Some Grant Programs I'm Not Too Crazy About.....

In its most basic meaning a grant is money given that does not have to be paid back. That is what a grant is in its most pure and simple form. However there are some grant programs that don't follow this simple and pure form. You should never have to pay money to get a grant and I am finding that there are other requirements that don't adhere to the "pure and simple" form. The latest grant program that I am investigating has a specific requirement that has to be fulfilled by the applicants. No, not by the business that wins the award but by every business that applies for the grant program. To put it quite simply the applicants have to apply for a line of credit. Now since part of the grant award is provided by a bank I think that there may be a conflict of interest - and especially so because the applicants have to apply to the bank that provides part of the grant award! There is a list of the grant recipients so that means that the grant program does get applicants but there are some questions I have. One of the most important has to do with the business applying for a line of credit. Would they do so even if there wasn't a grant program behind it?

A lot of businesses that I know and that I have worked with didn't have the means to apply or be eligible for a line of credit in the first place and that is why they are seeking grants. And doesn't having a line of credit mean that you have to pay it back? That doesn't sound like a grant program to me. While there are other requirements as well this one stood out to me because it doesn't sound (or feel) like a grant program.