Government Opportunities for Small Business

Government Opportunities for Small Business, Harriet Grayson, Ocean Breeze Press, 2011

The federal government has a seemingly unlimited number of grant opportunities. This book attempts to simplify the grant-writing process.

The first step is to find the grants that are being offered. There are a number of places to look, including the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Apply for grants only in areas where your non-profit is qualified (if you are an arts organization, why are you applying for an agriculture grant?). Get a copy of the instructions from the grantor, usually called something like Request for Proposal, or RFP. Read it thoroughly, then read it again. The grantor may get very picky about what should, or should not, appear in your application. You don't want an otherwise first-rate application to be rejected because you couldn't follow directions.

How do you get a government agency to notice your little-old non-profit? Have you handled similar projects in the past? Is your non-profit, or your staff, distinctive in some way? As you put together your application, follow exactly the directions in the RFP. Give the grantor some sort of idea about your anticipated budget, and the financial records you will keep about the project. When the application is done to the best of your ability, send it to the grantor.

The RFP should indicate the waiting time for an answer from the grantor. If the answer is Yes, the celebrate and rejoice (and start work on your next application). If your application is rejected, it is not the end of the world. The grantor will usually tell you why it was rejected. That way, you will be much more prepared for next time.

This is a short, and very interesting, book about a potential source of revenue for groups and individuals. It is very easy to read and understand, and is very much worth the reader's time.