Grants Loans And Programs To Benefit Your Small Business
When you know where to look, help for your small business is there for the taking.
There are many grant programs available to small businesses, depending on a variety of qualifying factors.
Times are tough for small business, but help is available, from both the governmentfederal, state or localand the private sector. It may be in the form of a grant, a loan or a leg up competing in a difficult business environment. Heres a breakdown to help you sort through whats available.
How Do I Get A Personal Grant
Before applying for a grant, its important to assess your financial needs. Consider what you want to use the grant toward and whether the available grants are enough. Once youve narrowed down your needs, you can start the application process by identifying sources of grants, such as government agencies or other organizations. As you search through sources, create a list of potential grants and verify your eligibility for each one.
Grant applications can be time-consuming, tedious and difficult. You may be required to write a grant proposal or provide documents regarding your personal circumstances.
Be cautious of fraudulent grants. In some cases, scammers ask for personal information or money in exchange for a grant that doesnt exist.
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Submitting An Application Package As An Individual
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Typical Government Grants Application Process
In order to receive funding from government agencies and funding organizations, applicants go through the following process/lifecycle:
Applicants often face challenges in finding the eligible opportunities to apply for. In addition, poorly prepared application packages often result in rejected applications. In our applicants portal, we have step-by-step videos to guide you along the application process.
What Are Personal Grants
Organizations and government agencies provide financial assistance to individuals in the form of personal grants. Unlike loans, personal grants dont need to be repaid.
Individuals experiencing financial hardship can use personal grants to pay for necessary expenses without taking on debt or going without. These grants can help people get a fresh start, relieve financial stress and improve their quality of life. Other benefits programs may offer other awards, such as food stamps or tuition payments, rather than cash payouts.
Some personal grants are offered directly by the federal government, but many are distributed to state governments, universities, hospitals and other organizations to then award to applicants who satisfy eligibility criteria.
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State Trade Expansion Program
The STEP is a collection of government grants, and other support the Small Business Administration can offer assistance with obtaining or understanding STEP. This program focuses specifically on helping small businesses with export development. Grants are awarded to state entities. Small businesses can then apply to programs offered by these entities so that they can benefit from export development opportunities. Feel free to send an email to to better understand how your business can benefit.
How To Get A Grant
Each grant has different eligibility requirements and application process.
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Private & Corporate Funding Sources
Candid Grants SpaceGateway to information about private funding sources, the grant seeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with grants reference collections, and links to other useful Internet websites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations produces print and electronic directories and guides conducts research and publishes studies in the field and offers a variety of training and educational seminars.
Federal Grants Funding & Benefit Programs
To sort through the federal grant programs, the authoritative source is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance . This catalog lists all of the available funding programs to all levels of government, nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, and other eligible entities. Search Grants within Grants.gov allows you to search, filter, and apply for specific opportunities to receive funding from one of these programs.
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Free Money For College Compliments Of Uncle Sam
Colleges and universities regularly receive grants from the Federal Government that pay for educational programs and other institutional costs. Most of these grants are earned and spent behind closed campus doors, and though the money helps students indirectly, these institutional grants wont pay your tuition.
As you piece together funding for college, the grants youll want to zoom in on are the ones that are issued directly to individual students. Grants come from states, corporations and other private organizations, but the U.S. Federal Government has the deepest pockets for awarding direct student grants.
Grants for college students fall across two broad categories, depending on what eligibility requirements are attached to the funds. Need-based grants are issued to students exhibiting the greatest levels of financial hardship in paying for college. On the other hand, merit-based grants are tied to performance-like good grades and other personal achievements.
Exceptional scholars and students who contribute within their communities are rewarded with merit-based college grants that are similar to the scholarships that outstanding athletes earn for their high performance level. And like scholarships, federal grants dont require repayment.
Certain grants target specific segments of the student population by helping them pay for college. Some student groups that receive college grants include:
These are not loans, but free federal grants that do not require repayment.
Natural Resource Sales Assistance Program
In addition to the billions of dollars spent purchasing goods and services, the federal government also sells large amounts of natural resources and surplus property. The SBA Natural Resource Sales Assistance Program sets aside a percentage of these goods for bidding by small businesses only. In addition, federal agencies sometimes divide surplus materials into smaller parcels, making it easier for small businesses to purchase. The five categories are:
- Timber and related forest products.
- Strategic materials.
- Leases involving rights to minerals, coil, oil and gas.
- Surplus real and personal property.
The program also provides training for small businesses on government sales and leasing.
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Teacher Education Assistance For College And Higher Education Grant
Unlike other federal student grants, the TEACH grant obligates you to be enrolled in a TEACH-eligible education program. Students must agree to teach full-time in a high-need field at a low-income school or educational service agency.
In exchange, students receive up to $4,000 per year. These grants are not repayable unless recipients fail to satisfy grant conditions.
Students apply for TEACH through FAFSA. Once eligibility is confirmed, students must receive TEACH counseling each year to understand their obligations and sign an agreement to either serve or repay.
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Free Money From The Government
The federal government does not offer grants or free money to individuals to start a business or cover personal expenses, contrary to what you might see online or in the media. Websites or other publications claiming to offer “free money from the government” are often scams. Report them to the Federal Trade Commission.
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How Best To Find Information
Inside Usgrantsorg Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository – Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides – The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard – We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
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Why Are Government Grants For Small Businesses So Important In 2022 And Beyond
Government grants for small businesses are particularly important for developing a countrys micro, small and medium enterprises sector. Because these grants are funded by tax dollars, they have more restrictions than grants offered by private entities like FedEx and Cartier, as well as foundation grants like WomensNets Amber Grant.
Chief amongst these restrictions is an emphasis on how the money will be used to help the business make a meaningful impact in the community. Grants from the federal government were created to encourage businesses to be community builders and contribute to economic growth. A business that focuses on community development and innovation is sustainable and respected. This is the primary reason government grants for small businesses will remain relevant in 2022 and beyond.
Furthermore, many grant opportunities tend to reward innovation and scientific research. More grants tend to be offered in these categories because they give the country a competitive advantage. After all, it pays to stay ahead of the game.
Find more information on How to Start a Business here.
Government Grants For Small Businesses In 2022
Daymond John, renowned Shark Tank investor, once said, No matter what business youre in, business is business and financing and money are critical.
Business financing is often a sore point for small business owners because it is difficult to acquire. Get a loan and pay high interest rates. Get an investor and reduce your equity. The gains of sourcing financing can be lost when the stakes are so high.
Thankfully, small business grants provide a solution that removes the risks associated with high interest rates and lost equity.
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Iraq And Afghanistan Service Grant
The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant can help students pay for college or university if their parent or guardian was a U.S. armed forces member and passed away as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Students must have been under 24 years old or enrolled in college at the time of their parent or guardians passing.
Students who receive this grant arent eligible for a Pell Grant on the basis of expected family contribution but satisfy other eligibility criteria. The grant award is equal to the maximum Pell Grant for that year but cant exceed attendance costs. Recipients receive grant payments at least once per term to use for expenses as needed.
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Child Care And Development Fund
The Child Care and Development Fund is a federal and state partnership program with over $5 billion in federal funding. Under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, states, territories and tribes administer grants to eligible applicants.
This program provides assistance to low-income families who need child care due to work or education demands. It helps fund child care assistance for about 1.4 million children from low-income families each month.
To qualify for this grant, you must be the primary caregiver of a child under 13 years old and characterize your financial situation as low income. You must also be employed or enrolled in a training or education program.
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Common Types Of Government Grants
- Small Business Grants – A significant portion of federal grant funding is for businesses and corporations, large or small. The Small Business Administration oversees SBA Grants and has worked together with public and private funding agencies and organizations to offer grants focused on scientific research and development , technology innovation, and job creation.
- Pell Grants – The government invests in education. This type of grant is specifically targeted at pro-profit and not-for-profit organizations and institutions in the education sector to create learning opportunities and improve education quality.
- College Grants – Many post-secondary institutions offer monetary awards in scholarships and grants for students. Requirements for applying for these grants will vary from institution to institution.
- HUD Grants – The government offers financial incentives for developers in the public housing sector. Small businesses looking to expand may also be qualified for certain opportunities. The government does not provide financial support for personal home renovation/repair needs.
- Veteran Grants – The government offers many financial incentives to assist veterans to adapt back to society.
- Grants for Women – The government has made available many funding opportunities to help women-owned, or women-led businesses capitalize on opportunities. The goal is to diversify markets and promote equal growth globally.
Us Economic Development Administration
The EDA is mandated to foster economic development in all US communities. Grant money is part of the solution and can be viewed on the EDA website, which is constantly being updated to reflect recent funding opportunities. For example, the most recent funding opportunity listed is the Fiscal Year 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs. This grant provides $587 million in funding opportunities for small businesses affected by natural disasters in 2018. Clicking the link redirects you to the Grants.gov website, where you can view details about the grant.
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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is intended to help low-income households pay for immediate home energy needs, such as energy bills, weatherization, energy-related home repairs and energy crises. This is intended for those with the lowest incomes to the highest proportion of household income for home energy to help keep them safe and healthy.
LIHEAP is funded by the federal government, but states, tribes and territories must apply to receive it. Grantees then distribute grants to eligible applicants.
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Tips On Grant Applications / Grant Writing
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Fiscal Federalism And Fiscal Institutions
What types of federal grants are made to state and local governments and how do they work?
The federal government distributes grants to states and localities for many purposes, but the bulk are dedicated to health care. Some grants are restricted to a narrow purpose but block grants give recipients more latitude in meeting program objectives.
The federal government distributed about $721 billion to states and localities in fiscal year 2019, providing about one-quarter of these governments total revenues. About 61 percent of those funds were dedicated to health care, 16 percent to income security programs, and 9 percent each to transportation and education, training, employment, and social services .
The federal government distributes grants to state and local governments for several reasons. In some cases, the federal government may devolve or share responsibility for a given service or function because state and local governments have better information about local preferences and costs. In others, the federal government may offer states and localities incentives to undertake additional spending benefiting neighboring jurisdictions or the country as a whole.
Over the past 50 years, the composition of federal grants has shifted dramatically. For example, federal grants for health care programs were less than 20 percent of the total until the 1980s.
Government Grants: What Are They And How Do I Qualify
Government grants are monetary allotments from the US Government awarded to certain individuals who formally apply and are deemed eligible. These grants are given at the local, state, and federal levels of government. Government grants can be sought after and used for a variety of purposes such as to pay off debt, start a business, pay college tuition, etc. If you could use some extra cash for a legitimate reason that would inevitably increase the quality of your life in some manner, you may want to consider applying for a government grant.
One of the most appealing characteristics of government grants is that the recipient is not required to pay it back. No debt is incurred upon receiving a grant. It is not a loan, so it does not involve revenue sharing, direct appropriation, interest rate subsidy, loan guarantees, or any other form of technical assistance. If an applicant receives an award, that money then fully belongs to the recipient at which point they would then use the money for the intended purpose as stated in the application process. The reason the government awards grants is because they are interested in economic stimulation and are willing to allocate funds to certain individuals if they believe that the persons use of said money will advocate for economic growth in some way, either locally or nationally.
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