How to Really Get Free Money from the U.S. Government

Have you ever seen a commercial or infomercial for products that claim to help you get thousands of dollars from government grants? Sure, it sounds tempting: for less than $50 you're practically guaranteed to find a way that you can get money to start a business, write a book, build a house or go back to school. The truth of the matter is that these books and programs are practically useless to most people, despite the claims in the commercials.

Yes, you can get grant money from the government, some with no strings attached, but it's not as easy as the person selling you the advice would like you to believe. The United States Government issues billions of dollars annually in the form of SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) grants, but they are highly competitive. These grants can provide you with up to $850,000 to start or expand your business. Additionally, state agencies may offer grants for various projects that suit the goals of the elected officials.

Now, books and programs that claim to show you how to get free money from the government appear to contain a wealth of information, but a vast majority of it will be useless to the typical reader. Most of the content of these books are simply directory listings of various agencies by state. So unless you're planning on moving, owning property or doing business in more than one state, about 98% of the information in these books and programs won't help you. Also, since agencies move, people change jobs and phone numbers and area codes change, it's not unusual for the information that was current at the time of printing to be out of date by the time it reaches your hands.

If you really want to get free money from the government, start at grants.gov. This is a web site that lists al federal grant programs which is searchable and allows you to subscribe for email notifications of new grants. If you don't see anything of interest to you, visit your local SBA outreach center (which you can find at SBA.gov). These centers provide free advice for people that own or are starting businesses. The counselors there can often point you in the right direction.

Another great option is SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), these are retired executives and business owners who volunteer their time to help people starting out. Some of them may have obtained loans or grants in the past and can help you achieve success.

Keep in mind that projects vary from agency to agency and could be research only, product development or actually creating something. Some of examples of these projects include:

Fixing up a house in a historical or run-down neighborhood: Especially at the state, city or town level, preserving historical homes and improving run-down areas is high on the priority list. Politicians often see this as a way to improve economic development in areas that are struggling economically. If you live near an area that you think needs an economic jumpstart and enjoy home renovation, then this may be the right type of opportunity for you.

Creating systems or programs to help reduce things like smoking, pollution or poverty: Again, the government has a problem that they are looking to solve so if you have a solution, this might be a good match.

Projects to help people that fit a certain profile (age/race/gender/etc...) start businesses: Politicians at all levels are always looking at demographics. If you fall into a certain demographic or can create a solution to help people who fall into in a particular demographic, you may qualify for these types of programs. Also, due to lobbying by various groups, there is a wealth of scholarships for people that fall into particular ethnic groups or people interested in fields of study with skills that are in high demand.

Projects to clean-up areas that are run down: Again, if you're interested in real estate development or environmental issues, this is a great opportunity for you. Also, if you're passionate about the environment, there may be opportunities here for you as well.

Research projects to find cures for diseases or mental disorders: This area is one of the largest sources of SBIR funding. Each year, the Department of Health and Human Services publishes requests for submissions, which are in excess of one hundred printed pages. You can download the listing from their web site.

Projects to deal with various social and/or political issues: Whether it's the Department of Defense looking for a new way to track terrorists or the Department of Education trying to find ways to increase test scores in suffering school districts, there are hundreds of opportunities each year to solve social and political problems.

Since programs, agencies and policies are always changing, your best bet is using the Internet and one or more of these counseling agencies. Getting free help from someone that knows the ins and outs of receiving free money from the government will save you precious time and increase your odds of getting free money.