Q. Are there really grants to pay off personal debt?
A. No. There are virtually no grants available for personal assistance or to pay off debt - due to the fact that “individuals” are typically not eligible to apply for discretionary grants, no matter how needy. The only grants that are available for individuals are school scholarships or for research and development types of activities if applying through a sole proprietorship or other form of small business corporation.

Q. I need a grant to pay for a new home or to remodel my home; are there grants for these types of endeavors?
A. There are very few grants available for buying or remodeling homes, unless you plan to use the facility to provide shelter or housing solutions for the disabled, elderly, and/or impoverished children and families. There are, however, local and state programs (not direct grants) available to support low-income families in purchasing their first homes through individual development accounts, low interest loans, and/or construction support activities. Contact your city/county housing authority, local banks, or Mayor's office for information on these types of programs.

Q. Are there grants to start a business?
A. Unfortunately, there are not many grants available for profit-making businesses. Government and foundation funded grants are usually targeted for non-profit organizations, education agencies, public organizations, and high tech - research oriented businesses, with few exceptions. There are also grant funds available for businesses that provide jobs (and job training) for disadvantaged and/or disabled workers; that are located in high poverty areas that need more jobs or that provide certain services in these areas (such as child care or after school programs); or for businesses that partner with a non-profit organization in a joint effort to provide community-focused related programs and services. If you are planning to start a profit-making business that does not fit within these grant eligible categories, we recommend looking at the federal government's Small Business Administration (SBA) website at www.sba.gov - or e-mailing the One Stop Biz Help’ Grant Wizard to inquire about your businesses’ grant eligibility.

Q. Does One Stop Biz Help
 guarantee that if it writes a grant, the grant proposal will be funded.
A. No. We are not aware of any legitimate grant writing firm that can make and keep such a guarantee. There is always a risk involved in pursuing grant funding – regardless of our company’s previous award success. One Stop Biz Help does have a program that will offer a free re-write of a grant if it is not funded (if certain conditions are met, as outlined in our service agreement form).

Q. Can I just pay for grant writing services out of the awarded grant?
A. No. Funders do not allow for grant money to be used to pay for services rendered prior to an award. Therefore, legitimate grant writing firms will not place their clients at risk of fraud by charging for grant writing - contingent upon a grant being funded.

What is a grant?

Grant is “free” money from the government and some private organizations that you’ll never have to pay back.

What is an effective and winning grant proposal?

The federal government and funders only award grants and financial assistance to individuals who have proposals that present their interest in helping create change and development with their community. Therefore, in order to get one, you must have a successful and winning grant proposal, able to present this vision in full detail.

Who are entitled to receive grants?

Some think that grants are only for the disabled, women and the elderly; but in fact, grant entitles everyone… provided they qualify under these categories:

You must be a U.S. citizen when applying for federal grants; and

You must be 18 years old and above

Why do the government and private organizations give out grants?

The federal government gives out money for people who can justify the benefits accompanying their proposed project such as; generating more jobs and helping out reduce homelessness and poverty in the country.

As jobs increase, more people will pay their taxes and these taxes will in turn be used in providing structures for the development of cities, states and counties. These taxes help the government perform their programs like granting loans and providing assistance & service to the public.

Private Organizations award grants to particular individuals and organization that have the same vision in line with their services and goals. These help them accomplish their mission faster and enable them to utilize their resources more efficiently in doing their social responsibility.

Can we spend grant money for other purposes?

Grant money should only be spent in accordance to the purpose stated in the proposal. If the money given was for building a house, it should be used for building the house and not for personal use. That is why funders require detailed budget plans for the project proposal to ensure that the grant money is wisely spent. Most funders require the first month of the operation monitored to guarantee that everything is done according to the plan.

What compose a grant proposal?

Why do we need to hire Professional Grant Writers or Grant Specialists to make a proposal?

Acquiring a grant requires hard work. There are lots of factors considered to get it and there’s a need to beat the other competing proposals. Given these instances, one needs the expertise in writing the proposal. One Stop Biz Help Grant Writers writers are experts in different writing fields. They understand the needs of every applicant for grants. They are trained and skilled to convert your ideals to effectively and efficiently written grant proposals.

Can we apply for grants anytime?

Most grants are only available in a specific period of time. Not all kinds of grants are obtainable throughout the year. It is advisable to know the opening and the closing periods for grants before considering applying for them.

How long does it take before we receive the grant money?

Never assume that you could have the grant money as soon as the grant is approved. Funders follow a process with releasing grant money that can take a couple of weeks or even months.

Is grant the answer for my entire financial problem?

No, as stated before, grant requires hard work and tight competition. That is why, people interested in applying for grants should answer these two (2) questions before applying for one;

Apply for loans before inquiring for grants, only individuals with bad credit aren’t given loan approvals.

How do we work on the grant proposal? Personal, online or by phone?

We work on the project online. Aside from being cost effective, working on the project online ensures proper documentation of correspondence details. It also limits loss of documents while assuring service delivery in real time.

Can we have a proposal and submit it to all organizations that we want?

Funders and grantors have different projects and missions to help the society. It is advised for applicants to determine the type of project they usually fund before considering submitting an application to them. Each funders’ funding activity should match the project you want to pursue. You should check their specific “Eligibility Requirements” for their Grant Programs and see if you qualify.

Can I apply for different grants at the same time?

Yes. You can apply for different kind of grants at the same time provided your application matches the requirements in availing the grant.