Debt Relief Grants from the Government: Do They Exist?

Posted on August 11, 2010
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If you are like millions of other Americans, you may be indebt. The economy is in trouble. For many, it appears to be spiraling out of control. Millions of Americans are losing their homes, losing their jobs, and some are unable to pay their utility bills, let alone feed their families. If debt is a problem you face, you may turn to the internet to seek help. Unfortunately, you will find a lot of inaccurate information. One piece of information you will find concerns government grants. Many websites and for sale products claim you can get debt relief grants from the government, but can you really? No.

Grants.gov is the leading resource for finding information on government grants. The United States government operates this website. You will find detailed information free of charge. Not only can you browse and search for grants, but you can apply for them too. By visiting and browsing the website, you will see hundreds of thousands of government grants. Some grants are available to individuals, but most are designed for state and local governments, colleges and universities, school districts, small business owners, Native American governments and organizations, and non-profit organizations. The grants that do exist for individuals are usually centered around improving the community and environment. For example, you may find grants to improve and conserve water, improve the process of growing organic foods, and reduce community violence.

What you will not find available on the Grants.gov website is debt relief grants from the government. Since these grants do not technically exist, why do many websites and late night infomercial products claim they do? For starters, there is inaccuracy. Some individuals mistakenly believe there are government grants to pay debts. They may have seen these online or on television. They believe they are doing a good deed by spreading the word online. Unfortunately, they were likely misinformed. On the other side of the fence, you will find those who try to profit from the growing need of debt relief. Many late night infomercial products are scams. A product selling information on government grants may not necessarily be a scam, but it is a waste of money, especially if that product claims government grants will help you get out of debt.

Honestly, the only instance in which you may find debt relief grants from the government is if you are a small business owner or a non-profit organization. Once again, this is rare. Most grants serve a purpose. If your small business or non-profit organization helps the government serve this purpose, they may be willing to extend a helping hand. If your organization help families of those suffering from autism, there may be autism related grants that can help keep your business or non-profit organization afloat.

Since it is rare to find government grants to pay debt, you may feel as if you hit a roadblock. Will you ever get out of debt? Yes. How? First, take the old fashion approach of reducing your expenses and saving money. Millions of Americans waste money on junk food, beverages, expensive television and internet packages. You do not necessarily need to go without, but try to change your habits. You will start to notice increased saved money, which you can put towards your debt. Although you are indebt, some financial lenders are willing to extend debt consolidation loans to individuals like you.

Also, many government programs are designed to help qualifying individuals save money. If you are classified as a low-income individual, you may be able to receive assistance from the federal or state government for heating costs, health care, and food. If you believe you qualify for these programs, which you can determine by contacting local officials, apply. Even if you are only able to reduce your heating bill by $20 a month, it is still $240 saved by the end of the year. You can put that money towards repaying your debt.

How to Find Information on Government Grants

Posted on August 7, 2010
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Free money is available from the government. This free money comes in the form of government grants. Although there are government grants for individuals, the most common recipients of these grants are state and local governments, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, and small businesses. Regardless of who you are or who you represent, you may want more information on this free money offered by the government. So how can you get it?

When obtaining information for government grants, you must proceed with caution. The internet, late night infomercials, and 24-hour infomercial shopping channels make it easy to make mistakes. One of those mistakes is paying to get access to information you can easily find online for free. Do not buy an infomercial product that claims it will share thousands of government grants with you. Do not pay for a membership website claiming to do the same. There are two easy ways that you can find information on government grants with no fees and no hassle.

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Grants Available for Small Business Owners

Posted on August 3, 2010
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Whether you want to start a small business or are already an established business owner, you may be enticed with government grants. These grants do exist, but they are often advertised online and on television as free money for all. As previously stated, government grants do exist and many are designed for small businesses, but it is not like the late night infomercials and other products make it seem. You do not just get free money that you can use however you like. In the event you win grant money, there are strict rules you must follow. Otherwise, you are at risk for losing future funding and you may be forced to repay the misused funds.

Since there are rules and restrictions on how government grant money can be used for small businesses, you may wonder what they are. It all depends on the grant in question. These grants vary significantly, depending on the organization, government sector, or private grantor offering the funding. Continue reading on for a few sample grants listed on the Grants.gov website as of February 2009. These grantors accept applications from a wide rage of groups, including small businesses.

The Center for Disease Control had a grant available to small business owners, local and state governments, Native American governments and organizations, school districts, non-profit organizations, and colleges. This grant opportunity was titled

Starting a Small Business: Your Financing Options

Posted on July 30, 2010
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Many consider starting their own small business to be the all-American dream. After all, who wouldn

How to Find and Choose a Grant Proposal Writer

Posted on July 26, 2010
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Government grants are commonly compared to loans. Many claim the only difference is the money does not need to be repaid. Essentially, you get free money from the government. Government grants are available for individuals, but are typical reserved for state and local governments, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, and small businesses. Regardless of which category you fall into, you will soon find another difference between government grants and loans. That is the application process.

Each year, the government and many private groups handout billions in grant money. Many individuals and organizations want and need this money. For that reason, the competition is strong. Rarely, can a grantor choose winning recipients based on a standard application. All grants vary, but most require a traditional application, as well as a written grant proposal. Each grantor will outline, in detailed, what should be included. Often times, you need to explain yourself or your organization, the need for financing, what you intend to do with it, and how your need for money ties in with the grantors purpose.

If grant writing is unfamiliar to you, this will likely be a nerve-wracking experience. Luckily, there are many resources available to help. Yes, there are how-to books and other guides available online or in bookstores, but there is a much easier step. That involves hiring a professional grant writer.

Grant writers are easy to find online. To get started, perform a standard internet search. Your search results will show a number of options. There are large companies that specialize in writing grants. They employ many writers. You will also find individual grant writers who operate on a freelance basis. Choose either method, but private freelance writers are likely to produce the best results. With them, you should do more that just fill out a standard form. You should communicate directly with your freelance grant writer through email or over-the-phone. Since grantors want to know about you or your organization and the reason for need, a grant writer must first gather this information directly from you.

When hiring a writer, you want to see samples of their work. Unfortunately, this is difficult with grant writers. Grant writers are bound by confidentiality. They want to share a winning grant proposal with you, as it showcases their skills, but most are unable to do so. A grant writer may have a generalized sample listed on their website or provide detailed information on their format or how they intend to write the proposal. Although you cannot see actual examples, ask to see other works. Look around the writer

How to Find Legitimate Government Grants in 8 Easy Steps

Posted on July 22, 2010
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Do you want to apply for a government grant? If so, you need to avoid scams and untrustworthy websites that provide you with old and outdated information, yet have no problem charging you a fee. Government grants do exist for all different types of individuals and organizations, but you need to know how to find them. So, how do you find legitimate grants? In 8 easy steps!

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Need Money? Try Tips for Hirin…

Posted on July 18, 2010
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Need Money? Try Tips for Hiring a Grant Writer http://shar.es/mSfuQ

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