Over the past 30 years we’ve written thousands of grants and won more than $250 million in federal, state, and other government and foundation grant dollars for our clients. If you have questions about how to successfully identify, write, win, and manage grants, the grant experts of Resource Associates are the right people to ask.
We’ve compiled this list of commonly asked questions that you may find helpful but if you have questions that aren’t answered here or would like to talk about grant funding for your organization, please reach out. We’re always happy to chat and consultations are always offered at no cost and with no obligation.
Contact A Grant ExpertNo. We are not aware of any legitimate grant writing firm that can make and keep such a guarantee. There is always a risk involved in pursuing grant funding – regardless of our company’s previous award success. Resource Associates does have a program that will offer a free re-write of a grant if it is not funded (if certain conditions are met, as outlined in our service agreement form).
No. Funders do not allow for grant money to be used to pay for services rendered prior to an award. Therefore, legitimate grant writing firms will not place their clients at risk of fraud by charging for grant writing – contingent upon a grant being funded.
Unfortunately, there are not many grants available for profit-making businesses. Government and foundation funded grants are usually targeted for non-profit organizations, education agencies, public organizations, and high tech – research oriented businesses, with few exceptions. There are also grant funds available for businesses that provide jobs (and job training) for disadvantaged and/or disabled workers; that are located in high poverty areas that need more jobs or that provide certain services in these areas (such as child care or after school programs); or for businesses that partner with a non-profit organization in a joint effort to provide community-focused related programs and services. If you are planning to start a profit-making business that does not fit within these grant eligible categories, we recommend looking at the federal government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) website at www.sba.gov – or e-mailing the Resource Associates’ Grant Wizard to inquire about your businesses’ grant eligibility.
There are very few grants available for buying or remodeling homes, unless you plan to use the facility to provide shelter or housing solutions for the disabled, elderly, and/or impoverished children and families. There are, however, local and state programs (not direct grants) available to support low-income families in purchasing their first homes through individual development accounts, low interest loans, and/or construction support activities. Contact your city/county housing authority, local banks, or Mayor’s office for information on these types of programs.
There are very few grants available for personal assistance or to pay off debt – due to the fact that “individuals” are typically not eligible to apply for discretionary grants, no matter how needy. There are, however, other types of funding opportunities that are available in the form of loans, loan forgiveness programs, stipends, subsidies, entitlements, and tax credits. Give us a call at 505.326.4245 to determine what types of grants and funding opportunities best meet your needs.
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