Free Money Through Grants: Fact or Fiction?
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The free money offered through a grant program can lead to financial and legal disaster to an organization that does not abide by the strict rules that the grant holds. By failing on a part of the obligation agreed upon when the grant is approved, the organization and/or persons in charge are held accountable. Penalties can range from economic sanctions to prison in the instance of improper use or theft of this free money.

The majority of grants, or free money, that is requested is applied for and awarded to other Federal agencies, state governments, city governments, colleges, universities, and research organizations and businesses. Few individuals have the money, time, and expertise necessary to prepare adequate applications that are awarded free money through federal grant funding. Most active grant seekers, such as universities, employ full-time grant writers to do nothing but apply for and administer Federal grant funding. A full staff of grant writers is not uncommon at a large university.

Because this free money through Federal grants is carefully monitored, the truth is that the money isn't actually free. Applying for Federal grants takes an unbelievable amount of time. Additionally, by even unintentionally not abiding by the grant's requirements, as mentioned, an individual that is unfamiliar with the Federal government's grant programs can find themselves in a financial or legal disaster. With Federal funding cutbacks and the competition for grant fundings becoming more intense, seeking free money through a grant requires not only time, but also money, with no guarantee of success.

Stating it plainly, Federal grants and free money are fictitious. Often, it's more work, not to mention more time and money spent obtaining a Federal grant, than obtaining a low interest loan. Large organizations, such as universities, can benefit from grant funding much easier because they can apply for multiple grants at once, and a skilled, knowledgeable staff can monitor the grant's use carefully. A small business or organization may not see as much success in obtaining a grant due to the time needed to apply, monitor funds, and prepare materials for auditing.

The plain truth is that with federal funding cutbacks and competition for them becoming more intense, seeking a federal grant always requires a lot of time and potentially a lot of money up front with no guarantee of success. Dedication is needed, and is the most important part of attempting to obtain free money through grant funding.

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. http://www.digital-women.com

Free Money Through Grants: Fact or Fiction?
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Additional Government Grants Resources

Higher Education Challenge Grants Program
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture has recently constituted the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program in an attempt to boost and enhance the quality of formal, postsecondary-level agricultural sciences education.

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United States Department of Agriculture: Rural Development
USDA Rural Development is an agency that is operating under the United States Department of Agriculture. The primary goal of the USDA RD is to assist in the improvement of the economy and quality of life in rural areas located in the United States.

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Construction Incentive Program for First Time Home Buyers in New York
Under the State of New York Mortgage Agency, the Construction Incentive Program has been established. The goal of this program is to enable the construction of one and two family homes through the provision of funds, up to 97% of the value of the property, to eligible low to moderate income first time home buyers.

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Small Business Administration's Loan Guarantees Program
The Small Business Administration has established the Loan Guarantees Program wherein they aim to be able to provide guaranteed loans to small business establishments which are not capable of acquiring financing from a private credit marketplace but greatly manifests the ability to repay funds in a timely manner.

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What You Need To Know About Grants.Gov
Grants.gov is one the largest websites that features at least 1,000 grant programs from 26 different federal grant-making agencies in the United States.

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Government Grants Within The United States Transportation Sector
Getting from point A to point B could be both the simplest and most complex issues to ever grace the existence of mankind. Though for the any government, especially the United States government which takes pride in the constantly ensuring the safety and welfare of its people, the issue of transportation is an entirely different story.

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Health Resources and Services Administration: Affordable Care Act - Immediate Facility Improvements Program
The HRSA administers health care grants to eligible individuals, in order to help them obtain safe and quality care through the Affordable Care Act Capital Development (Immediate Facility Improvements Program).

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