How to Find Free Grant Money
If you are seeking sources for free money to start or expand your business, realize that many small business owners look at grants for these purposes so you are not alone. According to Grants.gov, a grant is "an award of financial assistance" provided by a government or private entity to carry out a specific activity as purposed by that entity. However, finding accurate grant information for small businesses can be difficult and tedious.
There are many websites that claim to provide free information about grants, yet are really set up to sell products and services. Identifying free grant information takes due diligence, but can be accomplished.
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Instructions
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Finding Grant Money
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Go to the website grants.gov to find relevant federal grants. Click on the "Find Grant Opportunities" link and do a search according to the criteria that best fits your needs. Note the grant opportunities that fit your organization so that you can apply to them when you are ready.
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Go to foundationcenter.org to find specific private foundations that provide funding for your purpose. You can search under "Foundation Finder" by foundation name, city, state, zip code, or Employer Identification Number (EIN). The information provided will help you go to the websites of individual foundations to identify grant opportunities and eligibility.
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Contact the community relations department of major corporations in your city. Many of these companies pride themselves on giving back to the communities where their employees live and work. Make sure your company's purpose matches the causes the corporation funds.
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Contact the commerce departments of your city and state governments for small business grant information. Usually these types of grants provide funding for either real property acquisition and improvements, or employee hiring and training. They may require matching funds from another source to be eligible for a grant.
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Go to your local library and request a librarian's help in researching grant sources in books and electronic databases. There are several publications that provide information for grantors of funding for specific interests including math, social sciences, humanities, and arts.
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Tips & Warnings
You can visit Foundation Center locations in Atlanta, Cleveland, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., for direct access to their database and library.
Beware of organizations that charge money to obtain grant information. Typically you can find the same information for free.
References
Resources
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