Once you have found a grant program that fits your needs, you want to make the most of your opportunity, so give yourself the ‘competitive edge by doing your preparation work before you ever sit down to start the paperwork!

Every grant application is reviewed by the funder’s panel. These are usually people that are experts in the area that the funder specializes in – they know exactly what they are looking for and what parameters the grants must meet.

The first step in preparing to write your grant proposal is to familiarize yourself, as much as possible, with the grant guidelines, and if possible the grant committee members. Call the grantor and ask if it is possible to meet with one of the reviewer’s to go over the guidelines, and clarify any points that you many not fully understand. If a call is not possible, ask if you can submit your questions by fax or email.

Government grant money – if you watch late night TV – you’ve seen the ads! The guy in the funny looking suit, hawking a program that promises free government grants for any use you want! No repayment, no qualifying – just apply!

The question is: do government grants really exist? The answer is yes: government grants really do exist – but let’s take a look at what we should really be calling ‘grant money’.

Unfortunately – and quite the opposite of the usual ad – the U.S. Government doesn’t just hand out free grant money. Government grants must be applied for, you 

must qualify for them – and there are definitely ‘strings attached”!

A government grant money is not a gift or a present and there ARE certain ‘expectations’ attached to any grant that is given out.

If you  really want to go after grants, especially for business and be successful – you need to have the FULL package together – and that is a lot more than just filling out the grant application. It also means putting together a business plan, finding the right grant funder, getting the right supporting paperwork together and making sure that all of the myriad details are put together in the best way to increase your chances of success.

Ideally, you would hire a professional grant writer to do this for you – but most people looking for grants for their business or education don’t usually have a spare $3500 to $5000 to hire this kind of professional help.

That’s where the National Grant Secrets ‘Grant Robot’ comes in! It’s a slick little software program that walks you through the whole process, helps you put together your business plan, all the paperwork you need to complete the package, the programs you qualify for, and the right application.

This is probably one of the older grant resources online, and it offers a huge database packed with information. On the good  side – it’s a lot of information at your fingertips – on the downside – it can be a little overwhelming when you first start out.

This is actually a recurring monthly membership, which you can easily cancel at any time. Most member usually stay on the service for 6 to 9 months to take full advantage of the updates on the service. And that is the best part of getting a service rather than a printed book or ebook if you are looking for a variety of different grants – a monthly service means that the database will be updated with fresh programs, as opposed to a printed guide. With a one time fee – what you get at purchase time is all you will get!