The Struggle is Real
Small business owners often struggle to understand how to raise money to help them launch their startups. Too many rush into taking on investors who consume part of their company’s profits and have a say in important decisions, even when their views don’t align with the founder’s vision.
For these reasons, we recommend that when you’re starting out, you look into what your federal government can do for you. You might be surprised that there is free money available through small business grants, and
Small Business Grants
First, a word about small business grants. Though there are countless programs available at Grants.gov, remember: there’s no such thing as a free ride. You don’t just fill out a form and wait to cash in. For any government grant program, you can expect a good amount of paperwork to fill out, and a waiting period to see if you qualify. These grants are built around providing access to company missions that will prove assets to their community, so also remember that the proof will be in the pudding.
For the purpose of this article, we will be focusing mostly on government grants located in the United States for residents and
To give you the best chances of getting a small business grant, the government advises that you thoroughly review all of the eligibility guidelines before applying. There will be technical, legal, and administrative prerequisites, and assuming you get the funding, there will be ongoing reporting and bookkeeping, as well as audits to ensure you are living up to the terms of the grant.
You should also know that many federal grants for small businesses are distributed to state and local governments, so you should always check there, too, for specific programs that could help out your business. Speaking of specific programs, grants are not typically general in nature — meaning that they are meant to serve a certain purpose. Here are a few examples:
- The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program invests in small businesses focused on R&D, specifically
high-tech innovation. - The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program requires small businesses to collaborate with a research institution.
- The FedEx Small Business Grant is a popular program (though technically FedEx is not a federal entity) that requires businesses to have shipping needs.
For
Small Business Loans
If you’re looking for a federal loan, there is no better place to start than at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You may have heard of the SBA before, but did you know that in addition to helping you secure loans, they will guide you through planning, launching, managing and growing your business?
At your fingertips, you will have access to free business consulting from experts and funded partner organizations like America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network, which runs
- Free business consulting
- Advice for accessing capital
- Business planning
- Technology development
- Regulatory compliance
- Marketing
- International trade assistance
When you are ready to apply for funding from the SBA, they will match you to lenders near you that specialize in
The loans you can get from the SBA include:
7(1) loans — This is the most common SBA loan, and is used for
504 loans — This loan also comes with a $5 million cap and provides a fixed rate to finance major fixed assets that are used for business growth or creating jobs. Assets include things like existing buildings or land, new facilities, machinery, and equipment.
Microloans — These loans provide up to $50,000 to help startups launch or expand. The average loan is about $13,000 and is typically used to help small businesses expand with working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, equipment, or anything else that can enhance the business. Microloans cannot, however, be used to buy real estate or refinance existing debt.
The final loan worth mentioning that is offered by the SBA is the 8(a) Business Development program. This program is targeted at helping small disadvantaged businesses — those that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The goal of the program is to help socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs help to gain a foothold in government contracting.
Unlike other loan programs, this program is divided into a
And as if that wasn’t enough, participants will get specialized business training, counseling, marketing assistance, and even executive development — all provided by the SBA and its partners. Plus, you may even be eligible to access surplus government property and supplies, SBA loans, and bonding assistance.
As with other programs, you will be expected to live up to certain goals and criteria on an ongoing basis, which the SBA will monitor through annual reviews, business planning, and ongoing evaluations.
Trust in Yourself
So what are you waiting for? Check out all of these sources of federal funding for startups, and as mentioned, don’t forget to research programs available in your state and locale. The federal government does its best to offer free money to stimulate small businesses through grant programs, and because there are so many programs, much of the money goes unclaimed each year.
Small business grants can be competitive, so don’t lose hope if you don’t qualify or aren’t accepted into a program right away. Turn to the SBA and SBDC in your area to qualify for
Do you want to learn more about startups?
- How to Choose the Best Tools to Help You Launch Your Startup
- Federal Funding Programs for Small Businesses Startups
- How to Crowdfund Your Online Startup
- Getting Started with Business Loans for Startups