Unfortunately, most grants are for nonprofit organizations, not small businesses.
BE VERY CAREFUL of advertisements promoting “free money for your business.”
These ads can be very misleading, often suggesting that you can receive a list of many grant sources for a fee of a few hundred dollars.
Frequently this is a list of micro-loan programs - which you must repay - or grants for nonprofit agencies.
The government does offer a few very targeted grants to companies developing various technologies.
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
The SBIR program began in 1982. Under this legislation, funds are made available to:
1. Stimulate technological innovation.
2. Partner with small businesses to meet federal research and development needs.
3. Encourage the participation of disadvantaged businesses and minority-owned firms in technological innovation.
4. Increase private sector commercialization derived from federal research and development funding.
The program offers small technology-based companies the opportunity to obtain seed capital for research and development early in the innovation process.
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
The STTR program is an important new small business program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development arena. It expands the public/private sector partnership to include the joint venture opportunities for small business and the nation's premier nonprofit research institutions. STTR's most important role is to foster the innovation necessary to meet the nation's scientific and technological challenges in the 21st century.
You can learn more about SBIR and STTR grants at
http://www.sba.gov/sbir/indexsbir-sttr.html All of this information can usually be obtained free of charge. To find out more information on micro-loan programs, Small Business Investment Companies, grants for nonprofit organizations or technology-related grants please send us an email message.