Places That Offer Grants
The ads for free money entice private citizens and small business owners with promises of agencies standing in line to finance any project, free of charge. This is not true. Government grants do exist but as a general rule, these grants are made to state and local organizations who disperse the money to qualified candidates. Private individuals receive grants every day for school tuition, business operations, special projects and community outreach programs. You can locate places that offer grants to people and non-profit organizations without wading through the sales ads.
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Misconceptions
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The late-night infomercials advertising millions of dollars available from the government are part of a campaign designed to sell books. The truth is the grants offered by the government are funds for building communities, adding commerce to financially burdened towns and funding community action programs already established. You must go through the existing agencies to access the grants for weatherizing your home, starting a daycare center or building low-income housing. Each state agency must submit a grant proposal for consideration and wait for acceptance. If the agency misses a deadline, the grant is denied or if the agency does not fulfill the requirements for the grant, the proposal is denied. The grant money is available through different divisions of the federal government, such as the Food and Drug Administration or the Bureau of Land Management.
Types
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The type of grant available differs with the places that offer grants. The U.S. government offers the Pell Grant to eligible college students in need of financial aid for tuition or books. Large corporations, like the Timken Company, provide educational grants, as well, for the children of their employees. Grants for starting a business come from organizations providing help to a particular group of people. Women's Finance offers grants for women who are in business or starting a business. The Railway Heritage Grants Program offers matching grants to preserve the nation's railway history. The grant can be used for publishing a book, restoring an old train depot and many other things. The recipient must show proof of private funds that are available for the project--in other words, match the grant money with his own money so the project does not rely solely upon the grant for completion. Other historical societies make grant funds available for restoring old homes. The restoration project converts the home back to its original state but allows for modern conveniences like plumbing, electric and heating systems.
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Benefits
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The benefits of finding places that offer grants are numerous. Students who qualify for educational grants get the opportunity to further their education. Business owners who need to expand or modernize can do so without using working capital. Grants help save historical and cultural landmarks. Weatherization grants offered by local community action centers help senior citizens and disabled persons insulate their homes or update the heating and cooling system. Various animal protection agencies fund veterinary care for low-income families and senior citizens.
Time Frame
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Money available from organizations and places that offer grants is not available all the time. Grant applications have a deadline which must be adhered to for consideration. These deadlines allow the grant committees to review the applications all at once instead of spacing them throughout the year. Agencies offering the grants also may be on a deadline to use the money by a certain date. Federal funding, given so local organizations can offer grants, has strict guidelines for using the grant money. For instance, a community action group that obtains funding for promoting the arts has a limited time to offer a grant for art projects such as classes or beautification projects. If the grant money is not used in the allotted time, it goes back to the federal treasury.
Considerations
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When searching for places that offer grants, consider the various organizations that specialize in the particular project. Authors may research writer's guilds, while musicians might look at the National Foundation for the Arts. Doctors and physician's assistants may find grants for expanding clinics through different health organizations. PetSmart Charities provides grants to veterinarians who set up spay/neuter clinics. Grant money is available from many organizations around the world.
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References
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