Small business grants availability

Are Federal grants for small business start up and development?

First of all, there is a bit of bad news.  Although it seems like the Federal Government should provide grants to help start-ups, this is not the case.  On the contrary, these types of small business grants are only available to businesses that involve the development of new technology and/or a non-profit organization. For this reason, it is necessary for small business owners to looking to alternative grant resources.  Keep reading for more resources as shown below.

Even though generally speaking there are no grants for small business start-ups, the Federal Government DOES at the same time offer grants to programs that fall under the following categories:

• Agriculture Arts
• Business and Commerce
• Community Development
• Disaster Prevention and Relief
• Education
• Employment, Labor and Training
• Energy
• Environmental Quality
• Food and Nutrition
• Health
• Housing
• Humanities
• Information and Statistics Law, Justice and Legal Services
• Natural Resources
• Regional Development Science and Technology
• Social Services and Income Security
• Transportation

You can quickly find out more about these Federal grants by visiting Grants.gov . This website provides information on over 1,000 grant programs and access to approximately $400 billion in annual awards.

Alternative sources for small business grants

In light of the lack of Federal small business grants available, you should look locally for funds instead. First and foremost, do research for grants in the state where your business is located. In fact most states have agencies designed to offer grants and other types of business assistance for the purpose of encouraging small business growth and development in their area.

Notably, almost all states offer a Small Business Development Center. SBDC’s are a nationwide network of sites, typically located in colleges and universities.  Not only do they provide networking opportunities, but also access to training and advice on all aspects from starting a business to financing and managing your company.

Resources for finding small business grants & funding:

ACCION

ACCION USA is part of ACCION International, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization operating globally.  In contrast to the Federal grants, their mission is to of give people the financial tools they need to work their way out of poverty. U.S. ACCION Network is the largest of its kind in the United States.  For this reason, they have given over $154 million in small business loans to more than 16,000 entrepreneurs.  As a result, they have won the following awards:

• Presidential Award for Excellence in Microenterprise Development for Program Innovation (1998)
• One of America’s 100 best charities by Worth magazine (2001)
• Fast Company’s Social Capitalist Award for “changing the world by using entrepreneurial genius to solve some of the most daunting social problems.” (In 2004, 2005 and 2006)

Given all that ACCION has to offer, you might want to fill out their Online Small Business Loan Application

Ecodevdirectory

Another great resource is Ecodevdirectory . This website offers 80 individual directories of economic development agencies, consultants and associations worldwide.

Self-Help Credit Union

The mission of Self-Help Credit union is first and foremost for the purpose of creating and protecting ownership and economic opportunity. With this in mind, they lend funds to small businesses and nonprofits.  Equally important is their focus on fair financial practices. While Self-Help Credit Union helps all kinds of communities, the main focus is on those who are often overlooked by conventional lenders.  For example: people of color, women, rural residents and low-wealth families and communities.  Learn more at:  https://www.self-help.org/

As shown above, the lack of Federal funds does not mean there is no financial help for small businesses.  On the contrary, there are a variety of resources, you just have to do a little digging.