Government Grants Resources Online.
If you are looking for information on government grants to start or grow your business, the good news is that there is plenty of information available online. The bad news is that you may have to do a lot of research in order to find a grant opportunity that is suitable to the needs of your business.
Moreover, you should keep in mind before you begin your search that when it comes to government grants (as opposed to loans) most of this money is directed at non-profit organizations or is limited to very specific sectors. Even if you can qualify for a government grant, you may disappointed to learn that this money comes with a lot of restrictions on use as well as other requirements.
If you are still intent on finding grant money, then you should start your search by checking out the following sites:
Grants.gov A site offering access to over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies." Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it offers users "full service electronic grant administration" with guidelines and grant applications available online. You can search by agency, category, or browse the available grant opportunities.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance A full listing of Federal programs, grants, projects, and services available to state and local governments
USA.gov A government web site that provides access to all online U.S. federal government resources including government grants.
National Endowment for the Arts An government agency supporting all areas of the arts.
National Endowment for the Humanities An government agency supporting all areas of the humanities.
Community of Science (COS) Funded Research Database This site allows you to search grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIS), National Science Foundation (NSF), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Usgovinfo.about.com List of State Development Agencies for Small Business Grants. This site also has a listing of other major grant-giving agencies.
The Grantsmanship Center This site offers a daily "Federal Register" where one can find information on new federal grant announcements.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) This program is a highly competitive initiative that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.
***If you are looking for information on writing grant proposals, then in addition to the sites above, be sure to check out this site:
University of Iowa - This site offers helpful links to guides and tutorials that have been developed by various government agencies.