Government Grants For Businesses

Assembling Small Business Grant Applications

Every small business grant is not created equal, but grant applications feature a few common elements.  At the base level of each application is the need for the applicant to demonstrate the necessity of a product or service.  Public and private providers of small business grants are not interested in investing in companies trotting out the same old products.  Based on this demand, your small business grant application should include a market analysis and information on your product.  Your market analysis should include pricing for competing products along with how your product meets the needs of consumers.  The appendix of your grant application should include patent information, diagrams, and marketing plans for your product. 

Grant providers throughout the world want to invest in competent business owners.  Your grant application should go to great lengths to point out your business acumen, organization, and existing finances.  The executive summary to your small business grant application will show your knowledge of the market as well as your vision for the future.  An organizational flow chart will show how your business is run from the top to the bottom.  Your financial statements should detail everything from existing grants and investments from angel funders to personal assets used for the business.  In completing a small business grant application, you need to walk the fine line between overwhelming the reader with information and keeping your materials too brief. 

Grants.gov®

The Federal Government has been at the forefront of promoting small business development in the past six decades.  The Small Business Administration® provides invaluable resources to small business owners trying to get organized.  Each federal agency works with small businesses and research institutes in their field to finance research.  Congress, the President, and non-partisan officials want small businesses to act as engines for American prosperity.  Given the size of the Federal Government, you can find grant listings and applications by the thousands with an online search.  Grants.gov® allows you to find, apply for, and track federal grants throughout the entire process. 

Grants.gov® requires all grant applicants to fill out a registration form before proceeding to grant materials.  This registration form not only simplifies the grant application process, but also separates individual proprietors from organizations.  Once your registration has been approved, you can search the thousands of grants offered through the Federal Government.  You can download grant applications and supplementary materials from Grants.gov® to pursue business funding.  After completing applications, you can use tracking numbers from Grants.gov® to find out your grant application's process.  Grants.gov® also holds FAQ pages, manuals, and articles on federal grants to educate applicants. 

Wisconsin Small Business Development Center

You need not restrict your search for small business grants to the federal level.  Your local government may offer limited funds to small businesses in certain areas of development.  State governments make great efforts to develop small businesses to increase employment, expand the tax base, and improve economic fortunes.  Every state government has a clearinghouse of information on small business grants for your perusal.  An example of a state grant source is the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center.  This state-run funding source offers multiple grant programs to accommodate different types of business. 

The state of Wisconsin has become a prime location for biotechnology development, thanks to the University of Wisconsin.  This interest in biotech development is demonstrated through the Technology Assistance Grant.  You can pay for market analyses, early capital costs, and other approved expenses with this grant.  The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center also accepts applications for the Early Planning Grant.  This grant program is designed exclusively to pay for writing, editing, and presentation services associated with a new business plan.  These grants are comparable to funding opportunities through state organizations from Maine to Hawaii. 

Women's Focus©

In the past three decades, we have seen an increased focus on getting women involved in business.  This focus has shifted from pushing past the glass ceiling to executive positions to encourage female entrepreneurship.  Women interested in starting small businesses across various sectors find a multitude of specialized grants.  Women's Focus© http://www.womensfocus.com/ is an online resource for women interested in tracking down grants for their small businesses.  You can click on Grants for Women State-by-State to find business grants in all 50 states.  Women's Focus© also maintains a listing of state and federal grants for minorities, women, and other targeted groups.  This informative website also assists female entrepreneurs as they learn about business loans on bad credit, budgeting for small businesses, and filling out grant applications. 

Small Business Innovation Research®

High-tech businesses have popped up throughout the United States in the past two decades.  From the tech bubble in the 1990s to advances in software design, these businesses are trying to make money from a highly lucrative industry.  Because of the high potential for growth in technological development, this industry is incredibly crowded with niche businesses and corporations.  You will need sufficient financing to develop the next great PDA, video game, or office software suite.  Small Business Innovation Research® http://www.sbir.gov/ is a subsidiary of the Small Business Administration and focuses entirely on the high-tech sector.  Your small business can search for grants by clicking on the Open Solicitations page at Small Business Innovation Research®. 

You can learn everything you need to know about high-tech grants from the listing of open grant solicitations.  Each listing features a lengthy heading as well as a closing date for applications.  By clicking on the heading, you are taken to the grant source's website to learn more about the funding opportunity.  Small Business Innovation Research® also encourages small business owners to learn more about federal grants.  From state grant links to training opportunities, this federal agency helps entrepreneurs find out if they can withstand competition in the high-tech sector.