Answering Some Myths About Grants

You have to have good credit to get grants

No you don't. If you are a US citizen or resident and pay taxes then you are eligible for some of the government grant programs. You could even have filed for bankruptcy - you would still be eligible for some of these grant programs! If you have bad credit then you could still apply for some of these programs.

You have to understand that you don't automatically get a grant. You have to apply for it. I have heard the whole grant process as being compared to entering a contest in that your application has to be reveiwed and assessed to see if you grant request fits in with the objectives of the organization that is awarding the grant.

The government is not the only entity that has grant programs - This is true though the government grant programs seem to award the most in grant monies (but that is not always the case). Organizations, foundations and even big businesses have grant programs.
There is a lot of red tape and paperwork involved in getting a grant - Sometimes yes and sometimes no. A number of the government grant programs require a lot of information and certain specific forms to be filled out but like I said above its not only the government that has grant programs. I have actual copies of grant requests that involve no more than a single sheet of paper that has the grant request on it where you fill in what you need the grant money for and why. The non-governmental grant programs seem to have an easier application process than the government grant programs.

Why do I have to pay to get grant information?

You don't. You have to remember that the government has to make their grant program information accessible to the public. Remember its the government we are talking about and they are using taxpayer money. The government has its own website where you can find out the details of there government grant programs. That includes all the information you need including how to apply for the individual programs. I use this site many, many times and I don't have to pay to use it and neither do you. Now the grant programs by entities other than the government are a little harder to find. You have to seek them out but the majority of them do have websites where you can find more information about their individual grant programs. Even those organizations that don't have a website have an address and a phone number and you can contact them using those.

There are no grant programs for for-profits

Again this is a myth. Big businesses receive grant money all the time. There are even grant programs outside the United States that have grant programs to help people that want to start or grow their own business. Even in the United States I have listed a number of people who have received grant money. Click on this link to go to my grants page to see a list of people who have received grant money.

There are so many myths about the grant process. The only way to show that the myths are wrong are with the actual facts.