz.)

There's no free lunch. (I hate that saying but there isn't a better one).

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/blstategrants.htm

try this look to the states for small business grants

[For non-profits only] http://Grants.gov is your ONLY Free source to FIND and APPLY for federal government grants. There are over 1,000 grant programs offered by all federal grant making agencies. Never pay a fee to get a grant.

Pastor Tim,

If you are a nonprofit, there are grants to help start your social service agency, (if that is what you are doing).

One of the things you can do is check out the major libraries in the largest cities. Plan to spend about $25.00 in photocopies ($ 0.10 a copy) and about 4 to 8 hours. You'll want to be directed to where the Directory of Foundations are.

Make a key word list that describes your mission, programs, and projects - then carefully scrutinize the directory for matches. Foundations are looking for close to 85% to 100% match between their goals and objectives and your own (your companies goals and objectives.) Probably closer to 95% match.

Once you have that done you need to talk with your state's department that deals with iincorporation and fundrasing regulation and fill out a ton of forms and probably pay a $100 for a permit to solicit funds.

Best of Wishes and God's Grace Be Upon You.

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