How to Find a Grant to Start a Small Buisness

Grants are a great way to get funding to start your own business. But they are not always easy to find, and often have very narrow parameters for qualifiers. Here are some tips that should help you find a grant to start a small business.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Do some research. If you are planning a non-profit business, you will find a lot of potential money resources. If you are looking to start a for-profit business, your search will be a lot harder. You might, however, find help from those very non-profit organizations that are up and running. Check them out.

2. Also go to the Small Business Administration for information and references. The SBA does not offer direct grants, but it has tips and leads to get you started on your search.

3. Look into the services of your state government or even your city. Most can give your leads to search if they do not offer any programs or grants that are appropriate to your business.

4. Check your niche. Surf the internet for grants for the specific kind of work your business will be doing. You might find direct grants or grants that apply to a phase or part of what your business does. Also look for special grants that target minorities, women, physical disabilities, veterans or other specific groups.

5. One of the most helpful and comprehensive sites to get information on grants is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). This will help educate you on finding and putting together your grant proposal. It is a large site with a lot of information.

6. Start preparing by putting together your own grant proposal. You can do it yourself or have the proposal done for you. You will need a professional and complete presentation for whomever you approach for a business grant. Following instructions exactly for your grant application is a must to assure your application gets processed. It is a lengthy procedure, but you could get grants that start at thousands of dollars and can even be found for much more. Hopefully, this will help you get started finding a grant to start a small business. Check below for some links in the Additional Resources that might also help find that useful grant money.

Resources

• Find your closest SBA
• Listing of government grants
• The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)

[JCHANDS08]

on 1/15/2009 I appreciate this artcle. I'm looking for grants for my small business. Thanks!

[lindsey23]

on 1/5/2009 Good info! Thanks – 5*!

[AllFYB]

on 12/31/2008 Thank you for the references and article on finding a Small Business Grant.