Q1.
I’ve heard there’s a lot of grant money out there for my small business.
How do I apply for it?
A1. Free money for you to make money? This
is still Capitalist America, right? Just checking. Seriously, this
is a question we get asked ALL THE TIME (which is why we so cleverly
put it at the top of this FAQ). Based on everything we’ve read,
unfortunately, it’s just simply NOT TRUE.
According to
http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
w www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html,
The
U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start
or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety
of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing
for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs,
these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations
that provide small business management, technical, or financial
assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations,
intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments.
Q2.
What kind of grants do you write?
A2. We specialize in Federal and State grants
for public schools and school districts. Examples of recent projects
include proposals for Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Early Reading,
Staff Development and Parent Training, and 21st Century After-School
Programs.
Our primary sources are the Department of Education ( http://www.ed.gov
and state-level education agencies. (See map.)
Q3.
What do you charge to write a grant?
A3. From a few hundred dollars for small proposals
to private foundations to several thousand dollars for State and
Federal grant applications, Grantsformation, Inc. works within a
wide range of client needs, budgets, and projects. If you have a
specific application in mind, our staff will review the submission
guidelines, requirements, and deadline and will quote you a flat
rate for all work to be completed.
If you want to hire us for hourly projects, our rates start at $60/hr.
for research, editing, and proposal review, and there is a 3-hour
minimum for all projects contracted in this way.
Q4.
We want to learn how to write grants. Can you teach us?
A4.
We’re great at teaching and training people in your organization
to do what we do. I mean, after all, as much as we’d like it, we’re
not going to be hired to write EVERY grant in the United States!
We conduct one- and two-day trainings focused on federal- and state-level
grant applications. Our theory is that, if you can be successful
at this level, you can write any grant for any funder.
In addition to direct instruction in how to write compelling needs
statements, measurable program objectives, and complete budgets,
our hands-on workshops take the FEAR out of facing the blank page.
We explain EVERYTHING to you and give you ALL OUR TRADE SECRETS.
We’ll even show you copies of funded (and unfunded) proposals so
you can see what makes a grant good or bad, and we’ll tell you how
to write with the grant reviewer in mind.
Call 713.861.5552 to schedule this valuable professional development
opportunity for your school or school district. What other training
can you get that’s actually going to PAY FOR ITSELF?
What are you waiting for? Quit reading this, and pick up the phone!
NOW!
Q5.
Writing grants is so tedious, time-consuming, and downright BORING.
WHY IN THE WORLD DO YOU DO IT?
A5. Because we love making money while making
money for others! It is truly a gift to be able to do what you love
for a living while working at home in your underwear. (Well, sometimes
we’re dressed, but showers are another issue)
For many years, members of our staff were public school teachers
and administrators who got up every day before dawn, pulled on the
pantyhose, and went to work serving needy kids in urban districts
across the country. We did this grant thing like you probably do
now—on the side, after hours, and during staff meetings when we
should have been listening to our boss’ sage advice. But doing it
like that and doing it well is virtually impossible. How we succeeded
was part art and part mystery.
But after many years of success, we came to understand that we have
a skill others need which now allows us to stay in the Educational
business and not have to lament our student loan payments for those
Masters degrees hanging on our office walls. In short, WE LOVE THIS,
and we want to do it for you so you can do what YOU love.
Hire us. You will be thrilled to have your weekends back. |
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