Is there a website where you can find info about grants where the info is free?

Question

I am looking for information on getting grants for small business and school. I have looked and everyone wants to charge you to get the information. Does anyone know of how to get the information for free.

Answer 1

For school grants check out FAFSA and Pell grants

You stand a greater chance of getting a government-guaranteed loan through the Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/financing than a government grant. Read the SBA Financing page to learn about criteria needed for borrowing

It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK - lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.

Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.

Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business -- THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

I suggest you read the following books to get ideas of how to finance your business:

Financing Your Small Business http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572484500/powerhomebizguid
Small Business Financing: How and Where To Get It http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0808007386/powerhomebizguid
Financing the Small Business: A Complete Guide to Obtaining Bank Loans and All Other Types of Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580626815/powerhomebizguid
The SBA Loan Book http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158062202X/powerhomebizguid
Angel Capital : How to Raise Early-Stage Private Equity Financing http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471690635/powerhomebizguid
Financing Your Small Business (Barron's Business Library Series) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764124897/powerhomebizguid

Answer 2

Those "provide web pages" are simply after your cash. Grants are virtually completely for public improvement non-benefit corporations no longer for-benefit corporations. Some towns would have small presents especially for opening a girl-owned or minority-owned industry, however you could nonetheless must get SBA or different loans to aid with the financing. Before you pass any extra, I STRONGLY endorse you touch the Small Business Development Center (at your neighborhood group tuition) and speak to them; the counseling is loose they usually would have know-how approximately the presents I acknowledged above. Regardless of whether or not you get a provide or a mortgage, you're going to nonetheless want a well marketing strategy to qualify. Business plans could also be a ache within the butt to arrange, however with out one, your small business is doomed to failure. To begin with, you will not recognize what your startup expenditures are going to be, what variety of revenue to count on, what your ongoing expenditures are, who your festival is, or even whether or not or no longer you'll be able to make a benefit. Without a GOOD marketing strategy, you're going to no longer be equipped to get a industry mortgage to get your small business off the bottom.

Answer 3

http://www.cfda.gov
http://www.grants.gov