By
Shirley Frazier
Sweet Survival®/GiftBasketBusiness.com
Applying for a Grant
Everyone wants to start a
business with someone else's money. This is true whether you already have money
in the bank or are strapped for cash.
But think about it: if
grants were available for every person selling a product or service, you'd been
up against stiff competition in every industry because of the numbers of people
selling what you also want to sell.
In the past 16 years, I've visited a foundation in New York that makes grant
books available to anyone entering the facility.
These grant books are
incredibly thick, separated by state, alphabetized listings, or grant type.
There are plenty of people looking for the same information: where to find
grants for everything imaginable, including school, business, and non-profit
projects to name a few.
With all the people visiting the facility looking for grant money, I've never
had to wait for a turn to look at a particular grant book. Everyone's reviewing
something new each time.
Why do I visit this grant foundation?
Because I like to be updated on what's available in the many grant categories.
I'll also document grants and application procedures that may assist new
entrepreneurs as they search for money sources.
There is one fact about finding
and applying for a grant that you've probably heard and is definitely true.
Grants are not available for everyone. If you've decided to start a business, the
main person who must be ready to bear all risks is you, the aspiring business
owner. In most cases there's no getting around this.
No company or institution will
front you thousands of dollars on a dream. If there is a grant available, you
will be obligated to jump through hoops in order to receive a check.
One hoop is the preparation of a
full and complete business plan. Without a focused plan, which includes sections
on marketing, competition, cash flow, and growth projections, your dream will be
considered as frivolous by the grant provider.
Another hoop may be an interview in
person or by telephone. The manner in which you project your vision is a big
consideration. You must look and sound successful before one dollar is
issued.
There are other hoops, all depending
on the grant provider. No part of receiving money is easy, but it is possible if
you look for and find feasible sources.
Throughout
the years I've noticed that most grants are provided to non-profit institutions,
but some are given to individuals. Grant providers give money to people who:
*Reside in certain low-revenue states (lower revenue than traditional
metropolitan areas)
*Are part of specific ethnic or religious backgrounds
*Graduated for certain colleges
This is why everyone does not qualify to receive a grant. Many of us do not fit
into the above categories, though there are many other categories not mentioned
here.
The New York based-foundation is a comprehensive facility and popular place for
grant hopefuls, but it's not the only location to find grant information. Some
libraries make this data handy in their reference sections. There are also
online sources, but most (if not all) are subscription only, and if you
subscribe there's no guarantee that a grant is waiting for you.
Most of all, you must be careful about online sources. Not all are reputable. Be
careful that you don't spend potential business investment money with an online
site that only delivers a bad experience.
©2006 Shirley George Frazier. All
rights reserved.
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Need more help?
Click here for our Success Tips article,
Where to Find Start-Up Cash on the Internet
Click here for Shirley's wealth-building strategies at
MoneyCashIncome.com
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