# Government Grants **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558 "2004-12-13T06:49:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/1 "2004-12-13T06:49:22Z")
Are there any Government Grants available for small business startups?. I’m at work and someone was just extolling one of those “Grant Seminars” so I checked around online and they all had that “Scam Stink”. What’s the “Straight Dope”?. Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/2 "2004-12-13T08:44:37Z")
There are indeed government grants for start-ups. At least, as of a few years ago, there were state government grants for startups–especially tech-based startups–in the state of Ohio. I spent about 6 months working as an intern in the Governor’s Office for Science and Technology, which led to a full-time job with the Ohio Department of Development, Technology Division. (I wish I were making up that horrendously long title, but I’m not.) One of the major things the Tech Div. did was hand out grant money to startups. I worked in grants administration, doing various paperwork things (including reading and evaluating a lot of grant applications) and sitting in interminable meetings on who should and shouldn’t get state money for their newest business venture. I know that other divisions within the Dept. of Development had grant programs to encourage other types of small business. I’m pretty certain that there was at least one grant program for new businesses starting up in minority neighborhoods. There were also other types of grants the Ohio Dept. of Development had available. I used to know something about them, but now I don’t. I know that Pennsylvania also gave grants to high-tech start-ups, because Ohio based its tech business grant program on Pennsylvania’s grants for high-tech entrepreneurship. I’d make a bet the state of Texas has at least some grant programs like the ones I remember (or, at least, half-remember.) If you’re interested in a grant, check out the resources the Texas Dept. of Development (or the equivalent in the state of Texas) has for start-ups and small businesses. If you’re a woman, a member of a minority group, or are opening your business in an economically depressed area, there may be grants you can get that lots of other entrepreneurs aren’t eligible for. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/3 "2004-12-13T08:46:00Z")
I don’t know if there are or aren’t federal programs to help small businesses. I also have no idea if any of the grant workshop things you’ve looked into are legit or not. ---
**Author:** ![oh\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b38774/32.png) [@oh\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oh_s)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/4 "2004-12-13T12:01:40Z")
> [@unclviny](#): > > Are there any Government Grants available for small business startups?. I’m at work and someone was just extolling one of those “Grant Seminars” so I checked around online and they all had that “Scam Stink”. What’s the “Straight Dope”?. > > Unclviny ``` Try going thru welfare, use the government, there are grants for good ideas. you just have to fill in the right forms etc. I,ve just got myself on a government assisted programme to start my electrical appliance testing business, but it took a while and I had to buy the equipment first. Good Luck and don,t give up. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/5 "2004-12-13T14:40:09Z")
The nearest city of any substantial size, if you don’t live in one, will have a branch of the U.S. Small Business Administration. It’s their **job** to help small businesses, by providing grants, loans, and advice on where else to go to get them. Contact them first. Another helpful source might be the [Texas State Department of Economic Development](http://www.tded.state.tx.us/). I know New York’s equivalent agency has some worthwhile programs; that TxDED homepage is merely an index but may lead you to the help you’re looking for. Be prepared to show a well-drafted Business Plan – startups are notorious for failing within the first eighteen months, and you need to show why yours would not, and how you propose to deal with contingencies. (Because I’m not versed in how to write one, I’m going to start a separate thread to ask those who **do** know for advice, for both of us, on what a well-thought-out one comprises.) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/6 "2004-12-13T19:02:23Z")
I think most of the scammy-feeling operations you run into online will charge you a fee to fill out all the applications for you and do all the paperwork. You can do it all yourself for free, but from what I understand, it can be complicated. No personal experience here, just the impression I’ve picked up over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/7 "2004-12-13T19:31:42Z")
> **[About the SBA 8(a) Certification Program and Online Application](https://www.thoughtco.com/online-8a-program-applications-3321752)** > > The SBA’s 8(a) program helps small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals compete for and get government contracts. [http://www.business.gov/phases/launching/finance\_startup/](http://www.business.gov/phases/launching/finance_startup/) [http://www.sba.gov/tx/dallas/dalsuccess.html](http://www.sba.gov/tx/dallas/dalsuccess.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-grants/279558/8 "2004-12-13T20:39:13Z")
Somewhat related. > **[Government Grant Scam](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/grants-boon/)** > > Are telephone solicitors looking to hook you up with a variety of government grants?