| Poor financing is the number two reason small | | | | pre-award and post-award periods and defines all |
| businesses fail, falling right behind poor management. | | | | aspects of applying for a grant and states who is |
| Sufficient funding is paramount to the success of small | | | | eligible. The CFR is the primary source of rules and |
| businesses, and small business grants can be the | | | | regulations for small business grants and must be read |
| answer to the problem. If business owners have the | | | | before starting the grant writing process. |
| necessary knowledge about how to find and properly | | | | After reviewing the requirements, prospective business |
| request grants, they have a better shot at creating a | | | | owners must write a grant request. There are |
| successful business that will be open longer and | | | | professionals who will write a grant proposal or the |
| prosper. | | | | individuals may complete it themselves. The Catalog of |
| There are over 300 different grants and loans | | | | Federal Domestic Assistance is a helpful site that links |
| available for small businesses that are just starting out. | | | | individuals to resources about federal grants for small |
| The grants range from $25,000 up to $1,000,000 | | | | businesses. Afterschool.gov gives helpful tips on how |
| depending on the size and projected success rate of | | | | to write a small business grant and, although it is |
| the business. There are also grants available to help | | | | geared toward grants for after school programs, |
| small businesses grow or expand. Grants are not the | | | | includes helpful information for grant writing in general. |
| same as loans because they do not have to be | | | | Additionally, there are many well-established |
| repaid. A grant is considered free money, as well as | | | | government and private organizations that provide |
| an investment to promote the success of small | | | | grants to small businesses. The Department of |
| businesses and the U.S. economy. Money for grants | | | | Justice's Ten Grant document gives access to grant |
| comes from income taxes. Obtaining a small business | | | | opportunities for those conducting research in support |
| grant does not require credit checks or deposits, even | | | | of law enforcement. The Department of Labor's |
| if the owners have experienced bankruptcy in the | | | | Employment and Training Administration has several |
| past. | | | | grant opportunities for small business owners. They |
| There are a number of helpful websites that send | | | | offer about $125 million to businesses that are based in |
| small businesses government grant packages for free, | | | | a community setting with special attention to training |
| excluding the cost of shipping. These packages include | | | | programs. The Department of Transportation is |
| information on how to find grants, how to prepare a | | | | another organization that offers small business grants. |
| grant request, and how to apply for grants pertaining | | | | They offer grants to any business willing to help |
| to a specific business. Some of the providers are | | | | resolve the growing problems with the federal-aid |
| Government Funding Solutions, Grant Master, and | | | | highway program. The Department of Education has a |
| Grant Wizard. | | | | program called e-GRANTS that locates electronic |
| It is important to be familiar with the Small Business | | | | grants online. They have a detailed list of grants |
| Administration's (SBA) rules for receiving grants before | | | | available and the necessary applications to fill out. |
| beginning the process of obtaining one. Although the | | | | There are a variety of grants available for different |
| SBA does not provide grants to small businesses, they | | | | groups, all of which have detailed descriptions and |
| do provide helpful suggestions and resources on how | | | | contact information. Other organizations that provide |
| to find grants. | | | | small business grants include the EPA, the National |
| In order to qualify for a small business grant, individuals | | | | Cancer Institute, NOAA, the National Endowment for |
| must first become familiar with the 13 CFR 143 | | | | the Humanities, and the U.S. Department of Health and |
| document that lists all of the requirements to be eligible | | | | Human Services. |
| for a grant. This document includes information on the | | | | |