Grant Basics 101 - Page 2!

I have had to split my Grant Basics 101 page into 2 continuing pages. The reason why is because there was so much information about grant programs, the grant program process and just general questions and answers that the information was making the one page too big in size!

But it does prove a very valid point and that is that there is just so much information out there about grant programs and the grant program process in general. It also shows that people have a lot of questions about grant programs because they are not familiar with what it is all about.

Hopefully my pages and this blog will help to answer a few questions that you may have about grants and the grants process in general.

Most people who are not familiar with it seem to think that they can just apply for a grant and get the grant money and this is not true. What I want to make a point of here is that one is not automatically guaranteed a grant! You have to apply for the grant and your application has to be chosen to be awarded a grant. It is not an automatic process and you will not automatically get a grant just because you have applied for it!

Hopefully though my pages will show you that there are a number of grant programs out there which you may be eligible to apply for. These pages should also help dispel the myth that there are no grant programs out there for for-profit businesses and that there are no grant programs for those that either want to start their own daycare business or that there are no grant programs for those that already have a daycare business but who are looking for grant funding to help their daycare business.

There may even come a time when I will have to split the pages even more because there is just so much information about grant programs out there and there are new grant programs being created all the time!

Grant Money Is Not Guarenteed!

Some people make the mistake of thinking that grant money is guarenteed. It is not! It is only guarenteed AFTER you have been awarded the grant money!

You have to apply for these grant programs. And you have to also realize that you well may not be the only person or organization that is applying for the grant! Sometimes it works in quite the opposite way! For instance the SBA has a particuar grant program that is open for small businesses to apply for. ("Small" meaning having less than 500 employees.) This grant program provides well over $100,000 in grant money. This is a highly sought after grant and there are many businesses that will be applying for it every year - especially if they won the grant the year before!

Some grant applications can be easy. I have examples of grant applications that were only one page long and the only information required by the applicant was how much grant money they needed and what the grant money requested was going to be used for.

Then you have the more complicated grant applications and these are usually from the government grant programs. Soon the government will require all its grant applicants to apply for their grant programs via the government's grant program website. But believe me the government grant programs can be the most complicated to apply for. But on the other side of the coin, the government grant programs usually provide the most in grant money! That's why they are so popular - complicated but popular!

I'm Not The Only One That Knows That Government Grant Programs Exist!

Date Released: 08/06/2007

source - Fast Pitch

The Federal Government Is preparing to give away more than $400 billion in government grants, but only about 10% of this money will be used. Reasons being,qualified grant seekers are un-aware,or do not know how or where to apply and most become bogged down in red tape and simply give up.

But now any small business owner or entrepreneur can tap into federal resources and quickly find the help and financial support there`re qualified to recieve. All they need is available to them from Government Publications, located in the heart of Washington,DC. They have all information and resources that will help any small business get the help they need.

If you considering starting a business, purchasing your first home or going back to school, "Here`s Good News"? Recently the government has increased assistance for economic development, and now provides the necessary cash for business start-up ,education, home purchase, home repair, inventions and innovation technology in the form of government grants.. In addition to new financial resources to help the unemployed re-enter the job market, "Billions of loan and grant dollars have been earmarked for people previously identified as credit risks. Money is available to purchase homes, cars, start a business, consolidate debts and many other purposes.

Now is the time to act if you need money for any worthwhile purpose. There are also several reduced-cost and even free programs now exist to benefit the economically disadvantaged and recently unemployed.

For More Information About More Kinds Of Grant Programs.....

For more information about more / different kinds of grants programs you can also visit my What Is Your Dream Job Forum on Delphi.

What do grants have to do with "Dream Jobs"? - A lot!

There are many people who have their own dream job but don't know how they are going to achieve it or how and where they are going to get the money to help finance their dream job. That is where grants and grant programs come in.

Loans cause a problem because people don't want to take on more debt.

Grant programs are different because you don't have to pay grant money back.

So many people have their own dream job in mind but they don't think that there will be anyway that they will be able to achieve it. Some people give up hope altogether of being able to achieve their dream job.

But as a grant researcher I have seen many examples of those who were able to achieve their dream jobs with the help of a grant (or two).

Grant Programs For Single Mothers

For the single mothers out there there are organizations that have grant programs and provide emergency financial assistance to those single mothers that can demonstrate need. You have to realize that these organizations want to help single mothers and that their organizations were started to help single mothers. I know these programs provide a very good service to those single mothers in need.

If you live in Kentucky there is an organization that currently has 85 grant programs available and those women/single mothers who have been victims of domestic violence are given special preference. Talk to a social worker or public agency because they should have the information about these programs.

In my state (PA) there is a program to help those that have a job but low income to help purchase a car. If this kind of program is available in my state then you should check and see if it is available in your state as well.

There are many organizations (and government programs) that help people with their heating bills. I know this for a fact because I have helped clients get into these kinds of programs. These programs help with paying some of your heating bills and will even provide you with a new heating system if yours is beyond repair. Again check with the social agencies because they should have this information.

Caregivers - if you are taking care of a relative then you should also contact the social agencies because there are programs that will pay you to act as caregivers - BUT be sure to read the forms because some of these programs will hold on to the person's assets in order to pay you. If this isn't a problem then you should look into these programs as well.

Now this is going to make you angry but in Kentucky there are 85 grant programs to help people either buy a house or help with financial need and so far this program has been helping those that were born OUT of the United States.

Your very best bet is to find your local social agency because that is what they are there for to help people.

Now there are grant programs to help people that want to start their own business. The bulk of these grant programs require that you submit a business plan - of which you can find examples of online.

You may be eligible to apply for a grant if you are.......

Some grants are free for qualified individuals. If you are qualified for a free grant, you will never have to pay it back. It can usually be available for Native American Indians, family members of veterans, for veterans, low income families, first time home buyers, researchers, the disables, homeless people, teachers and more.

If you are a member of one of these groups then you are eligible for a housing grant from the government.

If you are a member of the military, the government will usually provide you with free housing grant as part of your benefit. It is very convenient for you and your family because you will be having housing funds provided by the government. And, the good thing about this is that it's free. This means that you'll never have to repay the government for the housing grant they provided you.

You can also qualify if you are a family member of a veteran, usually in the first degree. This means that if you are a child of a retired military or a veteran, you can also qualify for the government's free housing grant.

Another person who can qualify for a home grants are persons who are disabled. The government will provide housing grant for disabled people. If you are disabled physically, all you have to do is ask the government for housing grants. They will usually give it to you.

Native American Indians also qualifies for housing grants. They are even given by the government reservations for tribes. Being a member of a particular Native American Indian tribe will give you housing grants from the government.

These Grant Programs Will NOT Come To You - You Have To Go To Them!

Many times I have advised people who were looking for grant programs to check with their local social services agencies. These social services agencies are part of the government and they would know best about the government grant programs that are available.

Contacting these agencies should be relatively easy. You can contact them by phone, by regular mailing address and you can even communicate with some of them via fax - I know this because I have done this before.

You can't just sit and wait for these grant programs to come to you. If you don't have access to your own computer then use on at the public library. If you don't want to do that get out your local phone book and start making calls.

Although I have seen in some instances where some actual grant recipients were contacted by the grant program itself this doesn't happen the majority of the time.

You have to get started and do the work yourself - especially if you do not want to pay a fee for grant program information. A lot of websites advise that you do a very thorough research when looking for grant programs and this is something that I whole-ly agree with. You have to do the work be it researching online or even just calling around.

If you want to find these grant programs you will have to do the work!

There is no secret here - just work!

Asking For A Lot Of Money

Maybe its just me but people seem to be asking for a lot of money - as far as grant programs are concerned.

First of all people don't seem to realize that just because one wants or applies for a grant that doesn't mean that they will automatically get the grant. You have to apply for these grant programs. Your application has to be reviewed by the grant board. Plus all the other applications that were submitted for the same grant have to be reviewed as well. The application that best meets the objectives of the grant program theoretically gets the grant money.

However people are asking for so much money. I actually saw a post where one person was asking about a $7 Million Dollar Grant! Now I know that there have been million dollar grant awards before but they go to big businesses and big corporations and big non-profit organizations. This is one area where I would have to admit defeat if a client came to me and said that they were looking for a $7 Million Dollar Grant to start their own business.

Grant Programs were put in place to help bring a greater awareness to a problem. They weren't put in place to provide you with everything you need. You have to bring something to the table too. Grant programs were started to help, not to substitute.

Qualifying for a Business Grant Can Be Easier Than You Think

This article comes to you courtesy of the Entrepreneur Blogs

As the government offers grants for almost any reason, it is perhaps the business grant that is the most popular and useful. Many people try to begin their own business every year and many more only hold the knowledge of how to do so, but out of a lack of money they don’t. It is for these people that the business grant was created. In general, the business grant is given to those applicants that have a solid layout for a business plan and a thoroughly researched return expectancy in the year. The more detailed the reports are, the better of a chance that you have to get the grant.

These business grants are given to new business owners, future business owners and existing business owners. Now you can open your own business now with over 80 sources of Federal business grants. There are many different types of business grants such as: Free Government Money for Women to start their own business, Free Government Money for Minorities to start their own businesses, Obtain Free Government Money for equipment, rent, offices, expenses and overhead. You can use this money to give yourself a salary as you begin your new journey. You must remember that this is Free Government Money and NEVER has to be paid back. It is the best way for business owners and wannabes to get the money that they need.

If you are looking for funding for an existing or new for profit business, you might encounter difficulties in finding and getting grant funding. Government grants are generally (though not always) given to non-profit organizations for programs and services that benefit the community or the public at large. Don’t be discouraged though because there are many grants that are given to for profit businesses as well. If you want to know if your business or business idea is eligible for a grant, visit the government’s business grant website.

Some of the businesses that are eligible for a grant are: non-profits, self help business groups, anything to do with the arts like publishers or galleries, magazines etc. and businesses that are hoping to be the sole provider in a specific locale. You can also get business start up money if you are able to give an outstanding proposal. Sometimes the government grants will be given to people with a great proposal even if they are not necessarily regulated under the arts or beneficial to the community at large. You just need to WOW them in the application process.

I Hate To Tell You This But......

but no matter how many times you hear that there are no grants to start a business the

TRUTH

of the matter is that there are grants out there to help one start a business. However there are some things that should be understood. Number 1 is that just because you want or apply for a grant doesn't automatically mean that you will get it! You have to apply for the grant. Your grant application will be reviewed with the rest of the grant applications that were submitted. The application that best meets the needs of the organization awarding the grant will be awarded the grant.

There is another myth that the government doesn't have grant programs for for-profit businesses which is also not true. If you go to the government's official website you will see a list of current grant programs that are "open to the public" which means that individuals and for-profit businesses can apply.

There have been a few times when people have tried to "bate" me into telling them specifically about these kinds of grant programs - and - thank goodness - so far I haven't taken the bait! If they want to keep saying that there are no grant programs out there to start a business I tell them to keep on saying that but I know that they are wrong because I have the proof (and the clients) that these kinds of grant programs do exist. It is not my fault if they won't take the time and effort that is needed to find these kinds of grant programs.

If you knew of the different types of grant programs that exist out there you would thoroughly be amazed! After all if the government had a grant program that provided monthly checks to farmers to grow weed then you shouldn't be too surprised by the other different types of grant programs that are out there.

Another interesting comment that I had read was from someone who commented on someone asking about grants to start a business and their reply was for them to "stop looking for a handout". What this person failed to realize is that these grant programs were put in place to fill a need or bring a greater awareness to something and if there is a grant program for it then there is a reason for it.

Another big issue seems to be about grants for starting a daycare. I have noted many examples of daycares that have received grants, grant program examples of daycare grant funding and vaious related daycare grant information on my daycare page. I even talked about 2 grant programs that one could apply for if they want to start their own daycare. One is for $20,000 and the other is for $100,000! And this is just 2 out of many grant programs that are out there!

Another amazing thing about grant programs is the different kinds of them that are out there. Did you know that there is a grant program in place for doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical professionals who move their practice to New Orleans to help provide medical care to those who are still there? What's the grant? Up to $100,000 to help pay off their student loans!

Even in areas outside the United States there are and have been grant programs and awards that just boggle the mind! Did you know that a witch got a grant to start her own business? Why did she get the grant? Because in the words of the grant board she submitted the best proposal!

So everytime that you read that there are no grants to help start a business - what you are reading is wrong!

Think that there isn't a grant program for what you want? Then you just haven't looked hard enough for it!

One of the biggest arguments concerning grants is....

getting the information about the grant program(s) itself. About 90% of grant program information can be found online! In fact if it is information about a government grant program that you are seeking then that information should DEFINITELY be online. Why? Because the government has to make sure that information about its grant programs are made easily accessible to the public. This they have done by providing both a website and written publications that are available in public libraries. But even with this kind of availability I still get people bemoaning the fact that they can't find any grant information. Just take a look at my daycare page. How many examples of grant programs do you see there? How many examples of for-profit/in-home daycare grant programs do you see there?

These programs did not just drop out of thin air. A lot of them have been around for years! And how did these daycare businesses get these grants? They either found it theirselves or hired someone to find it for them. There is also the occassional situation where the grant provider came to the daycare business itself - they approached them about their grant program.


I am afraid that no matter how many times a person has said that they have looked for grant information and "couldn't find any" the truth of the matter is that they just have not looked enough - because simply put if you have looked hard enough then that means that you have found the information. If you have not found the information then that means that you did not look hard enough.

There are 2 programs listed on my page about grants - programs that are open to those that want to start their own for-profit daycare (or other for-profit business) - and as a matter of fact one of the recipients of the grant program that got the grant award used it to START her own daycare business.

My page also includes comments by those who have gotten daycare-related grants......


So there are daycare-related grant programs out there and yes there are even daycare grant programs for for-profit daycare start ups. All you have to do is look. And if you can't find it then guess what? You'll just have to look some more! Because these programs are out there and people are getting these daycare-related grant monies!

Are Grant Programs Decreasing?

Well the answer to that is really hard! While there are some grant porgrams that have been stopped, new ones are always being created. Besides there are still so many grant programs out there that I think the average person would have enough programs to keep them busy for quite a long time!

Grants For Starting A Daycare?

I get a lot of email from people that say that they want to start a daycare and they want me to tell them what grant programs are available to them.

The problem is that is all they say. For the most part most of them don't even say what kind of daycare they want to open. I don't know if the daycare they want to start is going to be a for-profit, a non-profit or will it be a combination of both? There are so many questions that have to be answered when one is looking for grant programs that they may be eligible for. That is why every client that I have has to answer the questions that appear here.

Although there are some grant programs that aren't just limited to starting a daycare the more specific you are about the kind of daycare that you want to start the better.

Are there grant programs for starting a daycare? Of course the answer is yes but it will depend on the KIND of daycare it is that you want to start!

Still Think That There Are No Grant Programs Out There?

....One day I was driving in the car with my dad and I was talking about how I knew if I could just get the word out there my business would be successful. If I had more money for advertising I could try many different things. My dad started talking about a friend of his that was getting paid to write a book. I asked my dad if I could speak to this guy. One phone call later and I had learnt about the grant program. This grant program is a government funded scheme that pays ‘life support’ income to you every two weeks for a year while you run your business. I went to an information session, and two months later, having written a proper business plan, fronted at a panel interview and having been assigned a nice business mentor I was on the scheme for a year. I received just under $200 per week, which technically I was supposed to use to support me whilst I spent time running my business, but since I was still living at home with minimal expenses I could use the money towards marketing my dot.com business better. If you are an Australian and you would like to learn more about this program try googling for it. If you are not an Australian I suggest you hunt around for similar business start-up grants or sponsorship programs as they can provide much needed cash and business mentoring.......

Matthew Lesko? My Opinion?

I don't think that you will like my opionion of Matthew Lesko because it is a favorable one.

According to his bio he started out finding grant programs for businesses. When he saw the number of available grant programs out there and the number of people that were eligible for them he decided to tell people about them.

I see that his suit of question marks gets made fun of alot but he has said himself that he used that tactic so that more attention would be drawn to him and to what he was saying about government grants - and it has worked!

I have also read about the allegations that have been brought up against him both legally and vocally.

But as someone that does this kind of thing for a living I can definitely agree with him that there are many grant programs out there that people are eligible for but they don't even know about them.

Are There Any Grant Programs To Help Start A Business?

Are there any grant programs to help start a business? The answer (of course) is YES! But there is a "but" here. It will depend on the type of business that you want to start. I know of programs that award cash awards of $20,000 and over to people that want to start their own business. Most of these programs involve you submitting a business plan. You have to be serious about what you are doing and more importantly you have to show them that you are serious about what it is you want to do.

On my Daycare Basics 101 page I mention two programs that people can apply to if they want to start their own business.

You should also check your own state's website to see if they have any grant programs that will help you to start your business. There is even a program for veterans that want to start their own business.

Please take a look at my Grant Basics 101 page and look at the list of people that have actually received grants.

Grant Basics 101

That is the name of my new blog. It is a spin-off from my Working From Home Blog. I do both grant research and grant writing. I decided to start this separate blog because grants and the grant process in general is such a big topic that I should have a separate blog for this.

There are so many myths and misconceptions about grants in general and I found that as I researched it more and more, more and more interesting information has been brought to my attention. I now know that there are grants for almost anything, almost everywhere and almost everyhow! I have seen the more unusual grants like the grant that a witch got to run her business and the grant program that US farmers grouw weed! All strange but more importantly they are all true.

So if you think that there are no grants out there that you may be eligible for then I would advise you to keep reading this blog to see how wrong you are!