You mention foundations, and yet they are limited by the IRS to limit their giving to non-profits. Anything between 'big business and corporations' and a for-profit entity is a CONTRACT for services, not a GRANT. For-profit entreprenuers try to hire my firm all the time. I never take them as grant campaign clients, knowing that the chance of them receiving any kind of return on their investment is slim to nil. If that doesn't bother you, fine. We're obviously operating from very different motivations. Just let the buyer beware. There is NO FREE LUNCH. As long as you can sleep at night....
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We are operating from very different viewpoints. Number one foundations by law are required to give away a percentage of their revenues each year in accordance with their MISSION STATEMENT. In other words the objective of the foundation is what is important and not the entity that applies for their grant.Here is an excerpt from Smartmoney's site:
"ANSWER: The adage "there's no such thing as a free lunch" certainly applies here. The good news is that, yes, in some circumstances the government (at the state or federal level) as well as private foundations will provide grants to people trying to get a fledgling business off the ground. But that doesn't mean the money comes easy."There is a New York based non-profit that provides small GRANTS and business-development assistance to applicants with low income. One woman received $700 to help start her sewing business. Now I already had this information as a result of doing research for a woman that wanted to start her own business. The quote I found because I did research and on and on.As for big companies and corporations operating on a "contract" basis. That is simply not true. There is a big corporation that offers grants in the amount of $100K. Their selection committee invites applications for projects that fall into the following areas: science and medicine; technology and innovation; exploration and discovery; the environment; and cultural heritage. The Selection Committee will choose five awardees who will each receive a check for $100K. What is the eligibility requirement? You have to be an INDIVIDUAL! If a group is applying then one person has to be the designated applicant.Now how did I find this information? I looked!My motivation is this - The one thing that a person needs to start a business is desire. I mean what is one of the primary reasons that we have started businesses of our own? So we can be our own bosses. What motivates me is the fact that people think that there is some kind of secret to starting (and maintaining) one's own business when all there is is work. What motivates (and inspires me) is hearing stories about people who have started their own businesses on LESS than a shoe string. The one that comes immediately to my mind is the woman who is a single mother who started a gift basket business (without a computer mind you!) and got a small grant to grow her business. Another one that comes to mind is a web design company that got a grant because they filled the need of a grant. All examples of "where there is a will there is a way".One more thing. One of the reasons I started this business is the fact that these comments about there being "no grants for no things no time" bugged me no end. I knew this wasn't true for the simple fact that all you have to do is pick up the business section of a Sunday newspaper! Now that we have 24 hours of news, every now and then a business related newstory having to do with grants will come on. So I decided to find out for my own self and I did. I have found more information than one one person could fathom - all on a subject that people say does not exist. The fact that the information is not easy to find does not mean that it is not out there. It just means that it is not easy to find. So people get frustrated, they give up or worse they get angry to the point that they feel that if they can't find it then it doesn't exist! The sad fact of the matter is if you can not find the information you have to keep on looking. That is the only way that you are going to find it. If you want a grant bad enough or your desire is high enough then you will keep on looking - plain and simple!
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