Getting Started on your Government Grant

by: Michael Saunders

Grants are not Benefits or Entitlements. A Federal Grant is an award of financial assistance from a Federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States. Grants are not Federal assistance or loans to individuals.

Since 2002, the federal government has been developing and implementing Grants.gov as a collaborative cross-government program focused on streamlining grants management for the Federal grant community.

Most people in the United States are either unaware of, or biased against, government grants. They feel that applying for a grant involves too much red tape, and there is the popular myth that there are always strings attached. In reality, getting government grants is easy, and there are no strings attached because the government is mandated by congress to give these grants away for the benefit of United States citizens. Here are the basics you'll need to start applying for a government grant today.

Requirements for grants - the only real basic requirements for getting a government grant is that you must be at least 18 years of age and a United States citizen. It's that simple. Everything else is dependent on other variables based on the type of loan you're applying for. Additionally, there are even special grant programs dedicated to addressing the common needs of citizens who belong to specific ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.

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Did you know?

Applying at Grants.gov can reduce your costs and the time required to find government grant opportunities and process your application. The site provides access to multiple grantors and reduces paperwork.

By downloading a grant application package, you can view it offline, giving you the flexibility to complete the application when and where you want.

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Getting Started on your Government Grant
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About The Author Michael Saunders has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He edits a site on Government Grants for Small Businesses and also edits HandsNet - A Human Services News Website.

Additional Government Grants Resources

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Urban Waters Small Grants Program
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has recently constituted the development of the Urban Waters Small Grants Program wherein it seeks to solicit project proposals from eligible applicants who wish to contribute to the improvement of water quality in urban areas.

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Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program Groups
In line with this mission, the National Institutes of Health has recently collaborated with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in an attempt to establish the Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program Groups (MBCCOP).

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What You Need to Know About the Grants Policy Committee
The Chief Financial Officers Council, one of the largest federal agencies that works towards collaboratively improving the process of financial management in the United States Government, has established the Grants Policy Committee(GPC).

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Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research
The National Institutes of Health has formed a partnership with the National Cancer Institute(NCI) in an effort to establish the program entitled Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research.

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Fundraising Planning - A Vital Key to Nonprofit Success
As a professional grant writer and consultant, I am often amazed at how few nonprofit organizations actually have a fund development plan beyond a vague idea of applying for a few grants and sending ...

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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.

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