Who Says There’s No Free Money For Business?

Some of you may have already called a government office like the SBA and ask about grants because you saw this crazy guy on TV talking about “Free Money For Business”. And this office probably laughed at you and told you that there are no such things as grants for business. Actually they’re right; but they are also wrong. There are no grant programs at the SBA for business, (although they really have a free money type program that they probably didn’t tell you about because it’s called “venture capital money” and not grants). But, they are also wrong too, because there are hundreds of government grants and free money programs for business but they are not at the SBA. They are at other federal agencies - at state, city and county governments offices as well as non-profit organizations. No one government office knows everything. That’s why when someone tells you “no” you can’t believe them. Remember, this is the same government who didn’t even get the WMD’s information right! It’s a big world out there full of wonderful opportunities, but it may take some effort to find them, because they are not in the obvious places.

Leftover Grant Money…
… When I see things like this it makes my blood boil. Last year the city of Onieda had $350,000 in grant money to give to people who wanted to improve their businesses, but not enough people applied. I keep seeing more and more stories like this and I know there are entrepreneurs out there that really need the money if they only knew it was there. Look for the story in The Post-Standard, Saturday, December 18, 2004, “Leftover Grant Money”, by Aaron Gifford.

Sample Free Money Programs For Business
Here are some real grant programs taken from our new book “Free Money For Entrepreneurs”. If you are looking for more programs like this as well as information about low interest loans, loans you don’t have to pay back, government contracts, and 10,000 other sources for entrepreneurs, check out the book at www.howtogetagrant.com/grentrepreneurs1.

The programs below represent only a sampling of the free money programs available to entrepreneurs. There are many more free money programs than those listed here. If programs are only for a given state or area be sure to check for similar programs in your area.

$2,000,000 Grant To Commercialize Science Related Ideas…
Advanced Technology Program
National Institute of Standards and Technology
http://www.atp.nist.gov/atp/atpform.htm

$10,000 For Entrepreneurial Training…
Workforce Investment Act
One-Stop Operations
U.S. Department of Labor
http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/onestop/

$5,000 In Spending Money While You Start Your Business…
Self Employment Assistance Allowance
U.S. Department of Labor
http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/self.asp and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/dmstree/tegl/tegl2k4/tegl_16-04.htm

$2,000,000 Grant To Work On Fossil Energy Ideas…
Fossil Energy Research and Development
U.S. Department of Energy
http://www.fe.doe.gov/business/index.html

$1,500,000 Grant To Help Small Businesses in Small Towns…
Rural Business Opportunity Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/

$300,000 Grant To Small Businesses to Commercial an Idea…
Small Business Innovation Research Program
National Institute of Standards and Technology
http://patapsco.nist.gov/ts_sbir/

$200,000 Grant To Work On Energy Related Inventions…
Invention and Innovation Program
U.S. Department of Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/inventions/

$295,000 Grant To Small Businesses To Work On Environmental Problems…
Small Business Innovation Research Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/

Up To $3,000,000 Grant To Train Your Employees…
H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant
U.S. Department of Labor
http://www.doleta.gov/h-1b/

Up To $22,000,000 Grant To Businesses That Employ People With Disabilities…
Projects With Industry Program
U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/programs/rsapwi/index.html

$300,000 Grant To Small Business To Work On Education Related Ideas…
Small Business Innovation Research Program
U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/SBIR/index.html

$500,000 Grant To Small Business To Commercialize Health Related Ideas…
Small Business Technology Transfer Program
National Institutes of Health
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm

$3,000,000 In Venture Capital…
New Markets Venture Capital
U.S. Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/INV/venture.html

$5,000,000 Grant To Bioenergy Businesses…
Bioenergy Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.sba.gov/INV/venture.html

$1,000,000 Grant To Invest In Small Town Businesses…
Rural Business Investment Program (10.860)
Rural Business Cooperative Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.PROGRAM_TEXT_RPT.SHOW?p_arg_names=
prog_nbr&p_arg_values=10.860

$150,000 To Develop A New Food Product…
Value Added Producer Grants (10.352)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.PROGRAM_TEXT_RPT.SHOW?p_arg_names=
prog_nbr&p_arg_values=10.352

$100,000 To Sell Food Products Overseas…
Foreign Market Development Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/fmd.html

$200,000 Grants To Companies That Help Small Businesses…
Rural Economic Development Loans & Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/

$400,000 To Provide Internet Access To Small Towns…
Community Connect Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/commconnect.htm

$10,000 For Entrepreneurs With Disabilities…
Entrepreneurs With Disabilities Program
The Abilities Fund
http://www.abilitiesfund.org

$700 Grant For Entrepreneurs With No Credit…
Trickle Up Foundation
http://www.trickleup.org/usprogram_o.asp#U.S.%20Overview

Remember the programs mentioned above are not all the grant and free money programs available from the government. They represent only a start to encourage you to keep looking for the one you want. No one in our society knows everything. I don’t even know everything about grants. But after 25 years of studying grants I do know that people are wrong when they tell you there are no grants or free money programs for business.

If You’re Looking to Start a Business…
… you may want to consider our “Free Money to Start a Business” ebooks. Each of our 50 Ebooks contains several hundred programs for starting or expanding a business in your state as well as the actual federal applications for applying for these grants! See www.grfedfind1.