Grant money for your business

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Someone posted this on my personal blog last week. It might be spam - the article itself was a couple years old - but thought I'd post it here:

"I am going to formulate my own, personal business since you don't see any positive jobs around the market.

"Could any individual provide any ideas or web sites about how to apply for government grant money to begin with my own business? I have already been looking on the web but just about every website asks for money and I've been told by the unemployment office to stay away from the websites that ask for money for grant information because they are scam. I'd personally be sincerely grateful for any help."

Well, first off, the unemployment office is correct. Those websites promising you lots of money for your initial outlay should send off a warning buzzer in your head. It's a very good likelihood that those sites make only the website owner wealthy.

The rest of the story is that, unless you are opening a not-for-profit - and there are definite tradeoffs doing that - there's no government pot of gold waiting for you to start your business. If that were the case, EVERYBODY would be opening a business. I'D be opening a business.

My recommendation is that you make an appointment with the Small Business Development Center nearest you and talk about what financial options - loans, et al. - may be available to you.

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