| New business owners and existing | | | | types of assistance that you can |
| business owners are eligible to apply | | | | receive. |
| for business grants. There is a wide | | | | Federal law mandates that government |
| array of Federal business grants | | | | agencies and private foundations give |
| available such as Free Government Money | | | | away over 1 trillion dollars to |
| for Minorities, Free Government Money | | | | individuals and businesses. Foundations |
| for Women, and Obtain Free Government | | | | are required by law to distribute 5 |
| Money for equipment, rent, offices, | | | | percent of their market value assets or |
| expenses and overhead | | | | interest income annually, whichever of |
| There are numerous sources to find the | | | | these amounts is greater, or risk losing |
| best business grants: | | | | their tax-exempt status. |
| * The Catalog of Federal Domestic | | | | The incentive for giving away grants is |
| Assistance is a major provider of | | | | great. First, elected officials seeking |
| business grant money. | | | | reelection give away billions in |
| * The Federal Register is another good | | | | government cash so that people vote for |
| source to help you keep current with the | | | | them; second, big corporations save a |
| continually changing federal grants | | | | lot of money in taxes by giving money to |
| offered. | | | | foundations. |
| * FedBizOpps is another great resource, | | | | Another option when starting your |
| as all federal agencies must use | | | | business would be to apply for private |
| FedBizOpps to notify the public about | | | | grants from foundations and |
| contract opportunities worth over | | | | corporations. Foundations award grants |
| $25,000. | | | | to businesses that are able to help the |
| * The U.S. Government's Grants has its | | | | foundation reach its long-term goals. In |
| own website where you can find, obtain | | | | the United States there are more than |
| information and apply for many of the | | | | 65,000 private grant foundations which |
| grants that are available. | | | | award more than $20 billion to |
| * Government's Catalog of Federal | | | | applicants. Two good resources for |
| Domestic Assistance (CFDA) provides a | | | | private grants are the Foundation Center |
| listing of Government grants and other | | | | and the Council on Foundations. |