Grants
Grants can be found from three sources:
- Federal or State Government
- Private Foundations
- Business Plan Writing Contests
The Federal Government has a web-site that lists all of the grant money available for education, housing, health care, elderly care, child care, non-profit businesses, and some, but very few, for-profit businesses. The website www.grants.gov, lists all federal grant programs, how to apply, application deadlines, and eligibility requirements. DO NOT BUY GRANT INFO ON THE WEB! Check with the Fort Madison Partners office to see if there are any available or upcoming opportunities.
Most publications on “free money” are outdated as soon as they are published. Why? Grants are available for a limited time period; they are not on-going.
Private Foundations may either be publicly held companies, such as Dell, Microsoft, General Mills, privately held businesses, or individuals. The best place to find out if a company has a foundation, is to look up the company on the internet, (most large corporations have a web-site) and look under their foundation tab on their web-site. Most foundations give to non-profit organizations, very few give to for-profit organizations.
Business Plan Writing Contests are increasing becoming a popular way to “win” grant money. Check your local Iowa SBDC office or Fort Madison Partners for more information.
Periodically, The State of Iowa may offer grant opportunities to building and business owners located in the Fort Madison Historic District. For more information, contact the Fort Madison Partners.