A business grant is essentially free money given to entrepreneurs and business owners to start and/or expand a business. A common misconception is that business grants are given away by federal government agencies. This is not true at all. Grants available through the U.S. government are generally reserved for non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, state and local governments.

However, there are plenty of state and local government agencies as well as private organizations and foundations that offer business grant money. If you are an established or aspiring entrepreneur or business owner, a good place to start looking for grant money is within your city, county, and state.

The U.S. Government’s official web portal is an excellent online resource that enables you to click on your state and search for state grant money within all kinds of areas, such as agricultural, environmental quality, health, law, and cultural affairs. You can also search the office of the Governor of your state, or search through various state offices such as Affordable Housing, Transportation Dept., Soil and Water Conservation, Education or any other department whose focus best aligns with the nature of your business.

Local sources of funding may include Lions Club, Rotary, Kiwanis, Veterans Administration, Community Development Foundation, Regional Planning Commission, colleges and universities, and hospitals. Civic organizations often have foundations that manage requests for grant money, and the objective must align with their mission and values and benefit the community in some way.

Another local source of business grant money is your state’s or city’s chamber of commerce, your mayor’s office, your councilman’s office, your congressman’s office, and even your governor’s office.

In addition to local government agencies, there’s an organization called The Foundation Center that provides a directory of over 200 corporate grantmakers. Such major corporations often establish trusts and foundations to give business grant money to companies and organizations that engage in efforts that are aligned closely with their mission and values.

A few examples are General Electric, Ford, Wal-Mart, the Gates Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, Ford Foundation, Hasbro Industries Charitable Trust, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kipling Foundation, Clorox Company, Allstate Foundation, and International Paper Company. Each company’s foundation has a different outline on the types of businesses that can receive grant money and the awards can literally range from $500 to $5 million - depending on the size of the foundation.

The criteria will vary. Some grant money is specifically for established businesses, and other money is for newcomers. Some is for women entrepreneurs, and some is for minorities. Either way, there is grant money out there for you and your business. Keep looking, and don’t give up!

The National Institute of Business Grants (www.BusinessGrants.org) is a free online resource for details and FAQs about small business grants and other financing options.

[tags]business grants,business grant,business,grant,grants[/tags]

Money seems to be in short supply. On a personal level people are struggling to make ends meet. Businesses as well are cost cutting due to declining sales. In a sense, there still is the same about of cash in circulation.

The Problem
So the United States economy is struggling. Everyone is trying to figure out what will pull us out of the current recession. In February 2009 U.S. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), also known as the stimulus bill. Its purpose was to provide a stimulus to the U.S. economy in the wake of the economic downturn. I don’t agree with everything our Congress and the Obama administration is doing. But I trust they are getting wise counsel. Hopefully people / advisors who are well versed in the field of economics. But we are sailing in uncharted territory. Academics won’t reveal the solution, only the tendencies and trends. Creativity applied to financial wisdom and judgment will bring about and / or accelerate our recovery.

At the business level, the struggle is similar. The business challenge is how to increase revenues and reduce costs. (The government is apparently not concerned with the cost reduction side. We already had a budget deficit before the stimulus bill.) So what can companies do to survive? Marketing in uncertain times has to continue, so the business can be positioned and in the minds of its customers and clients when the recovery happens. Sales people have a unique challenge, when prospects and customers are dealing with tight and contracting budgets. The initial sale and the add-on sales is more difficult.

Who is Spending?
The one sector that is spending money is the federal government. Much of the money allocated in the Stimulus Bill / Recovery Act is targeted at governmental entities. So there is a layer of government involvement in between the money source and the business community and also individuals. Apart from the Recovery Act, the government has been and continues to provide money for many projects. The federal government buys just about every product and service. The military does the same. There is money for green initiatives. But how does the business community get access to this money and funding?

Businesses can get on GSA schedules to do business with the government. Some state and local governments are also making use of the pre-approved vendors on the federal GSA schedules. There are special programs and set asides for businesses which qualify for the 8(a) program or for those in minority owned, woman owned, veteran owned and small business categories. To get access to this money and these contracts, the business must respond to requests for proposals and requests for quotations.

An Alternative
There is one more alternative: grants. For the most part these are for governments and non-profit organizations. But, there are instances where for-profit businesses can apply for and receive this free grant money.

I invite you to claim access to your *FREE* Report, “5 Steps For Successfully Getting Business Grant Money “ by clicking www.GrantAndProposalExpert.com

Sandra Noble, President and CEO, Noble & Associates Consulting offers expert proposal and grant writing.
Apply to get your government grant money today. We can help. Call 404-374-3384 or visit www.GrantAndProposalExpert.com now!

[tags]government grants,business grants,free government,recovery act,GrantAndProposalExpert.com,Noble,Sand[/tags]

Small businesses are an important part of the American economy. According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), they supply roughly 55 percent of all jobs in the private sector, and they generate about half of all privately generated Gross Domestic Products (GDP), according to some estimates. There are over 27 million small businesses in the United States. They can be self-employed, home-based, Internet-based, and owned by men, women, and minorities, producing a very broad range of innovative products and services. Yet they continue to struggle in securing financing to start or grow their businesses.

Small businesses have always relied on commercial banks for business loans. The increase in bank consolidations has resulted in larger banks, making it more difficult for the small business owner to secure funding for their business. Since more than 60% of small businesses rely on credit lines and loans, and the bulk of this financing comes from the banking sector, small businesses are increasingly looking for more sources to fund their businesses.

The good news is that there are many other sources available for small business owners, including government-backed loans, and grants. The major difference between the two is that loans need to be repaid; grants do not. However, the U.S. government, recognizing the important role that small businesses play in our national economy, recently announced the availability of interest-free ARC loans. Grants and ARC loans offer two additional sources for small business funding that are worth investigating.

Business Grants

Grants are not loans. Grants are free money that does not have to be repaid. Government grants are offered only to local and state, educational, and public housing organizations, and non-profits, and do not apply to start-ups. In addition, the government may offer some specialized grants to companies engaged in environmental efforts like energy efficiency and recycling, as well as businesses that train youth and senior citizens on the latest technology. That’s why they are referred to as “special purpose grants.” So, where do other small businesses go for grant money?

Grants are available from local government agencies and private corporations and organizations. Some of the private sources include trusts and foundations such as the Gates Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, Ford Foundation, Hasbro Industries Charitable Trust, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kipling Foundation, Clorox Company, Allstate Foundation, and International Paper Company. Each source has their guidelines on what type of business will qualify for grant money, and the business owner must meet the criteria. Grant money can be as small as $500 or as large as $5 million. The application process is long and tedious, requiring the applicant to present a solid business plan. The competition for grants is keen with no guarantee that the applicant will receive the money. But for small businesses who qualify and are willing to tough it out in order to get free money, it is worth it.

ARC Loans

Business loans in general differ from grants in that they need to be repaid, with interest. In addition, grants are based on the presentation of a well-written business plan, while loans are based on credit scores and often require collateral.

Recently, however, the U.S. government announced a new program of interest-free loans called ARC (America’s Recovery Capital) loans, an extension of the 2009 Recovery Act, offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). ARC loans provide up to $35,000 (one time only) of interest-free money specifically to small business owners to help them pay down debt on other loans. In essence, it buys them time to get back on their feet. The loans are available until September 30, 2010, or until the funds are depleted (only 10,000 loans are available), and are offered through SBA lenders only. SBA pays the fee to the lenders; the borrower pays back only the principal. Other specifics on ARC loans include:

* Only private, for-profit enterprises up to 500 employees are eligible; non-profits are not eligible
* Business must be at least two years old
* Business must demonstrate an immediate financial hardship
* Loan money can only be used to pay off existing outstanding small business debt
* Loan money is paid out to the borrower over a six month period
* Repayment of the principal begins after the last loan disbursement is received
* Borrower has up to five years to repay the loan principal

The new ARC loans offer both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include instant cash flow improvement, more money to re-invest in the business, and more time to restructure the business and position it for future success. For some small businesses, it is just what they need to survive. For others, the disadvantages include the strict criteria for qualification and use of ARC loan money. In addition, unlike grant money that does not have to be repaid, ARC loans need to be repaid. So, a small business owner who meets the qualifications must present a solid business plan that convinces the SBA lender they will be in a position to repay the loan within the time period allotted. That is the risk for the borrower, the lender, and the SBA who is guaranteeing the new ARC loans.

ARC loans are not for everyone. However, they may be just the solution needed to save some small business owners.

BusinessGrants.org (www.BusinessGrants.org) is a free online resource for details and FAQs about small business grants and other financing options.

[tags]business grants,business grant,arc loan,arc loans,arc loan program,small,business,grants,grant[/tags]

Thousands of small business owners, or aspiring entrepreneurs have heard about small business grants, but may have wondered or even asked the question, “How do I apply for a small business grant?”

In this article, I will reveal to you the three secrets you must know when you apply for a grant.

Before I tell you about that however, allow me to address one major concern carried by many business people looking for information about grants. That is, “are grants legitimate, or some big scam perpetrated by some savvy marketing types?

In short, both of these things are true. There are indeed thousands of grants available to small business owners for starting a business or taking the business you have to the next level.

But, there are also marketers pitching programs that will be very little use to you in getting a grant. This is not to say that all “grant helper” companies are scams. They are not. Some of them are simply better equipped to actually help you get a grant than others.

Finding a reputable company to help you get a grant may actually be a very shrewd step, as such a company already knows what needs to be done, what forms need to be completed, etc. For a few dollars, this may prove to not only be a huge timesaver for you, but may actually mean the difference in getting a grant, or not getting the money you want.

Now, here are the three secrets you must know when you want to apply for a small business grant.

1. Many federal grants are administered at the state level. The Small Business Administration for example, does not give grants directly to small business owners (although they do give loans). The SBA does give grants however, to larger organizations, many of them at the state level, that in turn give local grants (or in some cases, very low interest loans).

It is important to think beyond the federal level when looking for a grant. You need to do some searching at both the state and local levels.

One of the tricks in getting a business grant for starting a small business is not to make it look like a business. What’s that? Don’t make it look like a small business?

I don’t mean you should be dishonest, but if you want to get a grant, you need to match your business with the interests of the organization giving the grant. For example, there are a lot of grants that are given for the “education of the public.”

If you can become an educator in the area of your expertise and do seminars for example, you will have a much better chance of getting a grant.

2. Have your ducks in a row. This doesn’t mean you need a 500 page business plan, but you should have a basic business plan, wherein you can demonstrate aptitude and an idea that will sell the agency. A good grant development company will help you develop what you need.

3. Apply. That’s a secret?! Well, yes it is. The reason why most grant seekers never find a grant is because they don’t apply.

Find out if you qualify for a Small Business Grant Go now to Grants-Made-Easy.com

[tags]small business grants, government small business grants, government grants for small businesses[/tags]

The bad economy has put many people in a tough situation. Money is short all over the country and people are having to make hard decisions. Young adults who want to go to college may have to put that off and try to get a job instead because of a lack of money. Yet jobs are scarce and that is a difficult option as well. A good indicator of just how rough it is out there is that military recruiting is up even in this time of war. Young adults are choosing the military even when they know they could end up in Iraq or Afghanistan because that is better than having no job and starving. At least it pays the bills.

With Obama as president, government grants are surely going to be more prevalent and easier to get. Democrats historically love to give away money whether it is for a good cause or a bad one. Few people really know about the existence of goverment grants or how to get them and this seems like a great time to investigate. If you are of college age and need money for schooling, you might very well be able to qualify for a grant. Likewise, if you are having trouble finding a job, you might be able to qualify for some sort of government grant that will give or loan you the money to start your own business.

In this time of economic hardship, it is smart to look into all your financial options and a government grant may be something that you can use to tide you over until things get better. Few people take advantage of them as they just don’t get a lot of publicity and many people don’t know they exist. Although they are not free money and do have to be qualified for, a goverment grant may be just the thing you are looking for right now to make your life a little easier.

If you are lucky to get a government grant, it is not something that should be wasted. Use the money wisely and treat is a your lifeline to a better future or to get you through the tough patches. A goverment grant is not free and so wasting it on things that will not better your future would be foolish and put you in a worse position than when you started. The purpose of government grants are to give people money that they need and can use to obtain a goal such as completing an education or starting a business. They are not there so that you can go buy that flashy car you can’t otherwise afford. If you are one of the fortunate ones to get a government grant, use it well so that the grant programs will stay open and other people will benifit sometime down the line in the future.

Are you interested in findng out more about free Obama government grants? Also please also check out my money making ideas and ways to make money which you can use to earn some spare cash in these tough times.

[tags]government grants, grants, obama grants, grant money[/tags]

The federal government website for grants is available for anyone that is looking for a grant. This website is actually quite informative, but it will take some sorting through to find the government grants that you are researching. There is a quite an extensive list of grants that are available.

After looking at this website, I noticed that many of the grants are for organizations that are in the education industry or for groups that have nonprofit status. And this excludes a great many of the people that are looking for free government grants.

However, the federal government is not the only government. The state and your local government also grant money for education, home improvements, certain types of debt and starting a business. There are many opportunities to get free money from the government and some of this money goes undistributed each year.

Some grants are well known and are not difficult to locate, such as; Pell grants that are given out for secondary education each year. A Pell grant is basically free money, but that is not always the case for all government grants. Actually, in many cases that is not the case.

Most government grants come with an objective and it is not just to get you out of debt or redo your home. However, you may be able to get money to make your home more energy efficient or they may have programs that will allow you a certain amount of money if you are below a certain income level.

Many grants extend money in exchange for a service. Two common grants are money in exchange for a program that will help children avoid obesity. They will give money to set up exercise programs and education information on eating healthy. Another one that I have seen quite a bit is for services that benefit individuals returning from active duty in the armed services. Grants are sometimes about giving back to your community, but the government will give you the money to start a business that will help you do that.

Government grants are a great way of getting free money for education, home improvements, debt and business start ups. It is something you should definitely consider before applying for a loan. You will not know what is available until you take the time to research your options.

With the current economy, anything you can do to save money or avoid spending your own money can benefit you in several ways.

Are you looking for government grants to start a business? Find out more about the federal government website for grants and how you can get more information on government grant programs.

[tags]federal government website for grants, apply for government grants for free[/tags]

Small government grants can indeed be a much-needed shot in the arm for any business. Especially for those just starting out, a government grant can mean a push in the right direction. The problem is that they are not so easy to get - what’s worse; some people think that these grants are nothing more than free money! Not only this, government grants money is one area where you tend to run into a lot of scams. Before you think of applying for a grant, you need to be clear about a few important things.

Check First

The first thing to remember is that grants often come and go - grants that may have been available a couple of years ago may not exist today. This often happens when the grant loses its funding. It’s important to check current grant listings first to see what’s available. Secondly, it’s important to remember that some grants are more plentiful than others. For instance, student grants for women and grants for minorities or the disabled are the most numerous. If you are specifically looking for small government grants for businesses, remember that these are limited at both the state and federal level.

Another thing to bear in mind is that some areas are given preference for start up grants. For example, places that are disaster areas, low-income areas and those undergoing development have a much higher chance of securing funding. You also need to be clear about exactly what kind of assistance you’ll be getting. For instance, some non-profit organizations will assist you indirectly in getting grants.

The Scam Factor

If you do decide to get a small government grant, be careful about the kind of scams you may come across. First of all, let’s say you get a phone call saying that your grant application has been approved. Don’t believe it - if you do get the grant, the government will not contact you by telephone. You might also come across people who will charge you a fee to find grants for you. This is also a scam - all the resources you need to find the right grants are free and readily available.

It’s also a good idea not to bank solely on the grant money. The scramble for government grants is extremely competitive. Apart from that, the process can take a very long time and there is no guarantee that you will actually get the money. If you are strapped for cash and need something in a hurry, it might be better to consider a loan or to borrow the money from elsewhere.

When it comes to these kinds of grants your best bet is to make absolutely sure you are eligible for the money. Complete the application as clearly and thoroughly as possible. You will also be working with a grant officer at this time - make sure you meet up regularly and inquire about the status of your application. It’s also a good idea to draw up a complete business plan and keep it ready. Finally, make sure you have a back-up plan. Landing small government grants are great but you need to have an alternative in mind if it doesn’t work out.

For more on small government grants and government funding including expert insights, tips and strategies, visit us at http://primegrants.com

[tags]small business grants, government funding, grants[/tags]

In the world of mortgages or more specifically government mortgages there are a few that are available to the average lender today. In fact, nowadays there are even more options for you to consider than ever before and the ability to qualify for those programs is easier than ever before! In this article I’m going to specifically talk about a few of the options you have such as FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac.

The FHA term is often used to describe a direct particular marketplace lending intersection. What are FHA loans and how do you apply them? Your choices for application programs now are through through a approved lender, or via the Internet. FHA, or the Federal Housing Authority was established in 1934 as a part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. It worked incredibly well and in 1965, the FHA became a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development! Since then the FHA has become one of the largest insurers of home mortgages in the entire country!

The VA Loan is really a simple spin off of the FHA loan which is open to Veterans having served in the armed forces. The VA loan was conceived in order to supply returning veterans with the opportunity to purchase homes and start their lives once again. Fannie Mae, or the Federal National Mortgage Association, was established to allow for an secondary market for the FHA mortgage loans. In 1938, when President Roosevelt established the Federal National Mortgage Association it was intended to allow for a alternate market for lenders to sell mortgages in order to originate new ones. Freddie Mac, followed them in a few years, and was applied to serve a bigger foundation of mortgages.

Although Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not verbatim lenders, our latest mortgage system would not be in operation nor would we have experienced the success with home ownership we enjoy in today!

Of course there are also other options available to you such as HECM and HUD and the well-know SNAP which stands for safe neighborhood action plan. The SNAP is actually an FHA supervised effort to improve urban communities. by providing education, activities for schools and assistance for “project” residents. As you can see the government has played a HUGE rule in where we have ended up today and its truly what makes it possible for people like you and me to buy ownership in our country.

But its also true that Teddy Roosevelt really put down the first stepping stone for us to really get to the point that we are now, after all more Americans nowadays can actually have the dream of owning a home, and making it come true than in any era before!

This author is a HUGE fan of us government grants - free online guide

[tags]government grants,us government grants, free government grants,women business grants,apply for free[/tags]

Its really amazing to me the plethora of information that is available on the Internet these days. I mean just by using a keyword on Google for anything, you can come up with thousands if not millions and even billions of results. The great thing about this is that the information you want or the questions you might have are probably answered somewhere out there. The bad thing about so much information is that it could take you years to get through all of it! Sure you could research all you need to know on your own, but when I’m looking for something that I know is going to take a lot of time and energy, I do the smart thing; look for blogs! These blogs range from every subject, category and niche you could possibly imagine. Whatever it is your looking for, can probably be found very easily on these blogs and its all neatly organized so that you wont have to go through heaps and heaps of useless information to get to the good information!

The blogs are free to use, and as aforementioned you can easily utilize them for your research projects. It doesn’t matter if its something big like government grants or something small like a review on a gadget! Another cool thing about blogs is that you can leave comments on the posts. So not only are you getting the help you need but you might be helping someone else in need by making comments about something you have knowledge about! Recently I actually was searching online for grants and I found literally, millions of results. There was no way I was going to traipse through all of that, it would have taken me forever! So instead I found this really cool blog online which was designed especially for government grants.

They give you information about how to apply, different types of grants and general information that I might not have known hadn’t taken the time to read the blog in the first place! Really I found some super info for my business that I intend on using to write my grant for my business! These blogs can be incredibly useful for all kinds of reasons. This is such an easy tool, that’s easy to find and easy to use! Why would you waste any of your precious time anywhere else when all the information you need is right in front of you!?!

This author is a HUGE fan of free government grants information

[tags]government grants,us government grants, free government grants,women business grants,apply for free[/tags]

In terms of grants, exactly who is entitled to apply for a U.S Government Grant and who isn’t? What are some of the stipulations and guidelines that I should be looking for? You might be applying for, and looking to receive a U.S Government Grant for many different reasons. In fact there are government grants available for many different causes such as you may get a grant to go back to college, pay your home mortgage, or rental payments, start a new business or even better the one you have right now, or even pay your phone bill, food bill, or car payment. As of now you have a pretty good chance of getting a grant loan especially considering there is roughly $400 billion dollars worth of grants just waiting to be awarded per year. I believe I even read a news article about how in 2008 and 2009 there is even a higher amount which is around $500 billion dollars!

I believe one of the reasons why so much money is available and the reason the government is making it known is because a lot of people don’t even know these types of grants exist. I know I didn’t, until I started really looking into it. I wanted to broaden my business and get involved with a few other aspects which would then bring me more profits. But how is a business suppose to do a business plan when they don’t have the money? The great thing about these grants in particular is that ANYONE can apply for one AND guess what? You don’t even have to pay anything back! This is actual money you can keep and use appropriately. Imagine that! Most people assume automatically that they will not be approved for such a grant or even be qualified for one and that these programs are just for the poor, or just for the rich. But thankfully for you these programs are for anyone in need, business or otherwise.

The truth is, its not hard to be approved fr these types of grants, I mean there isn’t even a credit check! You wont be asked for collateral, and you also don’t need a co-signer which you would need in other instanced. The first thing you absolutely need to do to find out more information about these grants is to visit your local library and check out some books on how to apply for a grant and how to write a grant. Heck you might even be surprised how easy it really is to get a government grant for yourself or for your business!

This author is a HUGE fan of women business grants

[tags]government grants,us government grants, free government grants,women business grants,apply for free[/tags]