Small Business Grant Programs Worth a Look
Grant funding is not what most entrepreneurs consider when they think of raising capital, but government and private-funded grants can at times be a lifeline for small businesses or a way to finance your expansion into promising new markets.
Despite the new money made available by the federal stimulus program, grant funding is not easy to nail down.
"Grants are extremely hard to win even with a great business model," remarks Christine Harmel, a principal at CleanTech PR, based in Austin. The competition is tough. Lead-times can be long. Even knowing when the right grant is available can be challenging.
But companies are getting money, and in certain industries funding opportunities are better than ever: healthcare, education, science, and environment are the top categories for federal grants currently based on the number of grants available, says Elaina Farnsworth, also a principal with CleanTech PR, who helps clients with grant-writing. In healthcare alone, 939 grants are currently up for grabs. Read full story:
