What kind of stuff can you get a grant for?

Question

Can you get a grant to start a business?

Answer 1

Grants are not given for just about any purpose you can think of, such as starting a business

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.

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 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

Answer 2

If you have a specific business in mind, probably not.

If you are looking for possibilities, probably so.

There are many grants available online, for every sort of weird thing you can think of. They apply to specific groups of people, like races and religions, prior boy scouts or people who did youth corps service, or children of deceased plumber (yes really)...

There are grants to address particular needs of a whole raft of groups, and establishing a non-profit to serve those needs may be funded.

There are grants to research things, to do national service, evry kind of thing you can think of.

Google them up, more people should. A lot of grant money goes unspent.

Answer 3

you can get a grant for anything you want

Answer 4

yes you could. a great way is by making a business plan.

Answer 5

Sometimes, yes.
Check this site for information: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=10743