Is everyone eligible for a grant?
There are grants for nonprofits, for-profit businesses, individuals and other entities applying. However, unlike infomercials, grant funding is not available to all businesses, for all purposes, all the time
Most grants are for program management and most grants are for tax-exempt organizations. Nonprofit organizations with IRS exempt and charitable status may be eligible for foundation grants, corporate grants, and government grants. So if you’re looking for grant funding for a tax-exempt organization program, there are probably one or more sources available to you.
There are about 100,000 foundations and corporate funding sources. Each of them has a specific purpose and geographic area in which they will provide funding. Sometimes the geographic area is limited to a single city or community where the corporation is headquartered. Others may fund projects on a state, national or international basis.
For-profit businesses are more likely to be eligible for government subsidies depending on the specifications of the Notice of Funding Announcement (NOFA or Notice). Not all of these businesses or purposes are eligible for grant funding. As a general rule, general retail and wholesale businesses are not eligible for grant funding. While there is always an exception to the rule, there are very few grant funding opportunities for these types of businesses. Most of the subsidies received by non-tax-exempt businesses would be for scientific research, medical research, developing alternative energy sources or improving the country’s infrastructure. Businesses such as trucking, yard care and restaurants will find it very difficult to find suitable grant funding.
Individuals such as artists, educators, researchers and health professionals may qualify for a small number of Foundation grants depending on the specifications. Other individuals may be eligible for government grants; many of these grants are administered by state and local governments.
The single most important indicator of whether or not an applicant will receive funding is how well the applicant’s goal and project fit the mission and funding priority of the funding source. The stronger your program is that meets the purpose for which the funder wants to give an award, the better your chances. The more you chase the money, the less likely you are to win any funding award.
There may then be several other features of the application process that are woven into the full instructions, such as the need to include matching equity or submit a required letter of intent before you can submit the full proposal.
Working with a professional grant writing association can greatly improve your chances of finding the most suitable grant funding opportunities.
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