Getting a small business grant for you business may be easier than you think. Many grants available for small businesses by federal government are offered through state development agencies. State Agencies offer these grants and other types of financial assistance to encourage and assist entrepreneurs in starting or expanding a small business.
There are several ways to search for the right grant for your business. Let me give you the information about finding the right federal grants for your small business.
Searching for Federal Grants for Small Businesses ONLINE :
There are numerous resources to help you get a federal grant for you small business, or startup business idea. Other than searching for general keywords such as “Small Business Grants”, “Small Business Federal Grants” etc. , you should start with reviewing government grant resources. Here’s some very valuable websites to help you find the right federal grants for your business:
- Grants.gov
- SBA Federal Grant Resources
- FedGrants.gov
- Business Grants and Loans by FirstGov.gov
- The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
- Directory of Key Contacts in Federal Grants Management
These are some government resources for federal grants. There are many other specialized grants available from federal government. Start searching for specific fields online. Let’s assume your small business is in energy category, therefore you can use some of these search terms on Google for finding the right resources for federal grants available for energy businesses:
Expand your search by using different key phrases, and replace “energy” with your industry specific keywords. After reviewing the search results, you may also use “site:edu” for searching only university and education related websites.
Searching for Federal Grants for Small Businesses OFFLINE :
Your first step should be, visiting the nearest local SBDC (Small Business Development Center) Office to you.
SBDC’s mission is to provide management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations. The program is a cooperative effort of the private sector, the educational community and federal, state and local governments.
Also, The Office of Small Business Development Centers is an integral component of Entrepreneurial Development’s network of training and counseling services. You may get free, and/or low fee assistance from your local SBDC offices.
SBDC employees are knowledgeable about helping you to find the right federal grants for your small business or startup business idea.
Visit SBDC Website for further information.
And also use SBDC Locator to find the nearest SBDC office in your area.
Every small business needs money, and if the government is offering these federal grants, you may be eligible. So take your time to research about applying to the right federal grants. If you already have a successful small business, this may be your chance to take your business to the next level. Or if you have been planning about your startup business idea for a while, and you are concerned about financing, this may be your chance to start your own business.
