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