Ive seen these sites. There a dime a dozen. There is literally thousands
of sites out there that promise 25,000 or 100,000 in free grant money.
But you have to join there site and pay a fee.
Isen’t there anything out there anymore that allows you to search
for fed grants for free? Or maybe to find someone to help you search
if your not quite sure how to do it….
Thanks
Happy New Year!!
Brian
Any and all sites claiming to information about getting free government aid are scams. There is only one REAL grant that is given directly to an individual that doesn’t have to be paid back and it is called a Pell grant and it is for going to college. And even then, the money is sent to the school and not the student directly.
Don’t be fooled by those sites and certainly don’t pay anything. Contrary to popular belief the government doesn’t give out cash to folks who want to start a business, roof, remodel, repair their houses, pay bills, or fix a car or even modify a car for someone who has a disability.
Those commercials that you see CLAIMING all this don’t disclose the full truth, yes, the government does give out some grants, but again, not to INDIVIDUALS. Only certain entities, schools or agencies can apply.
Those are scams
You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two FREE 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 your purposes.
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.
Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. 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. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.
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
The government is NOT in the business of giving away free money for the sake of giving away money. Grants are free, but it means OBLIGATION. You will be obligated to do as the grant sets out to do. Grants have objectives, and your purpose must fit the objective of the grant.
For one, you have to write the grant application and the grant application is not a simple document – you have to explain how your purpose for applying for the grant fits well with the objectives set out by the grant. Grants have objectives, and the grant applications that best captures the grant’s objectives are approved.
There is a stringent review process through a committee composed of federal employees and selected experts in the field. You will compete with other applicants for the grant money, and this grant review committee will evaluate the merits of each proposal. Only those that they feel exemplifies the objective of the grant will be approved.