I am starting a small business. Are there government grants for small
businesses run by women? Where do i apply?
$10 for specific answer
Thank-you!

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Request for Question Clarification by nellie_bly-ga on 30 Oct 2002 17:04 PST

In what city and state are you starting your business?

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Clarification of Question by alicja-ga on 01 Nov 2002 16:08 PST

My business is registered as a single-proprietorship in New York
State. It has been registered for only a month.

I'm trying to answer your question but cannot figure out how to do
that, so I'm making a comment instead. There are a lot of sources of
funding for women-owned businesses, but the U.S. government doesn't
typically offer "free money" or grants to women-owned businesses. That
said, here are some funding resources and info:

First check with the SBA - http://www.sba.gov and their list of
funding sources at http://www.sba.gov/financing/indexloans.html

Look at particularly their microloans -
http://www.sba.gov/financing/frmicro.html

and check out their Women's Online Business Center -
http://www.onlinewbc.gov/ and Office of Women Business Ownership -
http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/womeninbusiness/

You can locate a Women's Business Center near you at
http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness/wbcs.html

For specifically female-oriented microloans, check out Count-Me-In at
http://www.countmein.org - this is helpful if you haven't been able to
get a loan.

Small Business Development Centers can also help you and find one near
you at http://www.sba.gov/hotlist/sbdc.html

Here's a good article about finding cash for your business
http://businessweek.lycos.com/smallbiz/content/feb2001/sb20010213_100.htm
http://businessweek.lycos.com/smallbiz/content/feb2001/sb20010215_049.htm

Help for Minority and Women Owned businesses
http://home3.americanexpress.com/smallbusiness/resources/expanding/minority.shtml

Hope this is helpful.

I just wanted to reiterate apswy’s comment; there aren’t government
*grants* for small businesses.  The government simply isn’t in the
business of giving "free money" away, despite any claims you may have
heard to the contrary.  These misconceptions are often spread by those
selling something (like grant books).

That said, there ARE special cases where the government may give
special loans or tax incentives to small businesses (in particular
woman or minority-owned businesses) but only if they happen to meet
special qualifications (for instance if they are located in a
particular area and employ a certain number of people from a
HUD-designated zone).

Apswy’s recommendation about contacting a local SBDC is also an
excellent one.  SBDC’s are non-profit services usually run through
local Universities, funded by the SBA.  Their services are free and
their goal is to help entrepreneurs understand how to better run their
businesses.  They also can provide details about what government
programs are available.  In the unlikely case that there are incentive
programs which would apply in your area and situation, the SBDC will
have that information or can look it up for you.

Good luck,
duncan2-ga