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lntroduction
We read nearly every day about government spending, but what most people don't realize and what you are about to find out is that many of us are eligible to receive some of the free government grants (free money) the government gives away every year. There are thousands of grant programs for grant seekers, established businesses and newcomers. Whether it's to develop a unique invention, continue or change your career path through education, work at your artistic vocation or simply obtaining help with living expenses, there are numerous sources of grants out there for you to tap into. Available are: Cash Grants, Minority Grants, and Business Grants just to name a few.
How to identify the grant programs you qualify for is the biggest stumbling block to those that think they might qualify for government funds in some way. The key to obtaining free grant money is not a giant secret. Generally, if you are an organized, detail-oriented person who can follow instructions, chances are you can qualify for a grant. The following chapters will detail everything you need to know in order to write and apply for a grant.
Throughout
the book numerous references are made to the Grant Seeker
Pro™
Who
Has the Money?
The Federal Government
The single largest donor to Non Profit Organizations (NPOs)
and private business is the United States government. Funding
is available for everything from adult literacy campaigns
and legal assistance to business to photographic art at local
museums.
Currently, programs are being classified by the Government Services Administration into fifteen types of assistance. Benefits and services of the programs are provided through seven financial types of assistance and eight non-financial types of assistance. The following list defines the types of assistance which are available through the programs.
Financial Assistance
Formula Grants
( 173 Programs) Allocations of money to states or their subdivisions in
accordance with distribution
formulas pre- scribed by law or administrative regulation for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project.
Project Grants
(889 Programs) The funding, for fixed
or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants
can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training
grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants,
evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants,
survey grants, and construction grants.
Direct Payments for Specified Use
(138 Programs) Financial assistance from the federal government provided directly to individuals,
private firms, and other private institutions to encourage or subsidize a particular activity by
conditioning the receipt of the assistance on a particular performance by the recipient. This
does not include solicited contracts for the procurement of goods and services for the federal
government.
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use
(38 Programs) Financial assistance from the federal government
provided directly to beneficiaries who satisfy federal eligibility
requirements with no restrictions being imposed on the recipient
as to
how the money is spent. Included are payments under retirement, pension, and compensatory programs.
Direct Loans
(44 Programs) Financial assistance provided through the
lending of Federal monies for a specific period of time, with
a reasonable expectation of repayment. Such loans may or may
not require the payment of interest.
Guaranteed/Insured Loans
(61 Programs) Programs in which the federal government
makes an arrangement to indemnify a lender against part or
all of any defaults by those responsible for repayment of
loans.
Insurance
(12 Programs) Financial assistance provided to assure
reimbursement for losses sustained under specified
conditions.
Coverage may be provided directly by the federal government
or through private carriers and may or may not involve the
payment of premiums.
Non-Financial
Assistance
Sale, Exchange, or Donation of Property and Goods
(23 Programs) Programs which provide for the sale, exchange,
or donation of federal real property, personal property, commodities,
and other goods including land, buildings, equipment, food
and drugs. This does not include the loan of, use of, or access
to federal facilities or property.
Use of Property, Facilities, and Equipment
(15 Programs) Programs which provide for the loan of, use
of, or access to federal facilities or property wherein the
federally owned facilities or property do not remain
in the possession of the recipient of the assistance.
Provision of Specialized Services
(92 Programs) Programs which provide federal personnel directly to perform certain tasks for the benefit
of communities or individuals. These services may be performed
in conjunction with nonfederal personnel, but they involve
more than consultation, advice, or counseling.
Advisory Services and Counseling(SBA)
(74 Programs) Programs which provide federal specialists
to consult, advise, or counsel communities or individuals
to include conferences, workshops, or personal contacts. This
may involve the use of published information, but only in
a secondary capacity.
Dissemination of Technical Information
(88 Programs) Programs which provide for the publication
and distribution of information or data of a specialized
or technical nature frequently through clearing- houses or
libraries. This does not include conventional public information
services designed for general public consumption.
Training
(46 Programs) Programs which provide instructional activities
conducted directly by a federal agency for individuals not
employed by the federal government.
Investigation of Complaints
(38 Programs) Federal administrative agency activities
that are initiated in response to requests, either formal
or informal, to examine or investigate claims of violations
of federal statutes, policies, or procedure. The origination of such claims must come from outside the Federal government.
Federal Employment
(7 Programs) Programs which reflect the government-wide
responsibilities of the Office of Personnel Management in
the recruitment and hiring of federal - civilian agency personnel.
While we do understand that most of you will be interested
primarily in the Financial aspects do not overlook all the
non-financial services that Uncle Sam can provide.
There are more than 1500 programs which are managed by 57
different agencies.
Because each agency handles such a large number of programs
it is critical when dealing with any of these agencies
that you follow the rules of Grant Seeking etiquette discussed later.
Types
of Programs Available Through
State and Federal Agencies
Free Money: Usually through direct grants
that do not have to be paid back.
Business Consulting: Free management advice is
offered on almost every business subject by the Department
of Economic Development to minimize new business start-up
management costs. Most people think they know everything about
their product and probably do, but most people know little
about business start- up and management.
Management Training: Most states will assign specialists
to work with a new business with one-on-one management training.
Do not overlook this. Sometimes a single piece of critical
advice can save you thousands of dollars.
Employee Training Assistance: This program provides
FREE MONEY to train employees. FREE MONEY is also available
to send employees to school.
Research & Development Grants: FREE MONEY
is avail- able to attract high-tech related companies.
Program
Consultants: States have highly trained management consultants who will locate federal grant programs and
help you through the application process.
Venture Capital Financing: This method
can provide FREE MONEY in the sense you wouldn't have to pay
it back. You would, however, probably have to give up part of the ownership
of your business in order to receive financing. Most states have
their own venture capital finance teams that invest in high risk
businesses.
Grants for Women & Minorities:
Grants are available in most states for women or minorities who want to start a business. Most of these will be under specific programs from the federal
government. At some point your state applied for and received
a
grant for minority business interests. You would need to locate
that program at a federal level and then apply to it at the
state level.
Low Interest Loans: The states will
also make direct loans at low interest, or even co-sign a commercial bank loan. If a
state co-signs a loan for you, it may subsidize your interest
and reduce
an already low-interest rate lower yet.
Small
Business Assistance:
Anyone thinking about going into business for themselves,
or wanting to expand an existing business should rush for
the world's largest "one-stop-money-shop" where
FREE MONEY to start or
expand a business is being held for you by the federal government. It sounds
absolutely incredible that people living right here
in the United States of America wouldn't know
that each year the world's largest source
of free business helps deliver over
$30 billion dollars in free grants and low interest
loans. Over
one-half trillion dollars in procurement contracts. Over
$32 billion dollars in FREE consulting and research grants.
With an economy that remains unpredictable,
and a need for even greater economic development on all fronts,
the Federal government is more willing than it ever has
been before to give you
the money you need to own your own business and become your
own boss!
In spite of the perception that people should
not look to the government for help, the great government
give-away programs have remained so incredibly huge that if
each of the approximately 8 million businesses applied for
an equal share, they would each receive over $70,000.
Most people never apply for a FREE GRANT
because they somehow feel it isn't for them, feel there's
too much red-tape, or simply don't know who to contact. The
fact is, however, that people from all walks of life do receive
FREE GRANT MONEY and other benefits from the government, and
you should also.
As with all grant seeking, the key to obtaining
grants is preparation, persistence and writing
a Grant Proposal Application. Preparation means
identifying programs that are available, and then determining
if you fall within their restrictions.
Be persistent. As you contact different
agencies for grant money, learn not to accept "no" as a final answer.
There are so many new programs being offered each year that
often an agency's own employees won't be aware they are offering
the one you ask about. If being persistent doesn't help, get
in touch with your congressman and let them track down a program
that meets your needs.
More than $17 billion in financial aid is available for
students each year, according to the College Board Scholarship
Service. Although you don't have to be poor to receive aid,
you have to prove you need it. Most students receive different
types of financial aid. Grants and work-study programs are available. Many institutions offer grants, aids and work-study loans based on demonstrated need, not on past or present family income. Demonstrated
need is the difference between what an education actually costs and how much a family can legitimately contribute toward a student's education.
To qualify, fill out all aid forms at the college of your choice. Be sure and
check the FAFSA.
Types of Loans & Grants
The U. S. Department of Education offers several student financial aid programs. Many are grants which do not have to be
repaid.
Pell Grants
Pell Grants are awards to help undergraduates
pay for their education after high school. For many students
these grants provide a "foundation" of financial
aid, to which aid from other federal and non-federal sources
may be added. Unlike loans, grants don't have to be paid back.
Pell Grants are:
.Free gifts--thus, no repayment
.For undergraduates only
.For part-time or full-time students
.Usually limited to 5 full years of study
Grants
for Women and Minorities
Throughout American history, women and minorities
have continually struggled to obtain a fair and equal share of the
American dream. Congress has realized this and numerous programs were put in place over the years to help give these large portions
of our society a leg-up. These programs are for the people that are hard-working
and self motivated that have that burning desire to succeed. Most
of the programs are designed to remove barriers and hurdles created by a person's situation whether it is culturally based or
socio-economic.
Throughout Grant Seeker Pro™
Specific grant types include but are not limited to:
.Grants for College
.Grants for Business Start Up
.Grants for Existing Business
.Grants for Legal Assistance
.Grants for Single Mothers
.Grants for Bill Paying Assistance
.Grants
for Housing
.Grants for Youth Assistance
Here is one more program targeting women
and minorities in business:
From this program you can receive
a $500,000 line of credit .."Objective: To enhance and further the opportunity
of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) to obtain accounts
receivable financing for the performance of transportation-related
contracts emanating from the DOT, its grantees, recipients,
their contractors and subcontractors .
Applicant Eligibility: The recipient
of a line of credit must be a certified DBE, minority-owned business enterprise or women-
owned business enterprise. All firms certified by the Small
Business Administration as 8(a) firms are eligible to participate
in the Lending program."
These are just three examples of programs
funded by the US Government that are specifically for women
and minorities. You can gain instant access to any of these
programs by accessing your Grant Seeker Pro™
As homelessness became an issue throughout
the United States, the US government was forced to create programs that would assist this portion of our society.
From these programs evolved additional programs that were designed to
assist low-to-moderate income families enjoy the privileges and pride that come
with Home Ownership.
There are a variety of grant programs that are available for
housing. These
include programs to assist with down payments, home
repairs and home purchase.
Over $3,000,000,000 (3 Billion) has been
set aside for 2003 for just the one program shown below!
Objective:
To assist very low, low-income, and moderate income households to obtain modest, decent, safe, and sanitary
housing for use as a permanent residence in rural areas.
There are grants such as the one following
that can be accessed in your area to acquire free technical assistance and equipment
to build your own home!
Objective: To provide Self Help Technical
Assistance Grants to provide financial assistance to qualified
nonprofit organizations and public bodies that will aid needy very low and low-income
individuals and their families to build homes in rural areas
by the r self-help method. Any state, political subdivision,
private or public r nonprofit corporation is eligible to apply.
Section 523 grants are 1c used to pay salaries, rent, and
office expenses of the nonprofit
I organization. Pre-development grants up to $10,000
may be available to qualified organization.
Many times we hear that "you have to be a non-profit organization in order to apply for this funding." The above mentioned
i program is one such program but did you know that your Grant
I Seeker Pro™
These are just two examples of the
billions of dollars made available each and every year to
assist everyday Americans in home ownership.
Did you know that there are billions
spent by the federal government every year to help people
with their rent? You can move into a single family unit or a multi family unit and
pay only 30% of the standard rent for that area. That is right-the
federal government will pick up the tab on the remainder!
"To make good quality rental
housing available to low income families at a cost they can
afford, the federal government will make payments directly to owners to supplement the partial
rental payments of eligible tenants. Assistance covers the
difference between the tenant's payment and the basic market
rental, but may not exceed 70 percent of the market rental.
The tenant's payments between 25 and 30 percent of monthly adjusted income or
30 percent of market rental, whichever is greater."
Over 4.5 billion dollars will be spent in the
year 2003 for this single program!
As you can see the Federal Government wants you
to have a roof over your head. For those that are truly homeless
there is assistance-you just need to know where to find it.
Use your Grant Seeker Pro™
Useful Links for Grant Seekers:
www.fordfound.org/about/guideline.cfm
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
United States Information Agency
National Endowment for the Humanities