Looking for a Small Grant to start home business?
mhs1077 asked:
Is there any companies or granters that would do a small grant ($2000-$5000) without credit check, no fee? I would like to start a home business and i really don’t want to fill out a lot of paper work and get marks on my credit with a lot of checks for such a small amount.
Is there any companies or granters that would do a small grant ($2000-$5000) without credit check, no fee? I would like to start a home business and i really don’t want to fill out a lot of paper work and get marks on my credit with a lot of checks for such a small amount.
February 8th, 2009 at 9:11 am
no because it seems you are not areliable person as you are asking about 2000$-5000$ and then at the end you call it such a small amount. sorry
February 8th, 2009 at 10:09 am
If you only need $5000 or less, the easiest way to get funds is through your credit card — they may be expensive, but they are easiest to get
Using Credit Cards to Finance Your Startup
Credit Where Credit Is Due: Using Plastic to Finance Your Start-Up
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) and 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…
“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 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.
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
For private grants, you may want to 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.