Donald Marshall ⋅ Hingham, MA U.S.Treasury ⋅ 45 years experience

Charles,
Try the Small Business Administration (SBA). You can google for the nearest branch office and read about their programs. I suggest you have your resume and business plan prepared. It's not like the shark tank show on TV.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your service.
Don Marshall

Natasha Shamone-Gilmore ⋅ Upper Marlboro, MD Maryland Resource and Training Center Incorporated ⋅ 4 years experience

Funny you should ask this question. My non profit is at the same place that you are. Our first grant came from our very own County Council Member. Next we signed up for notification of grants at www.grants.gov , then we visited our local SBA (Small Business Administration) office for help, then we acquired a free business Mentor through S.C.O.R.E. Please look them up where you reside or do business and they can also help you . Your local library has grant information also. Philanthropist, government agencies, political offices, friends, family and fundraising efforts can be your creative avenue to gaining money for your business. WalMart, some real estate companies, and the list goes on, also have grants for businesses and non-profits. It is a journey with the grant process but you can do it.

Sundeep Dronawat ⋅ Louisville, KY Payment Holdings ⋅ 25 years experience

There are SBIR grants. States have research and development grants. There are commercialization grants. Also private foundations have grants like Kaufman Foundation

James Mingey ⋅ Oregon City, OR Veterans Business Services ⋅ 25 years experience

Charles,

If you are accepted and complete the EBV Program at Syracuse, you would be eligible to apply for a grant for your business. They award anywhere from $1000 to $3000 per graduate

Jim Mingey

James Watters ⋅ Norman, OK Business Consultant, retired ⋅ 17 years experience

Sergeant, I assume your business is or will be a nonprofit organization because for-profit businesses fail to qualify for grants. Check out "foundations" on the Internet. Most libraries carry a directory of foundations. Match up the goals of your non- profit company with similar interested foundations. Spend some time on this. Don't rush. The closer the match, the better your chances. Lock in on three or four and request applications from their foundations. Practice on writing your requests. Google "how to write an application for a grant". When your good at it, target the foundation that matches you company the best.
Good luck.

Donald Marshall ⋅ Hingham, MA U.S.Treasury ⋅ 45 years experience

Charles,
Try googling Amazing Veterans Benefit Options. There is a grant program listed there as well.
Don Marshall

Andrew Karp ⋅ Sonoma, CA Sierra Data Science ⋅ 20 years experience

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned the free resources available to you through your local Small Business Development Center, which are often jointly operated by the SBA and local agencies. Use this link to find the nearest one to you. I think the nearest SBDC should be your next, and quickest, stop, in your efforts! https://www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/sbdc

Doug Hill ⋅ Kearneysville, WV PC Construction ⋅ 20 years experience

It has probably been mentioned, start with the SBA.

Syvalia Satterfield ⋅ Atlanta, GA U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 4 years served

Charles, I am working on a Masters Degree through the VR and E Program, and I am also consulting with small businesses that are seeking federal contracting opportunities. This is a major issue amongst small veteran owned businesses. If you are Service Disabled the VR and E program has a small grant available that you do not have to pay back, however, you must lay out your business plan to your counselor and the decision makers. What is interesting is how difficult personnel sometimes make it for the veteran choosing this option. Here's why? Many counselors are overworked and are not that familiar with the Self Employment program. Recently, I have created a business plan through VBOC in Florida, and I sent the business plan to major corporations to obtain support. In addition, I am working through the VA as well and working on the self-employment grant through VR and E. In addition, I am approaching foundations, and veteran organizations as well as seeking out any opportunity to gain financing support such as crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter. I just read General Stanley McChrystals book Team of Teams and this has prepared me for the impossible as the new reality.

Emanuel Carpenter ⋅ Alpharetta, GA SDR Master Class ⋅ 20 years experience

For business grants, your best bet is to look at private institutions like Wells Fargo, American Express, Mercedes Benz, and FedEx. Here's a sample of a contest FedEx has: https://smallbusiness.fedex.com/grant-contest.html

The Small Business Administration will mostly provide information on how to get a SBA-backed loan. They'll tell you that federal business grants really don't exist.

Non-traditional financial institutions like Kabbage, Fundera, and Fundbox can help you with business loans.

If you're a startup, you can also search for angel investors and venture capitalists. Try Angel List.

William Hinz ⋅ Seaford, DE IBM ⋅ 40 years experience

Charles,
An organization called StreetShares was the subject of an article in the October American Legion Magazine. It is supposed to be focused on helping veteran entrepreneurs find funding. The CEO is a veteran and his company focuses on loans for small businesses who cannot secure a traditional bank loan. You can check them out at www.streetshares.com.

Robert Doyle ⋅ Northborough, MA U.S. Army, Sergeant First Class ⋅ 14 years served

There are so many things-to-do for startup vets. Be very careful how you allocate your initial capital and time because everyone wants both. I'd first look up entrepreneurs bootcamp for veterans at UCONN, Purdue, Syracuse etc. They have an awesome program I completed and started a contracting business for state/Fed contracts. I'm looking at the $650k gross this year. It's free for veterans and they pay for everything and you could walk away with startup capital or even an investor. They also have experts concerning VR&E self employment and are setting up a webinar site for navigating the RO (regional office) requirements. If you're service connected the VA could purchase a major part of your requirements as long as you meet their requirements. You need a computer and copy/scanner/printer before you try and tackle most of the state/fed requirements. The list is way too long to post here for resources without knowing what phase of startup you are in. A little more info would help because: Have you started a mentor/protégé? Have you signed up for or even qualify for the 8a? What does your DUNS look like? Would your business profit from being on your states disadvantaged list? What kind or hold backs or set asides are you looking to land? Will this be a home based business because the VA has grants to adapt your home? Have you registered with FedBizOpps? Are you on SAM (Federal Contracts)? Etc... All of these things take time and your capital can keep you afloat. Be careful how you use your resources.

Nanette Fabros ⋅ Woodstock, IL Salton Inc ⋅ 10 years experience

Think the main thing when applying for any sort of grants $ loans - Apply, apply & keep searching! Saw a Shark Tank episode - a man who funded his entire college edu from grants & scholarships - then to help others, his pitch, an APP that searches for college grants & scholarships for others! wow! He got funded by Lori & Daymond, MR FUBU right away! So his message was he scoured all avenues - librarians locally who know about grants & where to look, online, interest groups, churches, honors societies ... so you need to do that too! A difficult hunt, because they are there, but where? And your state, comminity. (Business now) Look into anything related to you, grants for business men, if you have ancestors from a place? (Me, Filipino business leaders) may have grants to help others, societies like shriners, or small business grants, a billionaire - go check all the sharks on SHARK TANK, may have something, go on Shark Tank! If you dare, ha! All sorts of things! Go hit up Bill Gates! Your industry, like coffee bean roasters of America. Got to open your mind and keep trying in this arena! Best of luck to you on your journey Mr Reynolds & thank you sir for protecting me & our nation with your service! AND! BEWARE of the sharks! Loan sharks, high interest rates, scammers! Do not sign anything you question& do not be pressured into anything, walk first! I have done it and regretted it badly. Money $$ is a sticky business and with your military career, sure you know sir to watch yer back! Especially when money is involved! Blessings

John Green ⋅ Cary, NC Information Technology ⋅ 40 years experience

Hi Charles,

Can you share the business-related details in your business plan ? For example, how much capital will you need ? What is the market size for your product/service? Who are the core team members ? How many months do you project to run a deficit ? What is your strategy for market penetration ?

Grants are really not the way to fund a business venture. With a solid business plan, you won't have any difficulty getting the funding to start and operate your business properly. The venture capital market is flush right now with cash, with investment bankers hungry and looking for good placements.

JG

Tom Cal, CFA ⋅ San Francisco, CA Army Veteran, Investment Manager ⋅ 25 years experience

Mentors from score.org are a good resource.

robert castillo ⋅ Huntsville, AL Northrop Grumman ⋅ 6 years experience

I have a friend who is a small business owner who I can introduce you too