How to Secure a Women Owned Business Grant

Now more than ever, the government and organizations are working to help women owned business thrive and succeed. Special attention is being paid to women entrepreneurs in an attempt to level the playing field and grow important women owned businesses. If you are a woman who owns a business, you should know about the various resources available to you. Below, you will find information on how to secure a 'women owned business' grant.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Check out the Office of Women's Business Ownership. A chapter of the Small Business Administration, the Office of Women's Business Ownership is aimed at businesses owned and operated by women. This organization is designed to provide important information and assistance to women entrepreneurs in order to help them grow their businesses and experience business and financial success. To secure a 'women owned business' grant via this office, visit the website and look through the available grants and information available. This is a great start when trying to secure a women owned business grant.

2. Visit Grants.gov. This is a priceless resource for anyone looking for any type of grant at all. This is a free listing of government grants and they are easy to sort with the keyword tool on the site. You can simply type in the keywords you're looking for and will be taken to a list of results. As you're searching through these results, if you find one or more grants you feel you would be eligible for, you can read the details to ensure that you meet the specific criteria. You can then download the applications for those grants. It couldn't be easier and it's a great way to find grants for businesses owned by women.

3. Join Women Entrepreneur Associations. A great way to find grants and programs for women owned businesses is to stay connected to other women entrepreneurs. This allows you to receive information, tips, tricks and suggestions for your business while also getting valuable resources regarding women owned business grants and programs. There are many different organizations dedicated to empowering women and providing knowledge and benefits - including but not limited to:
   
   - www.count-me-in.org
   - www.wfnet.org
   - www.aauw.org
   
   Each of these is a great resource to start with and by checking around, you can probably find organizations or associations like this in your own hometown or state. This is a great way to be informed when a new grant opportunity arises.

4. Notes about filling out grant forms. When you do choose a grant or multiple grants that you feel you would qualify for, you need to be very careful when filling out the forms. Be sure that you include all the required information with the grant application so that the process will go faster. It's also important if you have to submit a grant proposal that you spend time creating a great one. You may want to consider hiring a professional writer to do this for you. You'll have a better chance of getting the grant if your proposal is compelling and original.

5. By following the tips and tricks above, you can secure a woman owned business grant to help your business thrive and become more successful. Good luck.

Resources

• Learn all about government grants here!