Free Money?

The MnSBDC (and other SBDC networks around the country) are constantly asked - is there 'free money' available in the form of 'grants'? The short answer is 'There is no free money for small, for-profit businesses'. However - as with many things in life - there are always small exceptions.

Below is a link to a recent news article that outlines how to go about trying to find any free money that may be available, with a clear caution that many firms will try to sell you a 'list', 'process', software, DVD or other 'road to riches' that will only enrich the firm selling you the "secret", and leave you out of luck.

Your best source to find grants at the federal level is the website "Grants.Gov" which is the complete listing of ALL federal grants available for everything and anything.

Here's a link to the article to find some other tips to "potentially" find some funds - and many times it must be "matched" with your own money before you can access it, by the way. To repeat, there really is no "free money" out there for small, for-profit businesses, and you would be better served to invest your time and effort trying to find ways to improve your small business operations. The SBDC program nationwide is ready to help small businesses to start, grow and succeed.

Link to online article on finding grant money.

(http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/27/smallbusiness/free_money_small_business_grants/index.htm?postversion=2009110108)