where can i get information about goverment grant to open a small business?

Question

i live in philadelphia and i really passion on cooking so can i know where can i get information about goverment grant for the small business? i really want to open my own catering

Answer 1

I started my first business at the age of 8 with a lemonade stand, then at 10 started cooking and selling baked goods. Then opened a catering company, then food company, then had a culinary foods television show and taught cooking classes. But alas I got burned out of the food business, so I left the culinary arts field in my 30's. But I do have fond memories.So I love to help others who want to express their creativity in food.

Start small and grow slowly. But most of all have fun. As for grants, there are none for businesses. But there are microloans of $35,000 or less available to get you started. In addition to giving you a loan, the microenterprise organization in your area will also assist you until you are a success. What's even better for those who need it, they offer the microloans to welfare clients, bad credit, no credit, limited credit persons, single moms, disadvantaged persons, low income, working folks, and simply to those who have a strong desire to succeed and are ready to work long hard hours.

Because I once worked in the culinary arts I am including everything you might need. If you have any additional questions feel free to email me anytime. Much Much Success to You!

Microenterprise Defined
AEO and its members have defined microenterprise as a business with five or fewer employees requiring $35,000* or less in start-up capital. AEO estimates that there are over 20 million U.S microenterprises, which represent 17% of all private employment in the U.S. In addition, microenterprise represents a path from poverty to financial security for many low-income individuals.

* Loans of $35,000 and under are known as microloans.

Microenterprise Development Industry
The estimated 600 microenterprise development organizations (MDOs) operating in the U.S. exist to support disadvantaged entrepreneurs as they start or expand their businesses. MDOs can increase the chance of business success by bridging the gap between disadvantaged individuals and the tools they need to start and grow successful businesses. With the help of AEO services, MDOs offer business training, technical assistance, access to capital, and other services to entrepreneurs to assist them in realizing their dream of business ownership. For many low-income entrepreneurs MDOs represent the only opportunity to access the capital and business tools necessary for business start-up.

MICROENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS IN PHILADELPHIA, PA

Empowerment Group
2111 N. Front St.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.empowerment-group.org

Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers
University of Pennsylvania
3373 Spruce St., 4th Floor Vance Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6374
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.pasbdc.org

Philadelphia Development Partnership
1334 Walnut Street
7th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.pdp-inc.org

Women's Business Development Center - PA
1315 Walnut Street
Suite 1116
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4711
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.womensBDC.org

The Business Center at New Covenant Campus
7500 Germantown Ave.
Elders Hall, Suite 113
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.thebizctr.com

Women's Opportunities Resource Center (WORC)
2010 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4522
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: http://www.worc-pa.com

Here are some resources you might find helpful.

Sample Business Plans for writing your business plan.

http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm

Free business plan templates for writing your business plan

http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html?gclid=CMDU157D-YkCFRFYYQodyi8dPg

http://www.planware.org/businessplan.htm

Here are some books that can be purchased new or used on amazon.com. This will help you and give you a blueprint on how to start your catering business. Of course you can adjust the information to suit your needs.

The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business by Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown

How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, 5th (Home-Based Business Series) by Denise Vivaldo

How to Start a Catering Business: When You Don't Know What the Hell You're Doing by Jennifer Williams

Successful Catering: Managing the Catering Operation for Maximum Profit (The Food Service Professionals Guide, 12) by Sony Bode

Catering from Home by Egerton-Thomas

The Complete Caterer by Elizabeth Lawrence

Start & Run a Catering Business (Start & Run a) (Start & Run a) by George Erdosh

Catering Like a Pro: From Planning to Profit by Francine Halvorsen

How to Start a Home Based Catering Business by Globe Pequot Press

Answer 2

It is a total falsehood what you hear on TV and such about grants for starting businesses. There is no such mechanism. There are grants for agencies to "assist" you for free in writing business plans, putting together loan packages, etc. but not for handing over a wad of money for you to make money... you can go to the Small Business Administration and learn more about loans that carry a government guarantee that lowers your collateral levels.
www.sba.gov ought to get you started.

Answer 3

First off, be warned that there are too many grant scams out there from companies promising to give you grants or write grants for you. Read the warning from the FTC

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/03/grantresources.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt134.htm

Here is also one of the warnings issued by the Better Business Bureau http://www.concord.bbb.org/tips_timesharescams.html

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/mostrequesteditems/CON_FAQ2.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

For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. 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 4

i agree with the previous answer--there's nothing free out there. but you can get a loan through a bank that is guarenteed through the SBA. if you start up with the sba, the paperwork, the red tape, and the legalize can be overwhelming. iwould suggest that you contact your local college/university at the scholol of business administration and ask if they have any programs that could be of help. upperclassmen and grad students can earn extra credit to help secure and/or save sba loans. the money is definitly there, and they will certainly loan it, but i would look for some help (for free) before i started. i got extra credit myself working for the sba in1976,but i'm sure the rules have changed by now iadmire your entrepreneurial spirit.let me know if i canhelp [e-mail]