Grants for Starting a Business

The small business grant you need to start or your business can be available right in your own state. There are state development agencies that offer small business grants  designed to assist women entrepreneurs in starting a small business. 

You can find the economic development agency web site for each state. An example of this in action in Texas is from http://www.governor.state.tx.us/ecodevo/ whereby they offer small business entrepreneurship help in economic development. Their site says:
"The Texas Enterprise Fund provides the state's leaders with a "deal closing fund" that has the flexibility and financial resources to help strengthen the state's economy. The fund can be used for a variety of economic development projects, including infrastructure development, community development, job training programs and business incentives. Before funds can be awarded, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker must unanimously agree to support the use of the Texas Enterprise Fund for each specific project.

These funds will be used primarily to attract new business to the state or assist with the substantial expansion of an existing business as part of a competitive recruitment situation. State leadership also will be able to use Enterprise funds to leverage other resources for an economic development project. The Governor's Office will work closely with local leaders to tailor incentive packages that best meet the needs of local communities and businesses. "

The Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program is a unique public/private partnership that has provided $50.6 billion in financing to more than 102,000 small U.S. companies since the program’s creation in 1958..  Each SBIC is licensed and regulated by the Small Business Administration and is actually a privately owned investment cmpany that provides venture capital funding and startup financing to small businesses. An SBIC’s confidence in a small company often leads to investments or credit lines from other financing sources.

You can find out more about the Small Business Investment Company here: Then look under the tab for Entrepreneurs

If you do a search for grants for women to start a business you are going to find hundreds of ads offering grant packages for a small price. A lot of these companies offering business grants are giving you access to their databases and the foundations that they have found that offer women access to funding for starting a business. You will find that MOST of the financing or funding sources are NOT government owned or operated.

Government grants are free. THESE particular grants are ONLY offered to businesses that are non-profit or businesses that are offering something of value to their community. 

If you are a woman looking for a grant to start a business, you can spend a lot of wasted time digging through government web sites only to find you are no better off than when you started your search. A government grant is NOT the same thing as a government loan. The SBA offers loan guarantees, not grants.

IF you already have a woman-owned business and have a merchant account already in operation, did you know you can secure a loan against your credit card sales? This could be a viable option for funding your existing business expansion.

Be sure to visit these sites for finding a grant for starting a business:

• Business Grants for Women
• Grants for women
• Micro business grants