Resolved Question

i see ads online all the time for all different kinds of grants. grants for businesses, grants for cars, grants for...basically everything you can think of. Have any of you applied and/or received such grants? if so, was it a long process? what did you apply for?

Like Uni, I received a grant in college b/c of my grades. Later in life, I received a grant from the French govt to study How to Teach French in France. I was a French teacher for 25 years.) For that, I had to be nominated by other French teachers who were part of a professional organization and who had recived the same grant themselves.

However, my sister started a non-profit agency to work as a liaison between Native American tribes and the Federal govt on ecology issues. She was able to do this for 20 yrs, by applying for and being approved for grants. It requires a ton of paperwork and filling out forms and knowinh what it is that you really want to do. It is a skill to read and interpret the govt forms, and then be able to tell them what they want to hear in a logical, intelligent and coherent fashion. Her original application had 55 pages to fill out and answer! Now that she is retiring and closing her agency, the form to replace her has 66 pages! I think there may even be a govt booklet out there that tells you how to go about this.

If there is something out there that you want to do, and you have a solid plan (starting a business, filling a need) then go for it! Even if you are turned down, you might learn what to do better to get it next time. Think about your skills and ideas, get all the info you can from the govt and take plenty of time to put it together correctly. Deadlines are serious things. You can't whip one out over night. But try it -- the money is really there and unclaimed, esp maybe now.