How to get approved for a grant

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State grants offer less money than federal grants but tend to be less competitive, depending on your state. State governments may work with the federal government to administer money designated for small business grants.

Local grants are the easiest to get but usually offer the least money. They tend to focus on improving the local community, so if your business centers on or has a commitment to helping your community, you have a good shot at receiving local grant money.

2. SBA grants
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is one of the many government agencies that offer grants, specifically to small businesses. The SBA offers three types of business grants each year: two grants for businesses involved in research and development, and one for businesses pursuing scientific endeavors that could potentially be commercialized and utilized by the federal government.

The SBA also works with state government to help local small businesses investing in export development through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP).

3. Minority grants
If you're a female entrepreneur seeking grants, this is another category to focus your grant research on. Minority grants cover funding for specific groups, including women, veterans, and different racial or ethnic groups. There are government agencies and private organizations with grants available specifically for female entrepreneurs and minority-led businesses. [Read related article: Top Small Business Grants for Minorities in 2021]

4. Corporate grants
Outside of the government, many private companies invest in entrepreneurial projects as new zealand whatsapp number part of their philanthropy efforts, or to nurture innovative new projects that they may wish to acquire or use in the future.

Generally, to obtain a corporate grant, businesses are asked to turn in portfolios, essays or business plans as part of their application. Some popular corporate grants are the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, the Comcast Innovation Fund and Visa's Everywhere Initiative. You can find lists of other available corporate grants on the Council on Foundations site, which is free, or Candid's Foundation Directory Online, which requires a subscription. 

Getting approved for a grant is a difficult process, so prepare for a lot of time and work if you decide to apply for one. Most grants have strict requirements or highly specific qualifications, so the hardest part is often finding grants that you are well suited for. While the exact process differs according to the specific grant, you can follow these tips to increase your chances of approval:

Do your research. There are thousands of grants out there, each with specific requirements and qualifications, so the best way to increase your chances of receiving a grant is to look up as many as you can. There are many grant directories online, such as GuideStar, GrantStation, Grant Gopher, Terra Viva and Grants.gov.


Make sure you qualify. Before undertaking the arduous process of applying for a grant, be sure you meet all the requirements. Grants are known for being extremely specific with whom they award money to and how they expect that money to be used, so it's worth your time to dig into the requirements.