Writing A Business Plan:
Small Business
Grants -- Yes! They Are There ... but
Locating small business grants
is a massive
task -- there are just so many of them. In addition to federal sources,
listed below are a number of other sources that you may find helpful.
For thousands more sources for
business grants, see Online Business Grants.
Not only does Online Business Grants provide a huge directory, but they are an
exceptional company to work with, even offering personal assistance to help
you get the grant you are looking for.
RESEARCHING AND
IDENTIFYING GRANTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Grants for small business are typically
geared to companies that serve underdeveloped areas or those that can
provide employment to core areas. The range of opportunities is
astounding. Some grant opportunities are for a nominal amount, only
$100,000 or so, while other grants reach into the millions.
The term "grant" too often refers to a "gimme"
program. Grants are not "gimme" programs. Grants are funds
disbursed in order to address specific problems. They are contracted
jobs.
Sometimes looking for grant opportunities
means looking beyond the formal announcements. Find a problem
yourself and propose to solve it.
Do you, for instance, know of a housing
development that would benefit from pest extermination services that your
company could provide? Don't wait for the proposal to be
announced. Approach the agency that either has the funding, or has
access to the funding, and get a project going.
Or do you know of a region with high
unemployment, and a business that needs employees? Your training
program for the unemployed workers could be funded very nicely from a
number of sources.
Rarely will a granting agency simply
plunk down the money and say, "Here, go get the job done."
Far more often it is a coalition of groups that may fund your
project. And a strong business proposal will be part of the
package.
Following are some resources to help your
small business grants get put in place.
- Grant
Deadlines
Deadlines for current and upcoming
grants in many different categories. From the Chronicle of
Philanthropy.
- Nonprofit
Charitable Organizations
Foundations, fundraising help, help
with grants, international sites, non-profit news and organizations,
jobs, and more.
- State
Foundation Directories
A listing of state-specific
directories that support locally based projects and organizations.
States are often very receptive to developing small business grant
opportunities.
