| There is a lot of talk, gossip, and speculation about | | | | While researching a specific grant funding program |
| whether the U.S. Federal Government directly gives | | | | recently I accidentally came across funding available |
| away free government cash grants to small | | | | for a project needed for the Department of Defense |
| businesses. The answer is, unfortunately, no and there | | | | (DOD) under the authority of the Defense Advanced |
| are many good reasons why. | | | | Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the |
| The U.S. government cannot evaluate and process | | | | Information Exploitation Office (IXO) for the research |
| every grant request from all the small businesses that | | | | of "Getting Situation Data Into the Head of the Busy |
| want free funding. However, it is a fact that grant | | | | Warfighter". That may not be what the average |
| funding is available for many small businesses and | | | | person seeking free government business grants is |
| entrepreneurs. The question is where to find them. | | | | looking for, but that is the maze that they need to |
| The average person seeking a raise would not go to | | | | navigate to find the appropriate funding source. |
| the chairman of the board of the company they work | | | | Finding sources of government grant funding is not all |
| for. Instead, most people would go to their immediate | | | | that difficult, you just need to know where to look for |
| supervisor to request a raise. The granting process is | | | | a particular grant. Like the ripples from a pebble tossed |
| much the same when you look at the "trickle down | | | | into a pond, the most immediate and closest sources |
| effect". Congress allocates funds for specific projects | | | | are the best route. Then you would work out from |
| that then are reallocated to smaller projects that then | | | | there to encompass more areas as the need be. This |
| are allocated to individual groups. If this sounds | | | | process can be time consuming and frustrating. |
| complicated, it often is. | | | | |