Recently I was perusing the internet and reading some content on small business loan programs and grants when I came across some spurious claims that the government is just handing out free money. This reminded me of Mathew Lesko and Lesko Info Power books that have been around for a couple decades now. The sad truth about government grants:

• It isn’t free money
• There are always strings attached
• Falsifying or not performing to the agreed obligation can lead to legal trouble.
• There are no debt repayment grants to pay off your home
• Most grants have qualifiers which exclude individuals from applying

I’m not an expert on government grants. But the reality is that the government is doling out money often with strict stipulations for specific acts to be performed and many of these require heavy documentation or the production of a goods or service that can be verified.

Grant writing and proposals often require a lengthy application process. In some cases, the application process alone will take several steps over time. Many of the grants available are specifically for scientific research and development. Still many more focus grants towards organizations or individuals who are providing low-cost housing or services targeting very-low to low income persons. Generally speaking, to obtain these services you have to, surprise, qualify. Or your project has to qualify which means you have countless hurdles that require more than just time – it requires money too.

Another sad truth for those looking for business grants: If you’re a white male, forget it – go the standard route of loans because the vast majority of the grants are geared towards Native Americans, other ethnic minorities and women. I break out Native Americans since the depth and breadth of grants available to programs targeting the group are immense.

So if you want to see a lot of what these dumb peddlers of grant programs are trying to sell you, go to http://www.cfda.gov/CFDA.pdf and take a gander at many of the federal grants available without having to pay someone else to give you the same information. And when you are done there, you can go to http://www.Grants.gov and search through many more (of the same) grants.