Find the Government Grant that You Need

by: Michael Saunders

Grants are not Benefits or Entitlements. A Federal Grant is an award of financial assistance from a Federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States. Grants are not Federal assistance or loans to individuals.

Since 2002, the federal government has been developing and implementing Grants.gov as a collaborative cross-government program focused on streamlining grants management for the Federal grant community.

When you are looking for something, you at least have an idea what you are looking for. It will be easier if you know exactly what you want. This is how you shop for shoes and clothes. Apparently, it is the same technique used when finding a grant.

First of all, you have to identify which government agency provides the grant that you specifically need. Now do not be too impatient because searching for this government agency entails a lot of your time, exertion of a lot of effort and conducting your own research.

But before doing any of these, you must learn how to research on these topics, knowing the scam from the credible ones.

If you are in search of a funding supporting an already existing or a new for-profit business, there will be some difficulty in finding the grant that you need, as well as getting that grant. Most of the time, government grants are bestowed to non-profit organizations. They prioritize services and programs that contribute to the community at an upscale level.

The site we strongly recommend you to check is the US Government’s Grants.gov website. With its search engine, this site will assist you in finding for the grant opportunity that is suitable for you. Add to the fact that you can also get the 411 on the types of grants. Upon knowing the other grants out there, you may consider your options. Also, it is specified on that site which government agency bestows the grant. You can also sign up on that site in order for you to receive notifications of possible future grants.

Another site you can also have a look at is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance or the CFDA. This has a list of Government grants and assistance. The Catalog also allows you to punch in key words for you to browse through the available grants out there by Category or by Topic Area.

************************************

Did you know?

Applying at Grants.gov can reduce your costs and the time required to find government grant opportunities and process your application. The site provides access to multiple grantors and reduces paperwork.

By downloading a grant application package, you can view it offline, giving you the flexibility to complete the application when and where you want.

************************************

  (continued...)

Find the Government Grant that You Need
  Page 2

About The Author Michael Saunders has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He edits a site on Government Grants for Women Owned Businesses and also edits HandsNet - A Human Services News Website.

Additional Resources

category - Applying for a Grant

United States Agency for International Development: Citizen Engagement and Elections Project in Mongolia
The Citizen Engagement and Election Projects in Mongolia aims to encourage increased citizen participation, mobilization and education during the months prior to the Mongolian parliamentary elections in 2012.

---

Family Planning Services Grants
OPHS has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Family Planning Services Grants, a program wherein the OPHS, along with the HHS, will award grants to eligible individuals who seek to operate voluntary family planning services projects that would provide family planning services to everyone who desires to avail of such services, including low-income families in under-served areas.

---

Zambia Economic Resilience Program for Improved Food Security
The Zambia Economic Resilience Program for Improved Food Security is designed to implement innovative techniques and approaches that would hopefully enable the community's most vulnerable and poor rural families to improve food security by strengthening their economic resilience.

---

Ethical Schools Project in Peru
The Ethical Schools Project revolves around the notion of promoting a culture of ethical behavior and civic responsibility among members of the youth, as well as teachers and parents. The project also aims to explore ways that would contribute to a reduction in corruption and other forms of illicit activities such as cocoa cultivation and illegal environmental degradation, which are both common practices in Peru.

---