"It
is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the
strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done
better. the credit belongs to the man who is actually in
the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again;
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends
himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end
the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall
never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither
victory nor defeat."
Theodore
Roosevelt, U.S. President
Business Plans for Business
Grants
Some claim that
business grants are everywhere; some claim they are as rare as a trout tooth.
The truth, dear Watson, lies somewhere in between.
"Business
grants are everywhere!"
If you have done so much as a
single search for "business grants", you have most certainly
discovered those web sites that proclaim, "They're here -- in my directory.
Satisfaction guaranteed, m'am."
Yuk. I can hear the
carnival hawker in the echo.
And it's not just one site that
makes such claims. No, it is many sites that make this claim. One
gives your money back if you send in a reject letter from an agency you applied
to; another says you are buying "soft goods" that can't be returned.
No matter. It's all the same pitch.
"Business
grants are nowhere!"
When I found one site that
claimed that business grants are a fantasy, it was actually a relief. Wow,
an honest person.
Well, this person may have been
honest, but she hasn't done her homework.
"There are
business grants to be had." (This is my voice)
They are not growing on trees,
but they are there. Consider, for instance, these scenarios:
Scenario No. 1
A brilliant scientist wants
to team up with a university, use their Ph.D. fellows to do research, and pin
down the gene for one particular type of cancer. She has good
credentials and high hopes. Where can she get a grant to start her
company?
Answer: The U.S. National Science Foundation may indeed have
something. (If the company proceeds to make this discovery, it is still
able to sell stock, take in investors, or sell the patents. In short, it
can still be profitable.)
Scenario No. 2
An experienced pre-school
teacher sees a tremendous need to provide pre-school care for children in a
low income area so their parents can go to work in a new plant being built
nearby. Where can she go to get a grant to start her business?
Answer:
The U.S. Dept. of Education is a good bet. The local county or state
government might have money available, too. Even the new company being built
might chip in with space and supplies. (If the company proceeds to be
very successful, and even lucrative, it can still open more branches,
franchise, or expand. In short, it, too, can still be profitable.)
Scenario No. 3
A second generation
Indonesian business person sees the devastation in her homeland caused by the
tsunami. With her business contacts and experience, she knows she can
help re-build her country. Where does she go for a grant?
Answer:
USAID probably has $20 million or so on hand for just such a project. In
fact, as I write this, that is exactly the situation. (This is not a
"profit making" venture. However, somewhere in the $20 million
grant, she will of course pay herself, and will be able to lay a strong
foundation for a future business.)
Are these three
examples just aberrations? Emphatically, NO -- there are LOTS MORE where
these came from. There are a number of grants directories on the market.
I recommend this grant directory.
This one is particularly exceptional because they include a free consultation
with a grant specialist -- a valuable bonus. They will help you every step
of the way through the application process, and they even respond to very dumb
questions! This is one of those companies that really gives so much more
than it advertises, and I like that. For instance, they provide a huge
list of loan sources as well as grant sources. And there is, of course, a
full money back guarantee. It's only $39.95, and well worth it.
