Government Grants

 

That being said, there are still ways small businesses can obtain, or at the very least, benefit from grant funding. One way would be to partner with other business, local, state, federal, non-profit or educational entities for a specific grant application.

 

When done correctly, a grant application process is time-consuming and applicants must be meticulous in completing them and providing supporting documentation. Many state and local agencies already have an employee in place whose sole job is to research and apply for grants. Why not partner with an organization with a grant application specialist already in place?

 

Grant processes, requests for proposals and grant specifications vary wildly, and businesses need to keep an open mind when surveying them. Instead of targeting grants whose specifications require exactly the product or service your firm offers, why not expand your search for different types of grants that might utilize some of the products or services you provide, or even something that you don’t currently provide but could provide if you had a commitment to purchase?

 

For instance, if your company is a nursery, you might want to consider working with a local agency that is pursuing a Coastal Restoration project grant. The same idea would work for a firm that leases or sells equipment, communication services, power lines, environmental labs, etc. Restoration work might include a need for vegetation replacement, earth moving projects, water sample testing, communication between workers and the overseeing agency, re-distribution of power lines, etc. 

 

The idea is to look for possibilities where you could collaborate with others for mutual benefit. When you apply this type of thinking toward grant research, additional possibilities open up. Alone, one business may not be able to pursue a grant, but with a collaborative project, the chance of being awarded a grant multiplies exponentially—for everyone involved.

 

This type of thinking helps to provide social capital for your community. When community leaders know that local businesses are willing to pool resources and work collaboratively for mutual benefit, it gives them the latitude to expand their grant search and their chances for funding to improve their economic viability and the quality of life for its citizens.

 

Notwithstanding those television ads, government grants don’t look much like free money. They can represent real opportunities, however, if approached realistically, diligently, and with an open mind.

 

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