Grant Scam???

Question

I have been looking for Grant information to help with my business. I found a web site called "My Grant Resources" also "MGR Today." I applied for a grant online and they called and stated that I was approved for an $18000.00 dollar grant BUT I have to send in $449.00 first. He said the cut off date for grants is Nov. 16, 2006. The name of the guy who called from this Co. is Joe Cane. The address he gave is: 14781 Memorial Dr. Suite 1999 Houston, Tx. 77079
The phone # he gave was: 1-877-931-2249
The web site for this co. is: http://www.mgrtoday.org/

Please help me to verify this and find out for sure if this is a scam or if it is legit. I really need this to keep my business.

Thanks,
Jason

Answer 1

That is a SCAM -- search YA for other people scammed by this company

I would be EXTREMELY WARY of companies that claim you can get grants for whatever purpose you want because that is absolutely false and not how federal grants work. And I would be SCARED all the more that this company wants you to apply for grants through them because there is only ONE site where you can apply for grants legitimately - and that is Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov

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

For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online http://gtionline.fdncenter.org . It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.

Answer 2

Save your $449...it is a scam. Go to the link I pasted below from ripoffreport.com for further.

By the way, MGR cannot ascertain that you were "approved" for a government grant. Government grants are applied for, not automatically approved, and that company is NOT part of the approval process!

The MGR's own website makes this ridiculous claim:
"The reason grants are so hard to come by is that the government does not advertise these programs."

This is false. Go to the 2nd link I pasted below (http://www.grants.gov/), to get info on federal grants directly from the federal government, for no charge.

Yeah, you have to apply for the grants and you have to wait. But if MGR really intended on getting you a grant they would have to do the same. The only thing they can do with your $449 is put wings on it.

Answer 3

rip-off one hundred% rip-off They don't name you to let you know approximately a provide. NEVER EVER supply out your financial institution account expertise to anybody who calls. ninety nine.999% of all telephone presents arer SCAMS

Answer 4

Grants don't require you to pay money up front. This is definitely a scam!