Gimme the Green — Grants and How They Can Help You

Dear Info Marketers,

Well, spring seems to be upon us. The weather has been great and I have managed to get outside every night this week for a jog or walk. Hope it stays this way (!).

Oh, and Happy Post-St. Paddy's Day! Hope you got out for a green beer, Guinness, maybe a lamb stew, and some live jigs and reels.

On to business...

I've said it before several times: you don't need a lot to become an information marketer. In terms of materials, work space, or even the amount of money you do or don't have, information marketing is great because it's so bare bones.

However, you never know what's going to happen down the road. I always hope that that road leads you to success. If you get to this point, you are most likely going to expand your business. But, as we all know, expansion is directly proportional to available cash quantity and you might not have any to spare. This is okay as you might be able to get a grant.

Grants are everywhere. Whether you want to start a travel resort or publish a book, there seems to be an agency or foundation out there that can help. I've been reviewing a lot of the publications here at IMI and E-Wealth Daily, as my colleagues have done a lot of research into helping small businesses acquire grants. Here are the tips they all offer:

--Search the Internet: Most grant information is online. Search out the type of grant you think you may want to acquire by typing the categories into your Internet search engine i.e. "small business grant", "grants for publishing". In your searches you might discover other grants that you didn't know existed. Save the links in your "Favourites" directory of your Internet browser so you can go back to them at a later date.

--Read the instructions: That's right. Read everything. Find out if you do in fact qualify, what you have to submit to get your grant, when the deadline for application is, and who to contact for follow-up. Big print and fine print, it doesn't matter. Read it all.

--Do up a plan: Grants are not free money. You cannot expect to get one just by signing up for one. If you misuse it, there can be dire consequences for you down the road in terms of your reputation. You have to show the provider that you are serious about your project and what you intend to do with the large sum of money they are going to give you. Come up with a detailed outline of your business. Name what you are going to spend your money on, and what your future goals with the business are. Provide visual or graphic examples of your product and offer ways that the grant could help improve it.

--Be patient and keep records: Bureaucracy is sadly a part of life. Like waiting for your income tax returns, these things can take time. Do not rush the judging staff. They will respond in due time. Keep working at your business and stay focused on yourself.

**NB: When you are awarded your grant, keep all records of it in your tax files. This stuff has to be recorded for tax claims, so it is important you keep a well organized file of your grant information.

--Do not be deterred by rejection: Rejection is also a part of life. If you get turned down, don't worry. Seek out another source or apply for the same one at a later date. This is what my cousin did when he wanted to start his own engineering business. After he got turned down for one grant, he applied for another through another agency and was awarded it a few months later. If you think there is something wrong with your package, take it to an employment assistance office and they can provide the advice you need to improve your submission.

Times seem tough these days. We hear about cuts and job losses, both in the private and government sectors. But there is always cash available to help you take your business to the next level. Take your time to find them. You will not be disappointed.

For more information on some of our grant assistance publications, visit us here at the E-Wealth Daily website.

Take care,

J.