Getting Started With A Govt. Grant
This is a thought that was presented to me that I hadn't considered before. I figured I'd post it here and get some feedback from people who might know.
It has to do with starting a corporation. All over the place you see advertisements for programs that show you how to obtain government grants for small business start-up funds. Is this a quick way to build up a bankroll? Does the government provide grants for CREI?
If anyone has either gone through with the grant process for their own business or knows anything about grants from Uncle Sam, please share. Are any of those "show you how" programs worth it?
As far as I know, The Gov't issues grants for individuals to purchase real estate, and to start businesses. Your question is interesting.
Try www.lesko.com you know that flamboyant guy on TV with the question marks on his jacket?
The thing about grant programs is that the programs that have funds available change all of the time. So if they don't have what you're looking for today, it might be there next month, or at the beginning of the next quarter etc.
Instead of using it for CREI, come up with something creative to describe the service that you are providing. Specialize in, but don't exclude yourself to finding affordabe housing for minorities, Single Moms, First time home buyers, Whatever. There are more funds available for things that have a "Feel good" appeal on the campaign trail. If you know what I mean.
Good luck,
Jeff
Go to your local library and ask if they have the Lesko books, if not, ask them to get them. Most of the time they will get them for you and you can check out the books for free!
It may take you a bit of time, but you save a bunch. Lesko has books on how to get grants too. Good luck
As some of you may know, Lucius elderly limper, is engaged in producing a form of cheap housing for those who have none. I take old ISO containers and by combining them in various patterns supply single family housing.
I am engaged in obtaining a building permit for the first group of these houses and hope to achieve this within the next week or so.
While in the Building Department I was asked why I did not obtain a Federal Grant several of which are available to help me in the early days of producing this new form of cheap housing.
Sooo I have looked into it and arrived at the following conclusion.
Yes I can obtain a grant of about $250,000 from one of about three Federal Agencies. The paper work is imense and time consuming. At the end of which time I would be producing an item of housing which is not responsiveI to the secondary problem, avoidance of the creation of slums.
I would also have to redo a lot of the present engineering to conform to the requirements of HUD. I think I would end up about three months behind on my timetable. Sooo I pass, I think I have sufficient funds available to complete the first part of the project. For the next part I shall just utilize ordinary construction funding. If necessary I will cosign mortgage requests. I wish my bank loan officer would not chortle and rub his hands together when I made the offer. Besides I can always make a midnight withdrawal from my local Seven/Eleven, why not? All my neighbors do!
I think the government while trying is not responsive to present time socialogical problems here in California. I think us civilians can do better all by ourselves.
So there Lucius
I checked out the Lesko site. There's actually a book dedicated just to Real Estate grants. I'll explore that aspect further. Perhaps the library has a copy. If anyone has that book, please provide some feedback.
If you visit the lesko website, http://www.lesko.com
click on the Andy Dick spoof of Lesko's commercials. It's hilarious.[ Edited by HOLLERatG on Date 01/25/2004 ]
Have you tried contacting your local SBDC or SBA office? When I first started my business (not real estate) they were very helpful, and they also gave me some good free press.
The SBA also put me in touch with a member of their staff who is exceptionally skilled at writing grants, filing governmental applications, and researching specific statistical data to help further your applications.
While I can sit here all day and extoll the virtues of the SBA, I can also say this: A good rule of thumb is to work with the SBA as you might a lawyer- know what you are doing before you go there. They might not bill you hourly, but you dont want to waste your time.