Non Profit Grant Blog

1. PiggiePants Said,

   there is a whole section for starting new business at the Small Business Adminstration website at http://sba.gov/starting_business/index.html

   There are links for programs and assistance for women-owned businesses that might be applicable for you.

   The Foundation Center has a page with information on starting a nonprofit organization at http://fdncenter.org/learn/faqs/html/starting_nonprofit.html and an online directory of available grants at http://www.foundationcenter.org/
   References :

2. imisidro Said,

   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."

   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

   You may stand a greater chance looking for private grants. 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.
   References :
   http://www.cfda.gov
   http://www.grants.gov
   http://gtionline.fdncenter.org
   http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm
   http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

3. Bernard Said,

   Thank you so much for posting this. I am researching this topic for business planning and this is very helpful and informative.

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