The Truth Behind Gvernment Grants EXPOSED
Legal Ntice: While all attempts have been made t verify infrmatin prvided in this publicatin, neither the Authr nr the Publisher assumes any respnsibility fr errrs, missins, r cntrary interpretatin f the subject matter herein. This publicatin is nt intended fr use as a surce f legal r accunting advice. The Publisher wants t stress that the infrmatin cntained herein may be subject t varying state and/r lcal laws r regulatins. All users are advised t retain cmpetent cunsel t determine what state and/r lcal laws r regulatins may apply t the user's particular business. The Purchaser r Reader f this publicatin assumes respnsibility fr the use f these materials and infrmatin. Adherence t all applicable laws and regulatins, federal, state, and lcal, gverning prfessinal licensing, business practices, advertising, and all ther aspects f ding business in the United States r any ther jurisdictin is the sle respnsibility f the Purchaser r Reader. The Authr and Publisher assume n respnsibility r liability whatsever n the behalf f any Purchaser r Reader f these materials. Any perceived slights f specific peple r rganizatins are unintentinal. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...3 INTRODUCTION...5 THE TYPE OF GRANT YOU NEED...7 ENTITLEMENTS...10 LOANS...11 IT S YOUR CHOICE...12 THE GRANT FOR YOU...13 GRANT IDEAS THAT MAY WORK FOR YOU...15 TAKING THE FIRST STEPS...16 WHAT A PROJECT SUMMERY SHOULD LOOK LIKE...17 PROJECT BUDGET...19 KEEPING TRACK OF THE RESULTS...22 TRACKING EXAMPLE...23 PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON YOUR APPLICATION...25 THE FUN PART...26 WAITING FOR YOUR GRANT...28 FEDERAL GRANTS...29 GRANTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES...30 RESOURCES AND REFERENCES...31 STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGES:...31 3
OFFICIAL STATE PAGES:...33 STATE GRANTS PAGES:...35 CONCLUSION...40 4
Intrductin Befre we get int all the ways yu can get a gvernment grant, I d like t start f with clearing sme things up abut gvernment grants. I m sure yu ve seen sme late night infmercials with sme guy ranting and raving abut hw easy it is t get a grant, and hw simple it is t slve all f yur mney prblems. Want a huse? Get a grant! Want t write a bk? Get a grant! Start a business? Get a grant! all yu have t d is simple send sme mney ver t the guy n yur TV screen and all yur mney prblems will be ver, right? Well, nt exactly. I dn t knw abut yu, but t me all that sunds a little bit t gd t be true. S what is the truth? Well, it s smewhere in between The Federal Gvernment DOES grant ver $30 BILLION dllars every year. Unfrtunately, mst f it des NOT g int the hands f peple like yu and me. Mst f that mney ends up in the hands f: Cunty gvernments City r twnship gvernments Independent schl districts State cntrlled institutins f higher educatin Native American tribal gvernments (Federally recgnized) Nnprfits ther than institutins f higher educatin [includes cmmunity actin agencies and ther rganizatins having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS] Private institutins f higher educatin, State gvernments Mst f that cl 30 Billin dllars ends up in the hands f the rganizatins listed abve, and when I say mst I mean rughly 95%. Nw ask yurself, des yur family fit int any f the categries abve? Prbably nt. Anther 20 billin in grants is als prvided by private fundatins and trusts every single year. But Again, the vast majrity ges t nn-prfit rganizatins. Nw I knw what yu must be thinking, but dn t be discuraged because understanding that yu d nt qualify fr the majrity f Federal and Private Grants is the first step t actually getting a grant. 5
Nw, d yu ntice hw I keep telling yu abut FEDERAL grants and hw yu dn t qualify fr mst f them? Well, there are grants available at the state level that yu can apply fr and actually receive. This is what the majrity f this ebk will fcus n grants yu actually qualify fr! Als, even thugh yu dn t qualify fr mst f the federal grants that are given ut every single year? There are sme (nt a lt) f Federal and Private Grants that yu may be eligible fr. Of curse, I will let yu knw abut these grants later n in this ebk. Hwever, yu must knw that these kinds f grants are limited and yu will have many cmpetitrs that are trying t get the same grants as yu. With that said, if yu knw what yu are ding yu can attain these limited grants. If yu thught that all yu had t d was buy this ebk, chse the amunt f mney yu want and get the grant yu want I m srry t disappint yu, but it s nt that easy. Think abut it, if it was that easy I wuld be way t busy getting grant after grant t write this ebk. With all that being said, Yu CAN receive grant funds. Yu just have t knw where t lk and what t d and wh t talk t. Yu must fcus n the grants yu actually qualify fr, instead f taking stabs in the dark. This bk will pint yu in the right directin, give yu the right infrmatin and tls and walk yu step-by step thrugh the prcess. Ok, s nw that I ve cleared a few things up abut grants. If yu are nt t disappinted with the truth, let s prceed nt the first part f this ebk and teach yu all the realistic methds t getting the grant yu need... 6
The Type Of Grant Yu Need First ff, there is smething yu abslutely MUST knw: yu might nt even need a grant, It culd be that yu need an entitlement rather than a grant, r maybe there is are n grants available t fill yur needs but there are a whle bunch f lans. If yu dn t knw the difference, then it will be very hard fr yu t get the mney yu need. First ff, what exactly are grants? Grants are: mney granted t yu that yu never have t pay back. As we talked abut in the intrductin, yu simply dn t qualify fr mst gvernment r private grants. Hwever, there are still grants that yu can receive. Every grant always cmes with cnditins. Fr example: If yu meet the fllwing qualificatins, AND prve a need, AND present a cmpelling prpsal, AND present an accurate budget, AND allw us t check n yur prgress, AND send us prf f the utcme, THEN we will put yu in cmpetitin fr this grant. Nw yu knw what I mean when I talk abut cnditins. That sunds like a lt f stuff t get thrugh. And smetimes it is, but I will teach yu step-by-step hw t get thrugh it all. Fr nw, all yu need t knw is that a grant is mney that is granted t yu that yu will never have t pay back. It is mney that is given t yu after yu agree t sme cnditins. It is mney that is given after cmpeting grant applicatins are cmpared t each ther. The winning grant applicatins get the mney. Nw, let s mve nt smething called Entitlements: Entitlements are in many ways like benefits. Entitlements are simply prgrams that, if yu qualify, will pay yu mney r prvide services fr yu. Sme examples f entitlements are: Scial Security Medicare Unemplyment Wrker s Cmpensatin S what s s great abut entitlements? Well, first f all they are mney that is granted t yu which yu will nt have t pay back, and secnd: there are a TON 7
f them! In fact, yu might even already qualify fr several f them and nt even knw abut it (I will help yu find ut). Right nw, yu might be entitled t free winterizatin f yur hme, free mechanical upgrades fr yur car r even free help with yur utilities. Entitlements are there fr everyne in the United States. Yu just have t knw where t lk fr them and what it takes t qualify fr them. There will be a whle sectin n entitlements later n in this ebk, but fr nw just knw that entitlements are benefits that yu may be qualified t receive AND That there are a LOT f them. Lans bviusly have ne majr fundamental difference: Lans are mney that yu have t pay back and there is an interest charge. There are federally guaranteed lans fr just abut any purpse. If yu are starting a business, there is a lw, cst, minimum requirement lan fr yu. If yu are ging t cllege, there are lans fr yu. If yu are buying a huse, there s a lan. Basically, lans are a way t get mney fairly easily, with nt a lt f hassles. They d take sme paperwrk and sme preparatin, but they are available virtually fr everyne f curse, the majr drawback f lans when cmparing them t grants is that yu d have t pay lans back. S, yu have three basic ways t get mney fr yur family: Grants, Entitlements and Lans. Nw cmes the questin; which is right fr yu? Well, that depends n yur situatin. Let s talk it ut and see which way f getting sme extra mney fr yur family s gals is mst apprpriate fr yu. If yu need the mney right away and yur family has an incme abve the Federal Pverty Line, (see belw) a lan is prbably the right way fr yu t g. 2003 HHS Pverty Guidelines Size f Family Unit 48 Cntiguus States and D.C. Alaska Hawaii 1 $ 8,980 $11,210 $10,330 2 12,120 15,140 13,940 3 15,260 19,070 17,550 4 18,400 23,000 21,160 5 21,540 26,930 24,770 6 24,680 30,860 28,380 7 27,820 34,790 31,990 8 30,960 38,720 35,600 Fr each additinal persn, add 3,140 3,930 3,610 8
Yu prbably dn t qualify fr very many, if any, entitlements and a grant is a lnger prcess than yu want t undertake if yu need the mney quickly. Check the chart abve t see where yur family stands. Nw, mst entitlement prgrams use 150% f the Federal Pverty Guidelines t qualify yu. S, if yu have a family f 3 and make belw $22,890.00 a year, yu may qualify fr sme entitlements. If yu fit this categry, yu will be able t see what entitlements yu and yur family may qualify fr later n in this ebk. If yur family incme puts yu well abve the guidelines, yu may want t lk at guaranteed federal lan prgrams. These prgrams are a little mre restrictive abut what yu can use the mney fr, but the prcess is fairly simple and fairly quick. If yu fit int this categry, yu will be able t learn all abut it later n in the ebk. Ok, ne mre thing yu shuld knw is that the ideal situatin fr receiving a grant is when yu dn t really need the mney immediately. Grants usually take a while, they are nt instant. If yu are getting by fine and have sme time t wait, then a grant is fr yu. NOTE: Mst grants are awarded twice a year, sme are awarded every 3 mnths. Almst all grants have a deadline and If yu miss it, yu will have t wait t apply at the beginning f the next grant cycle (This culd mean waiting as much as a year t reapply) Hwever, there are a few grants (mst f them at the state level) that are awarded cnstantly. These grants tend t be fr very specific things. Things like the arts, music, educatinal activities etc. S if yu qualify fr this type f grant, the prcess is very shrt. S, it all depends n hw quickly yu need the mney and f curse, hw much mney yu have nw. If yu are having an emergency (fired, injured, unemplyed etc.) then lk at entitlements first. Yu can get help almst immediately. If yu are lking lng term and have the day-t-day expenses cvered, then lk t a grant r lan. Next I will tell yu abut entitlements and where t find which nes may apply t yur situatin. Yu will find resurces t research the entitlement prgrams, bth n a Federal and state level. Yu will als find ut hw t tell if yu qualify fr these entitlements. S, let s prceed t entitlements and determine which nes best fit yur situatin... 9
Entitlements Befre yu g n, take a lk at the Federal Pverty Guidelines in the previus sectin. Figure 150% f thse incmes. Because If yur family incme is less than r even $1000 abve thse guidelines, yu just may be qualified fr a lt f entitlements (which is bviusly gd news) But If yur incme is greatly higher than the guidelines, yu can pretty much skip this whle sectin f the ebk. If it lks like yu fall int the guidelines, g t http://www.firstgv.gv/citizen/tpics/benefits.shtml Yu will find an exhaustive list f entitlements/benefits n that website. Click arund and research any that may apply t yu. The qualificatins are all there and yu can see fr yurself if yu qualify r nt. Yu can als read abut the prgram and see if it will give yu the help yu are lking fr. Yu can als g t: http://www.gvbenefits.gv/index.jsp On that page, yu are given tw chices t search. The ne n the left let s yu answer questins and then the prgram will find benefits that fit yur answers. The ne n the right just lets yu search withut answering any questins. It s yur chice. Bth will give yu great results. Anther (the best) resurce fr entitlements/benefits is yur lcal Department f Health and Human Resurces. Nearly every cunty in the natin has ne. Call them and make an appintment. They are there t help yu and d an excellent jb at it. Entitlements are nt fr everyne and cn nt serve every purpse. D sme research and see if they fit yur needs. If they d, jump in and get started. The prgrams wrk! If they dn t fit yur needs just keep reading, yu will find smething that fits yur needs. 10
Lans NOTE: Befre yu skip this part f the ebk just because yu knw that lans aren t Free Mney. Just stp and read ver the next few paragraphs because lans are a great way t get mney yu need, they dn t take as lng as grants and are easier t get. First ff, there are all types f lans. The nes that will be cvered in this ebk are federally r state guaranteed. Yu may als just g t a bank r re-mrtgage yur hme, the rates are very lw right nw and this may seem appealing. Just remember, yu are putting yur huse up fr cllateral. If yu need mney fr cllege, try yur lcal schl guidance cunselr. They have piles f infrmatin. Lans are nt typically a lng-term fix f a prblem. They are mre f a tl t get ut f a prblem and get started ver, r just get started perid. S be careful with lans fr a family prblem. They may just end up hurting yu mre in the lng run. Hwever, if yu are starting a business, a lan is THE vehicle fr yu. Nw let s g n t the next sectin 11
It s Yur Chice Ok, by nw yu have all the infrmatin yu need t g n in rder t make a gd chice in deciding the methd yu can use t get mney fr yu and yur family. Hpefully yu have dne sme thinking, lked at all the prs and cns f each way t get sme extra mney and cmpared them t yur wn persnal situatin. Remember: if yu need immediate help and yu dn t make a whle lt f mney, an entitlement is prbably best fr yu. The peple at the Department f Health and Human resurces will be glad t help yu. The prcess is shrt and yu get the help yu need almst immediately. If yu are lking t start a business r g t cllege, a lan is prbably best fr yu. Mst cllege lans dn t usually require a ttal refinancing f yur hme and the business lans may accept things like cmputer equipment, furniture, etc. as cllateral. The prcess is a bit lnger, but very easily managed with sme help. If yu really dn t need the mney but want t think lng-term fr yur family, then the whle grant prcess is prbably the best way t g. Just remember that this is nt a quick prcess and takes sme preparatin. Ok, nw that yu knw all yur ptins and the different ways yu culd get mney fr yu and yur family, I hpe this ebk has already pinted yu in the right directin. The rest f this ebk will fcus n Grants, s let s get t it... 12
The Grant Fr Yu Alright, yu ve lked at all the ptins and have decided that a grant is exactly what yu need. Yu ve made the first step twards getting the mney yu need. The next step is t make things a little mre fcused and targeted. S let s prceed helping yu get clser t getting that grant. Ok, yu knw that yu want a grant. But yu must ask yur self: why d I need the grant and what will I use it fr? What services are yu ging t render t thers that will justify the gvernment giving yu mney? What can yu d that merits getting free mney? That s a pretty hard questin, but dn t wrry I ll clear things up fr yu. Here s a list f things that are generally cvered by grants: Research int new technlgies Develpment f new technlgies Transferring new technlgies t the marketplace These first 3 activities are paid fr frm the federal budget. We ll have a chapter n just these activities in a little while. Sing fr the public Play music fr the public Dance fr the public Act fr the public Tell jkes fr the public Read petry fr the public Read abut histrical figures fr the public D a craft fr the public Teach a seminar fr the public Help a public grup get rganized Help a public grup market itself 13
That list is very lng, t lng t put in this ebk. But I m sure yu get the idea: Yu d smething fr the public that will teach them smething, make their lives better r entertain them and the gvernment will pay yu t d it. Yu dn t have t be a wrld-class perfrmer r artist r scientist t get a grant. Yu just have t d yur research and see what actins the state yu live in is giving grants fr. Can yu teach smene t wrk n autmbiles? Can yu be an histrical figure fr an hur? Can yu shw a grup hw t set up their accunting system? The best way t get a grant is t lk at what is currently being funded and tailr yur grant applicatin accrdingly. This imprtant first step will save yu a LOT f time and effrt and frustratin. Nw I m nt saying that yu shuld cpy ther peple s ideas! Just use thse ideas as a springbard t yur wn apprach t prviding services t the residents f yur state and perhaps neighbring states. That s the number ne secret t getting a grant! Ok, nw t start this prcess all yu have t d is d sme research n the state yu live in (Mst grants yu qualify fr are at the state level) s it is best yu start there. And here is great website where yu can start n yur reasearch. Just click t find yur state and then g t the Arts sectin. G ahead and lk at the ther sectins fr yur state, t. Yu are specifically lking fr any mentin f grants. http://www.statelcalgv.net/index.cfm After ding a quick search just a minute ag, the first ne I came t, I fund a TON f grants fr $5000.00! Nw yu need t d the same thing fr yur state and brdering states. See what they are interested in funding and write dwn any that lk interesting t yu. Nw brwse arund n the website I just tld yu abut, d sme research and make a list f all the pssible ptins. Once yu have dne sme research, mve n t the next sectin 14
Grant Ideas That May Wrk Fr Yu Ok, nw that yu ve dne sme research and a bit f brwsing n that website I m sure yu re getting all kinds f ideas (hpefully at least 4 r 5). And nw that yu have a few pssibilities, what yu need t d is chse just ne. Why just ne? Well, first f all, a lt f the grants are administered by the same department f state gvernment and if yu send 5 different grant applicatins t the same department, yu might make them a bit cnfused and that wn t help yur chances at all. It s much better strategy t get ne grant apprved, r in the prcess f being apprved, befre yu ask fr mre mney. It s als a gd idea t fully cmplete ne grant, ask t extend that ne and send in a new prject at that time because the state department yu re wrking with will have a track recrd with yu and are much mre likely t re-fund yur first grant and fund yur new grant at the same time. Nw that yu ve gt a few ideas that are interesting t yu, yu need t pick JUST ONE! Make it the ne yu are mst cmfrtable with, the ne yu like the best. Yu are ging t be living with this grant fr a while, s yu d better like it! S pick just ne idea that yu think is best fr yu and let s mve n t the next sectin 15
Taking The First Steps Once yu ve gt yur prject idea, the next step is t get started n a grant applicatin. There are a few things that are cmmn t every grant applicatin, the grant yu apply fr frm yur state will prbably have a few mre requirements. We ll g ver thse in a mment, fr nw let s mve n But befre yu start filling ut thse placatin frms, yu must d a little bit f wrk yurself t give yu a better chance f getting that grant. Yu must first be very knwledgeable n the subject yu are suppsed t get the grant fr. Yu can t simply walk int a place and say I want t be a Gerge Washingtn impersnatr and teach kids abut him withut knwing anything abut Gerge Washingtn. In ther wrds: d sme research, a little bit f studying and abve all KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT befre yu even tuch a grant applicatin frm. I am just using that as an example. Whatever yu have decided t pursue as a grant prject, d the wrk upfrnt. Have a finished prduct befre yu apply. Yu ll see that every grant requires, at the very least, a detailed explanatin f yur prpsed prject. Many want a sample f it, s if yu can, make a vide presentatin (it will help yu ut a great deal). This prcess will als let yu see if the prject fits yu if this is smething yu wuld enjy ding. Dn t make the mistake f just filling ut the applicatin and trying t BS yur way thrugh the Prject Summary. It will be bvius t the peple wh review the applicatins. D the wrk upfrnt! After yu have yur prject designed and ready, g get the applicatin frm frm the department yu are ging t be wrking with in yur state. Mst states have the frms nline s that yu can just dwnlad it and print it ut. Dwnlad it nw and print yurself abut 5 cpies. Read ver it and understand it. Sme f the frms will ask fr yur prject summary n the frm itself. It is usually very imprtant t keep these summaries brief and t the pint. If the frm asks yu fr mre detail r gives yu an ptin fr additinal sheets, write ut a detailed prject summary which yu will see an example f n the next page... 16
What a Prject Summery Shuld Lk Like Yu can use the fllwing prject summery as an example mdel in rder t help yu write yur wn. But dn t just cpy it wrd fr wrd, be sure t include everything psitive there is t knw abut yur prject. In ther wrds: use this as a mdel, use it fr the guidelines and NOT yur actual summery. The Craft f Business Fr Crafters Prject Summary After sme persnal research, I have cme t the cnclusin that the vast majrity f crafters in ur state are very talented and passinate artists. Hwever, they are usually nt s talented when it cmes t business practices. I prpse t remedy that situatin by ffering my cnsiderable business knwledge t crafters thrughut the state. I will accmplish this by hlding free seminars fr crafters where we wuld g int detail abut all f the fllwing tpics: A simple bkkeeping system Are yu making mney n that item? Best business practices Business rules and regulatins Hw t market effectively D I need t be n the Internet? There are 14 mre tpics included in the curse utline I have included with this applicatin. I am certain that, with sme simple fine-tuning, ur crafter cmmunity in this state wuld be mre vibrant, mre prfitable and perhaps be able t create mre jb pprtunities as they grw. I prpse t ffer this service free f charge t all crafters in ur state. In my prpsed budget, I have figured 1 seminar a weekend fr 52 weeks. The amunt I am requesting reflects my minimal travel expenses and 4 actual hurs f instructinal time plus the cst f paper handuts given t the seminar attendees. 17
My prject als entails fllw-up with these crafters by phne, mail and email t reinfrce the lessns and t track the prgram s effectiveness. A prject end reprt will recrd all f this data in rder t mnitr and recrd ur success as well as tweak the prgram t make it mre effective in fllwing years. After a reasnable amunt f grant- supprted seminars, the prgram wuld have a track recrd f successes and culd start t charge a small fee frm each crafter attending the seminars. This wuld lead t the prgram being self-sufficient in future years. In summary, The Craft f Business Fr Crafters wuld have a psitive affect n ur crafter cmmunity by allwing them t be mre rganized, mre legally cmpliant and, mst imprtantly, mre prfitable. I have included a curse utline as well as a videtape f me actually hlding a seminar fr crafters in my cunty. I urge yu t apprve this grant. It will make a huge difference t the crafters f ur state. Ok, nw frm reading the abve did yu ntice hw I did nt include abslutely everything there is abut my prject? I just included the psitives, which is dne t draw the attentin f the persn reading my prpsal. The Prject Summary is just that, a summary. Use it t spark interest. Interest enugh t read the whle applicatin. The peple wh screen these applicatins see them all day. Yu need t make them want t read yurs and hpefully put it n tp f the pile! Yu shuld als ntice that I referenced the additinal items I included with the applicatin the curse utline and a videtape. This gets acrss the fact that these are an imprtant part f the applicatin and shuld be taken int accunt. The Prject summery is a very imprtant part f getting apprved fr a grant, it is the first impressin and we all knw h imprtant it is t make a gd first impressin. Make sure yur summery is nt full f spelling mistakes and sunds prfessinal. Be sure t be enthusiastic and psitive. Use wrds like will instead f wuld, they srt f take fr granted that the grant will be apprved and the prgram will wrk. If yu are thinking, wuld it means maybe desn t sund t psitive, des it? 18
Prject Budget The mst imprtant part f the grant applicatin (fr the peple reviewing it) is the prject budget, r the Mney Part r yur whle prject and applicatin. N matter hw rich yu think the gvernment is, every department that awards grants has a budget they have t wrk within. They have t wrk hard t get the mney frm the state legislature. They have t be able t shw thse in charge the results, s they are very much aware f the csts and expenses yur prject might have t these guys, the dllar amunt is very imprtant. Sme departments have certain levels f funding. The mst I have ever seen awarded t an individual is $20,000.00. Mst departments have, fr example, a $5000.00 and $10,000.00 prgram and nt anything in between. S, if yu re Prject Budget cmes in at $7,500.00 it desn t fit. S befre yu decide what amunt grant yu want, d sme research and see what levels the department yu are planning t apply t ffers. This will help yu set up yur budget accrdingly, and prevent yu frm making the mistake f asking fr mre mney than the department is prepared t grant yu. It s als a gd idea t lk arund their site and see if they have a list f grants awarded in previus years. This is very instructive in that yu can see what has been successful in the past and hw much mney was awarded. S try yur best t wrk within the limits f the grants that are available t yu, yur states budget is likely very tight and even thugh yu may think yur prject is amazing. Try t keep in mind that the peple reviewing yur prject see many thers like it every single day, and wuld rather chse ne that is within their budget than risk their mney. Okay, after yu ve dne a little research n funding levels, it s time t start n yur prject budget. Yu need t be able t justify every dllar yu ask fr...and justify it n the state s terms. Here is smething that mst peple mess up n: The Federal Guidelines fr travel expense is smewhere arund 36 cents a mile. Mst states d nt use that figure! I ve seen everything frm 30 cents t 35 cents. Yu need t see what yur state figures mileage reimbursement at. Yu can usually find this thrugh a Ggle search. T be safe, if yu can t find it, use 30 cents a mile. Just remember nt t g verbard with yur figures when writing up yur budget, be very mdest because the persns reviewing yur budget will always try and be as cnservative as they pssibly can when figuring ut yur expenses. 19
Yu need t list things like mileage, yur time, printed materials yu will need, special equipment, (like slide prjectrs, sund equipment, etc). Anything yu wuld use exclusively fr yur prject. A great tip abut this: If yu need a sund system (r anything) fr yur prject and yu already have ne, put the amunt yu paid fr the piece f equipment int yur budget with an asterisk after it. Then write that yu have already purchased this item. It shws yur cmmitment t the prject! Always helps the apprval prcess. Ok, nw t help yu ut with yur prject budget, here is an example f what ne shuld lk like: Prject: The Craft Of Business Fr Crafters Start Date: July 1, End Date June 30, Assumptins: 1 seminar weekly fr 52 weeks 1 paid lcal newspaper ad fr each seminar Maximum mileage charged: 200 miles ne way Budget: Newspaper ads: 52 ads X $8.00 $ 416.00 Mileage: 400 miles X 52 X.30 $ 6240.00 Slide Prjectr: ** $ 300.00 Handuts: 1000 X.05 $ 50.00 Instructinal Time 208 hurs X 15.00 $ 3120.00 Misc. Csts $ 174.00 Ttal Budget: $10,000.00 ** I have already purchased this item in anticipatin f using it in this prject. It is nt added int the budget. The budget is pretty straightfrward. Yu will ntice I put a cap n hw much mileage I wuld charge. If yu live in a big state like Texas r Califrnia, yu will prbably want t adjust this accrdingly. I als discunted my time drastically. In the majrity f state grants, yu make mst f yur mney in mileage reimbursements. In the example budget, it was ver 60% f the budget. 20
In this example, the state had a limit f $10,000.00. If I had valued my time at my usual rate f $50 an hur, the hurly rate alne wuld have brught me well ver the budget. I have fund ver the years that state departments understand mileage well they deal with it n a daily basis. Mst f them get reimbursed fr their mileage when they travel n state business. This is their cmfrt zne. When yu set yur hurly wage, it makes n sense t the wrkers reviewing yur applicatin fr yu t be making $50 an hur. Simply because mst f them make abut $15 an hur n average, and it is difficult fr them t understand yur $50 an hur requirement. Nw g n and start n yur budget. Remember t stay within the funding levels established by yur state. And remember t stay within budget. 21
Keeping Track Of The Results When the state gives yu $10,000 fr a prject, they want t knw what the utcme is, they want t knw the results. In fact, they lve tracking hw well yu d and will even require yu t track yur wn results and reprt back t them... which is understandable, if yu put yurself in their spt. But, yu must shw the way yu will be tracking everything right in yur grant applicatin. A few states dn t expressly require this, but I assure yu they will be impressed and take nte when yu include this in yur applicatin (it makes their lives easier and shws that yu are serius abut what yu want t d) Again, budgets are tight in almst every state. The departments have t justify their grants t the legislature. Tracking methds frm yu help them in that task. If yu help them, they are likely t take nte and return the favr in the frm f a grant. Tracking can be as simple r as cmplicated as yu want t make it. An example f a simple system wuld be keeping a list f peple wh attended yur presentatin (if that is what yu are ging fr) and getting sme cmments frm a few f them. The Craft f Business prject used a little mre sphisticated tracking. That guy tracked prfits after the seminar in cmparisn with prfits befre the seminar. This, t, was very successful. Just t let yu knw hw it wrks, here is an example f this strategy: 22
Tracking Example In rder t shw that that my prject is effective in its task, I have develped the fllwing methd t track its effectiveness. 1. I will keep a cmplete list f names and addresses f each persn wh attends a presentatin. 2. These lists will be brken dwn int Senatrial Districts t allw ur legislatrs a view f the gd things that this prject is bringing t their district. 3. I will als hand ut and get back cmment frms frm the audiences. These frms will als be handled as abve. 4. I will keep receipts f every expenditure cvered by this grant and turn then int the department fr accuntability f every grant dllar. 5. I will make myself available, at anytime, fr interim checks f the prject status. 6. I will faithfully, and in a timely manner, cmplete and return all frms required by the state t cmplete this grant. As yu can see, it really is quite simple yu dn t need t be a genius t use this type f system. I hpe yu ntice that I tied in the pliticians. This is very imprtant! The mney cmes t the departments frm them. If yu send the department a list f attendees, wh d yu think they will send that list t? That s right, the legislatrs. With a nte saying, Lk what we did fr the vters in yur district! The legislatrs, if they are smart, will turn arund and send ut a letter asking their cnstituents hw they liked yur presentatin that they made pssible. See hw it wrks? I als put in a sectin that deals with the frms the state wants frm yu at the end f the grant (This is actually a big prblem fr mst beginners). Mst peple simply dn t turn these grant clsing frms in. Yu dn t have t bther with that, yu can almst be assured f never getting anther grant if yu d. By stating that in yur tracking, yu are saying that yu recgnize this prblem and wn t be a part f it. Again, yu shuld make the peple giving yu the grant as happy as pssible. 23
And there yu have it, that pretty much sums up what tracking is all abut (make it shw numbers that will be imprtant t the department and the pliticians) Ok, after yu re dne with that it s time t mve n t the next part f yur applicatin... 24
Putting the Finishing Tuches On Yur Applicatin Ok great, yu ve nw gt everything yu need t put the applicatin tgether and mail it in. T make yu feel even better, nt a lt f peple actually get this far and g thrugh with making an applicatin that has a real chance f getting yu a grant. Yu ve figured ut that yu need a grant, nt a lan r an entitlement. Yu ve dne yur research n yur state s grant situatin, wh s giving grants and what fr. Yu ve narrwed dwn the grant pssibilities t ne that really appeals t yu. Yu ve written a prject summary, a prject budget and a prject tracking strategy. Nw, let s put it all tgether. S get that grant applicatin and fill it ut cmpletely (d yur best nt t leave anything blank). When yu leave a blank, sme staff member at the department yu are applying t has t figure ut what ges in there, r even wrse, puts yur applicatin back in the mail t tell yu t fill in the missing infrmatin. Needless t say, this hurts yur chances f getting the grant yu want. And always be sure t keep the peple wh review yur applicatin happy, d exactly what they ask f yu and make sure yur applicatin is as clear as it pssibly can be (it is usually better t type it up rather than hand write it). Yu shuld have an applicatin frm, a prject summary, a prject budget, a prject tracking strategy and any supprting material yu have decided t add (curse utline r vide, fr example) Sme states will have ther frms yu need t fill ut when applying. They are always either n the Internet site r in the package yu get in the mail frm the department. Make sure yu fill ut and return every required frm. Be sure t mail in yur applicatin in well befre the grant deadline passes, that way yu will have plenty f time fr it t get the OK. It s a gd idea t send yur applicatin packs by registered mail, s yu get a receipt that they actually gt it. Make sure t take a lk ver everything, t be sure it is 100% cmpleted and has n spelling mistakes. Make yurself at least 6 cpies f the entire package! And send the whle thing in (r drp it ff if yu can) Ok, nw that was ne majr step t the whle prcess. Let s g n t the next step 25
The Fun Part As yu might recall, I said in the beginning f this ebk that grants can be very cmpetitive. Hw cmpetitive yu ask? Well, it has been estimated by prfessinal grant writers that fr each grant awarded there are 10 grant applicatins n average, f curse there culd be less cmpetitin fr the grant yu are applying fr but then again, it culd als be mre! This part f the ebk will tell yu hw yu can utshine yur cmpetitin, s yur grant request can have a real chance f getting apprved every time yu send it in. Get n the department website and find the name and phne number f the grant manager r grant administratr r prject manager (every department has smene wh manages the grant sectin). Of curse they may use different titles, but there is always smene in charge. Once yu find wh that persn is, and have their telephne number call them and tell them that yu have just sent in a grant applicatin. They will likely ask yu abut the prject. Get enthusiastic and tell them abut it. Ask them t take a lk at it and give yu sme help n it. Yu ll be surprised hw helpful these peple are. They really want yu t get that grant. If yu think abut it, withut peple t grant mney t they wuldn t have a jb! The grant manager may see a few mistakes in yur applicatin, r maybe give sme advice n what needs t be change. If yu get advice t make sme changes, make the changes! These peple knw grants inside and ut, take their advice. NOTE: Nt nly des this apprach get yu sme priceless advice n bettering yur chances fr getting a grant. But yu might actually get yur prpsal stuck in the grant managers mind, which has a gd chance f lifting yu abve yur cmpetitin. The next thing yu need t d is get the name and address f each f yur state legislatrs. Yu prbably have 1 r 2 state senatrs and 1-2 state representatives. Write them a letter and tell them that yu have applied fr a grant; tell them what the grant will d fr the vters in their district; and ask them fr their supprt in getting the grant. Again, yu ll be amazed at the respnse t this. Pliticians lve t lk like they are helping their vters. This ne isn t all that hard fr them t d. Just a phne call r nte t the department is all it takes. The affect n the department is 26
astunding als. After all, this is where they get their mney. They will listen t a legislatr. Nw, get the name and address f the chairman f yur cunty cmmissin r gverning bard and write them a letter almst identical t the legislatr letter yu wrte earlier. These peple can make phne calls in supprt f yur grant. Their mtivatin is that the mre mney that is granted t a cunty, the mre the ecnmy prspers. The mre the ecnmy prspers, the greater the chance they will be re-elected. Als, it is a gd idea t let yur lcal paper knw abut yur grant applicatin. Give them a cpy f yur prject summary. Mst lcal papers are starved fr lcal news. Yu may be surprised at the article yu get frm just this ne thing. What yu need t d is make yurself stand ut frm the crwd withut being arrgant. Because the whle prcess f making yurself stand ut and being heard after yu submit the applicatin is in sme cases just as imprtant as the applicatin itself. If yu have a gd prject, a gd applicatin and gd plitical fllw-up, yur chances are greatly imprved fr a grant award. 27
Waiting Fr Yur Grant After yu ve send in yur applicatin and did all yu culd d t prmte and get it apprved by cntacting yur lcal pliticians and even media. All yu culd d is wait fr a respnse. What may happen is yu can get a letter in a few weeks that advise yu t change a few things in yur applicatin r even prject plan. Take their advice as they d knw what they are talking abut, and it is actually in their best interest t give yu the grant. Yu might get a letter that infrms yu yur grant applicatin has been denied, alng with the reasns why. Make sure t take nte f thse reasns s yu d nt repeat the same mistakes twice. And if all ges will, yu will get a letter r phne call that tells yu yur grant has been apprved. If this happens, be sure t thank all thse wh helped yu and prvide them with a cpy f the letter (yu will need t keep gd relatins with these peple fr yur next grant). Once yu have been awarded a grant, make sure yu d everything that is required by the grant. Turn in the frms, fllw up with department frequently, d a great jb ut there in the field. Make yurself smene wh will be much mre apt t get anther grant next time. Once yu get the hang f the whle grant applicatin prcess, yu will be able t quickly plug in new grant ideas int yur existing system and get apprved fr many mre grants. And if yu can prve t the gvernment that what yu are using the grants fr is having a psitive effect n yur cmmunity, r state yu will always be able t find mney that yu can put t gd use. 28
Federal Grants As I said befre, yu d NOT apply fr mst federal grants. They are extremely narrw in their fcus and are extremely cmpetitive. They are still wrth mentining and lking int, because it is pssible t attain a federal grant. But it is quite difficult and can take years! Yu can attain a federal grant if fr example yu are an inventr and have an inventin that fits the needs f the U.S. Gvernment, there may be sme funding fr yu. Befre yu d anything, make sure that yu have a legal patent r have a patent pending n the inventin. Just be aware f the many rip-ffs in this area and really d yur research n any cmpany that ffers t help yu get a patent. Anther area f interest t the Federal Gvernment is the ability t take research and develpment prducts and make them available t the public at large. This is knwn as technlgy transfer. Mst majr universities have a prgram r a department that deals with this area. G t: http://www.grants.gv/search/searchhme.d t get mre details n grants that are available fr these tw areas. The last time I searched that site there were many (a few hundred) pssible grants available. It makes fr sme very technical reading, but if yu are in the fields in which they are interested, it shuld nt be a prblem fr yu. If yu are interested in technlgy transfer, the premier institutin in the natin is the Rbert C. Byrd Natinal Technlgy Transfer Center, lcated in Wheeling, West Virginia. They get a huge amunt f Federal funds t help yu get an inventin t market. G t http://www.nttc.edu/ t find ut mre. Infrmatin n bth research/develpment and technlgy transfer is als available at The Small Business Administratin website, http://www.sba.gv/sbir/ There are a lt f pprtunities here, and a lt f mney t be granted. But nce again, it is very cmpetitive and yu must knw exactly what yu will be using the grant fr and hw yu will accmplish yur gals. 29
Grants Outside The United States Dn t live in the US? Nt a prblem. The United States is nt the nly cuntry in the wrld that awards grants t its residence. Many ther cuntries have excellent grant systems in place, here are sme resurces t help yu ut Eurpean Unin http://www.eugrants.rg/frametemplate.html Australia http://www.grantslink.gv.au/ Wrldwide http://www.wrldbank.rg/rmc/jsdf/index.htm Wrldwide http://web.wrldbank.rg/wbsite/external/opportunities/grant S/DEVMARKETPLACE/0,,menuPK:180652~pagePK:180657~piPK:180651 ~thesitepk:205098,00.html 30
Resurces and References Here, I ve put tgether I tn f different resurces t help yu with yur research and ultimately save yu a great amunt f time in getting apprved fr a grant. State Ecnmic Develpment Pages: Alabama http://www.edpa.rg/ Alaska http://www.dced.state.ak.us/cbd/hme.htm Arizna http://www.azcmmerce.cm/default.html Arkansas http://www.aedc.state.ar.us/hme.cfm Califrnia http://cmmerce.ca.gv/state/ttca/ Clrad http://www.state.c.us/ed/guide/ Cnnecticut http://www.state.ct.us/ecd/ Delaware http://www.state.de.us/ded/ Flrida http://www.eflrida.cm/ Gergia http://www.gergia.rg/ecnmic/index.asp Hawaii http://www.state.hi.us/dbedt/ Idah http://www.idc.state.id.us/ Illinis http://www.cmmerce.state.il.us/ Indiana http://www.in.gv/dc/ Iwa http://www.state.ia.us/ided/ Kansas http://kdch.state.ks.us/prgramapp/index_mm.jsp Kentucky http://www.edc.state.ky.us/ Luisiana http://www.lded.state.la.us/ Maine http://www.ecndevmaine.cm/ Maryland http://www.chsemaryland.rg/ 31
Massachusetts http://www.masscnnect.state.ma.us/ Michigan http://medc.michigan.rg/index Minnesta http://www.dted.state.mn.us/01x00f.asp Mississippi http://www.decd.state.ms.us/ Missuri http://www.ded.state.m.us/business/business.shtml Mntana http://www.cmmerce.state.mt.us/l Nebraska http://assist.neded.rg/ Nevada http://www.expand2nevada.cm/newsite/index.html New Hampshire http://www.nhecnmy.cm/ New Jersey http://www.state.nj.us/cmmerce/ New Mexic http://www.edd.state.nm.us/ New Yrk http://www.empire.state.ny.us/ Nrth Carlina http://www.cmmerce.state.nc.us/ Nrth Dakta http://www.grwingnd.cm/ Ohi http://www.dd.state.h.us/ Oklahma http://www.dc.state.k.us/index.html Oregn http://www.regn.gv/prd/index.cfm%3fcurrpid=502 Pennsylvania http://www.inventpa.cm/default.asp%3fpath=business%2520in%2520pa Rhde Island http://www.riedc.cm/startframe.html Suth Carlina http://www.callsuthcarlina.cm/callsc.cfm?page=&dcument=hme Suth Dakta http://www.sdgreatprfits.cm/ Tennessee http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/ Texas http://www.tded.state.tx.us/ 32
Utah http://dced.utah.gv/ Vermnt http://thinkvermnt.cm/ Virginia http://www.yesvirginia.rg/ Washingtn http://www.cted.wa.gv/desktpdefault.aspx West Virginia http://www.wvd.rg/business/index.html Wiscnsin http://www.cmmerce.state.wi.us/ Wyming http://www.wymingeda.rg/ Official State Pages: Alabama Alaska Arizna http://www.alabama.gv/ http://www.state.ak.us/ http://www.az.gv/webapp/prtal/ Arkansas http://www.accessarkansas.rg/ Califrnia http://www.ca.gv/ Clrad http://www.clrad.gv/ Cnnecticut http://www.ct.gv/ Delaware Flrida Gergia Hawaii Idah Illinis Indiana http://www.delaware.gv/ http://www.myflrida.cm/ http://www.gergia.gv/ http://www.ehawaiigv.rg/ http://www.accessidah.rg/ http://www.illinis.gv/ http://www.in.gv/ Iwa http://www.state.ia.us/ 33
Kansas Kentucky http://www.accesskansas.rg/ http://www.kentucky.gv/ Luisiana http://www.state.la.us/ Maine Maryland http://www.maine.gv/ http://www.maryland.gv/ Massachusetts http://www.mass.gv/ Michigan http://www.michigan.gv/ Minnesta http://www.state.mn.us/ Mississippi http://www.ms.gv/ Missuri Mntana Nebraska Nevada http://www.state.m.us/ http://www.discveringmntana.cm/ http://www.nl.rg/ http://www.nv.gv/ New Hampshire http://www.state.nh.us/ New Jersey http://www.state.nj.us/ New Mexic http://www.state.nm.us/ New Yrk http://www.state.ny.us/ Nrth Carlina http://www.ncgv.cm/ Nrth Dakta http://www.discvernd.cm/ Ohi http://www.state.h.us/ Oklahma http://www.yurklahma.cm/ Oregn http://www.regn.gv/ Pennsylvania Rhde Island http://www.state.pa.us/ http://www.ri.gv/ 34
Suth Carlina http://www.myscgv.cm/ Suth Dakta http://www.state.sd.us/ Tennessee http://www.tennesseeanytime.rg/ Texas http://www.texasnline.cm/ Utah http://www.utah.gv/ Vermnt http://www.vermnt.gv/ Virginia http://www.myvirginia.rg/ Washingtn http://access.wa.gv/ West Virginia http://www.state.wv.us/ Wiscnsin http://www.wiscnsin.gv/ Wyming http://www.state.wy.us/ State Grants Pages: Alabama http://www.arts.state.al.us/ http://www.preserveala.rg/ Alaska http://www.educ.state.ak.us/aksca/ http://www.eed.state.ak.us/lam/ Arizna http://www.ariznaarts.rg/ http://www.dlapr.lib.az.us/ Arkansas http://www.arkansasarts.cm/ http://www.arkansasheritage.cm/ Califrnia http://www.caam.ca.gv/ http://www.cac.ca.gv/ 35
Clrad http://www.clarts.state.c.us/ http://www.clradhistry.rg/ Cnnecticut http://www.ctarts.rg/ http://www.ctfreedmtrail.cm/ Delaware http://www.artsdel.rg/ http://www.state.de.us/ss/archives.htm Hawaii http://www.state.hi.us/sfca/ http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/hspls/ Idah http://www2.state.id.us/arts/ http://www.idahhistry.net/ Illinis http://www.finditillinis.rg/ http://www.state.il.us/agency/iac/ Indiana http://www.in.gv/arts/ http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/ Iwa http://www.culturalaffairs.rg/ http://www.iwaartscuncil.rg/ Kansas http://www.kshs.rg/ http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/ksl/ Kentucky http://eah.ky.gv/ http://www.kyarts.rg/ Luisiana http://www.crt.state.la.us/ http://lafilm.rg/ Maine http://www.mainearts.cm/ http://www.state.me.us/mhpc/ Maryland http://www.mpt.rg/ http://www.msac.rg/ Massachusetts http://www.state.ma.us/lib/ Michigan http://www.michigan.gv/hal http://www.michigan.gv/hal/0,1607,7-160-17445_19272---,00.html Minnesta http://www.mnhs.rg/ http://www.arts.state.mn.us/ 36
Mississippi http://www.mdah.state.ms.us/ http://www.arts.state.ms.us/ Missuri http://www.missuriartscuncil.rg/ http://www.ss.m.gv/library/ Mntana http://art.state.mt.us/ http://www.his.state.mt.us/ Nebraska http://www.nebraskaartscuncil.rg/ http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/ Nevada http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/ http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/dcs/arts/ New Hampshire http://webster.state.nh.us/nhculture/ http://www.state.nh.us/nharts/ New Jersey http://www.njstatelib.rg/ New Mexic http://www.nmca.rg/ http://www.stlib.state.nm.us/ New Yrk http://www.nysca.rg/ http://www.archives.nysed.gv/ Nrth Carlina http://www.ncdcr.gv/ http://www.ncarts.rg/ Nrth Dakta http://www.state.nd.us/arts/ http://www.state.nd.us/hist/ Ohi http://www.ac.state.h.us/ http://winsl.state.h.us/ Oklahma http://www.dl.state.k.us/ http://www.klasf.state.k.us/~arts/ Oregn http://www.regnartscmmissin.rg/ http://www.sl.state.r.us/hme/ Pennsylvania http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/ http://www.artsnet.rg/pca/ 37
Rhde Island http://www.state.ri.us/archives/ http://www.risca.state.ri.us/ Suth Carlina http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/ http://www.state.sc.us/arts/ Suth Dakta http://www.state.sd.us/deca/ http://www.sdarts.rg/ Tennessee http://www.arts.state.tn.us/ http://www.state.tn.us/film/ Texas http://www.arts.state.tx.us/ http://www.thc.state.tx.us/ Virgin Islands http://www.library.gv.vi/ Utah http://arts.utah.gv/ http://www.archives.utah.gv/ Vermnt http://www.vermntartscuncil.rg/ http://www.vermnthistry.rg/ Virginia http://www.arts.state.va.us/ http://www.dhr.state.va.us/ Washingtn http://www.statelib.wa.gv/ http://www.arts.wa.gv/ West Virginia http://www.wvsea.rg/ http://www.wvculture.rg/ http://www.wvculture.rg/arts/index.html Wiscnsin http://www.wiscnsinhistry.rg/ http://arts.state.wi.us/static/ Wyming http://wyarts.state.wy.us/ http://spacr.state.wy.us/ Other Useful Resurces: http://www.sba.gv 38
http://www.cyberatlas.cm http://www.micrcreditsummit.rg/frms/database.htm http://www.usembassy.state.gv http://www.sba.gv/financing/micrparticipants.html Great Lan Calculatr: http://www.finaid.rg/calculatrs/lanpayments.phtml 39
Cnclusin Nw here yu have it, all BS aside yu nw knw the truth abut the grant apprval prcess and all the things yu need t knw t make sure yur grant applicatin has a real chance f getting apprved every time it gets sent ut. Nw with everything yu have just read, yu will have a majr advantage ver mst f the peple applying fr grants tday. As yu can tell frm this ebk, grants are nt the easiest thing t get apprved fr and mst peple have n idea what they are ding when it cmes t preparing a legitimate grant applicatin. And nw, what ever it is yu may need mney fr in this stage f yur life, remember that there is likely a grant that is best suited twards yur idea and with a little bit f wrk and determinatin yu can sn have the funds yu need t accmplish what yu want t d. Gd Luck! 40