Government Grants
Business Grants
Home Owner Programs
Federal Programs
About Us
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
by: Rebecca Game
It's posted all over the Internet. You hear it on the radio, and see it on television. The United States government is giving away free money in the form of federal grants. While it's true that the government does indeed award $400 billion annually through its 26 federal entities, the statement of free money through the government doesn't exactly pinpoint the definition of a federal grant.
A grant isn't a gift or a free-for-all giveaway. It also doesn't mean that if you've been awarded a grant, you've won the lottery. According to American Government and Politics by Jay M. Shafritz, a grant is "a form of gift that entails certain obligations on the part of the grantee and expectations on the part of the grantor." The key word in this definition of the word is obligations. Getting a government grant will get you an unbelievable amount of obligations, and not fulfilling your obligations will, in turn, grant you legal problems.
The majority of federal grants that are awarded are the farthest thing from being considered free money. Grants are most often awarded to organizations planning major projects to benefit a community. It could include money to be used for repaving streets in a city. A grant could also be awarded for a nonprofit organization featuring an art exhibit or musical performance. Grants are also awarded for technological research, conservation, and flood control projects. While there are other sources that are awarded grant funding, in general, the free money aspect is lost, and individuals, in general, are not qualified for most grants other than those used for educational purposes such as to pay tuition bills for higher education. Businesses can also tap into the federal grant program, but only by meeting strict criteria through the government agency offering the grant, such as if grant funding is available for research in a particular area that is of specialty to that business.
Once the free money is provided through the grant, the organization that has been awarded the free money must keep careful track of all project expenditures. Organizations that are awarded free money must be prepared for detailed audits, which will be conducted by the Federal government annually or more often. Any money not spent and accounted for goes back to the United States Treasury, and is not extra free money for the organization. Detailed program goals must be developed, approved, and completed by the organization exactly as specified in the grant application without exception. Any unforeseen project changes that occur along the way must receive prior approval by the government agency that awarded the grant. All project phases must be completed as planned, and even more importantly, completed successfully and on time.
(continued...)
Free Money Through Grants: Fact or Fiction?
Page 2
About The Author
Rebecca Game is the founder of Digital Women ®, an online community for women in business. A 30 year entrepreneur and dedicated to helping other women find business loans. Visit her site: Loans for Women.
|
Additional Government Grants Resources
Keystone Home Loan Program For First Time Homebuyers in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, more commonly referred to as PHFA, is an independent agency that was established in the year 1972 in an effort to contribute to the provision of reasonable and affordable housing opportunities the elderly, persons and families of modest means, and people suffering from disabilities.
Migratory Bird Joint Ventures: Playa Lakes Joint Venture Base Operations
The Southwest Region of the US Fish and Wildlife Service is now seeking applications and proposals for the start of base operations, that is core support staff activities and functions, for the Playa Lakes Joint Venture partnership.
Small Business Administration's Recovery Capital Loans
The Recovery Capital Loans Program provides financial assistance to small business with less than 500 employees to obtain a deferred payment loan from the agency, in order to meet existing debt payments, thereby giving the business the opportunity to refocus their business strategy.
Grants From The Department of Agriculture
The US Department of Agriculture aims to achieve this mission by way of programs, including grants, loans and other forms of financial assistance that are made consistently made available to farmers and eligible agricultural sectors.
Research to Advance Vaccine Safety Program
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has partnered with the National Institutes of Health and as a result, has developed the Research to Advance Vaccine Safety Program, wherein it seeks to obtain a more thorough understanding vaccine safety.
Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program
The Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program intends to financially assist families as they repair or improve, purchase and improve, or refinance and improve their current residential properties that have been existent for more than a year.
Government Grants Within The United States Science and Technology Sector
The United States of America prides itself as one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the world. Boosting some of this generation's biggest state-of-the-art research laboratories, the United States government is constantly looking for ways to support and improve the nation's science and technology sector.
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
When it Comes to Social Enterprises, Failure is the Best Platform for Innovation
In the world of social enterprises, failure is a cringe-worthy moment nobody wants to talk about. But, social entrepreneurs can benefit from their failures.
