Finding Federal Grants for Woman Owned Businesses

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.

There are many U.S. government grants that are available today. American citizens are not just aware or familiar with it because there is not advertisement about it. This is probably because there are no funds allocated for such announcements.

One specific type of grant gives focus on women alone. This can be research about women, other women oriented projects or businesses. Obviously the main requirement is that your project must focus on women, women's needs (like health) or you the grantee, must be a woman.

To be able to acquire that grant you need to focus on several things, these are the following:

- Know the different types of grants given for women

- Choose which one fits your needs

- Look into also if you are eligible for that grant you fancy.

- Get the application form or what some call as the grants application kit

- Review the necessary details necessary for the application

- Don't rush. Your writing must be well-written and succinct.

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

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.  (continued...)

Finding Federal Grants for Woman Owned Businesses
  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 - Small Business Grants

Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs Technical Assistance
The Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs Technical Assistance Program is designed to decrease the number of disadvantaged micro-entrepreneurs by helping them enhance their management capabilities, by way of providing them with technical assistance and training in the areas concerning activities that are associated with starting, expanding and growing their businesses.

---

Historically Underutilized Business Zones - HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program
The Small Business Administration has established the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Empowerment Contracting Program wherein they aim to provide federal contracting assistance to eligible small business corporations which are located in underutilized business zones so as to improve their employment opportunities, investments, and their area's economic development.

---

Department of Agriculture: Value Added Producer Grants
The Value-Added Producer Grants program is geared towards helping the Independent Producers of Agricultural Commodities, Agriculture Producer Groups, Farmer and Rancher Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures in developing techniques that would create marketing opportunities and establish business plans involving viable marketing opportunities that involve the production of bio-based products from agricultural commodities.

---

Secondary Market Lending Authority Program
The Small Business Administration has constituted the Secondary Market Lending Authority program, one which aims to provide liquidity for the secondary market, thereby ultimately encouraging new lending opportunities from banks of Small Business Administration guaranteed loans.

---