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What is a Government Grant? A government grant is a financial award given by the federal, state or local government authority for a beneficial project of some sort. It is effectively a gift: It does not include technical assistance or other financial assistance, such as a loan or loan guarantee, an interest rate subsidy, direct appropriation, or revenue sharing. The grantee is not expected to repay the money. Why is the government giving away free money? Innovation Innovation and ingenuity are important to any society. For any economy to be competitive in the modern world, the government must make sure to open up avenues to grow and nurture new businesses. To put it simply, the government gives out grants because it serves the greater good by helping meet the needs of the people. Government Grants are a great way to even the playing field. We have all heard stories about great entrepreneurs with relatively humble beginnings. Grants are in place because few people have the capital to start a business without some assistance. This is particularly true for minorities and women who might have faced discrimination in the past that hindered them from pursuing their business goals. Government grants for Women For example, here is a listing for the best government grants for women: Grants.gov National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grants Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant Program Amber Grant IdeaCafe Grant #GIRLBOSS Foundation Grant Cartier Women’s Initiative Award GrantsforWomen.org FedEx Small Business Grant Is it difficult to obtain a Government Grant? Make sure you have the correct information. In truth, grants can be very competitive. It is important to read instructions so that you can thoroughly understand the application process. You do not want your grant application to be thrown out because you did not provide the correct paperwork or information. Be aware of deadlines A small business should also be aware of deadlines. Make sure that things are properly submitted on time. Also, be vigilant about finding out what is available so you do not miss an important government grant opportunity. Please do not let a challenging application dissuade you from trying to qualify for grants. There is nothing truer than the saying about never making any of the shots you don’t take. Some websites can help you through the process. The First Steps to getting government grants. For example, the following are the steps to apply for a federal grant: Step 1: Obtain a DUNS Number Step 2: Register with SAM Step 3: Register with Grants.gov What is the SAM Directory? SAM stands for Systems Award Management. How do I register for SAM? You might be wondering how do you register in SAM. Let sam. directory makes this as easy as possible by supplying you with experts who can register for you. Be sure to also check out our informative article Everything A Small Business Needs to Know About the SAM Directory, which should easily answer most of your questions. What are some examples of government grants for Small Businesses? The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) encourages small businesses in the United States to engage in research and development that has economic potential. SBIR Mission Their website states their mission of the is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy. SBIR Goals The program’s goals are four-fold: Stimulate technological innovation. Meet Federal research and development needs. Foster and encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by women and socially or economically disadvantaged persons. Increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development funding Program Participants The following are a list of agencies that participate in the SBIR program: Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce – National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Commerce – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Transportation Environmental Protection Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) is another program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena. STTR Mission The mission of the STTR program is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy. STTR Goals The programs’ goals are to: Stimulate technological innovation. Foster technology transfer through cooperative R&D between small businesses and research institutions. Increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal R&D. STTR Program Participants Participating government agencies include the following: Department of Defense Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation These are some great opportunities at the federal level for any small business. Do not forget about State and Local Grants. State Grants State grants are often geared to that particular state’s economic concerns. They are often supposed to work in tandem with federal grants but can be much less competitive. Go to Grants.gov to get a complete listing of what is offered in your state. Local Grants Also, remember to investigate your local municipal governments. Do a deep dive into your community to find out what is available. Again, every little bit helps and sometimes money is left on the table because people are unaware of what is out there on a local level. When applying for a grant, think about what you are doing for the community. What are you bringing to the table? Does your business model further the altruistic goals? For example, if you are part of a small community of at least 50,000 people, you could qualify for a Rural Business Development Grant The government is always looking to nurture innovation in Rural Areas These websites describe their program as a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses… Continue reading Government Grants, A Guide to Free Money!

What is the Sam Directory? SAM stands for System Award Management. Why does my business need to register for the SAM Directory? To do any business with the federal government, you must register your business in the System for Award Management directory. The government will not hire any type of business (large or small) that has not registered in SAM directory. The SAM Directory is a great source of revenue. What if I told you that there is a large revenue base for your business that is often untapped in many areas and therefore might have very little competition in your field? You might be wondering if this magical source of revenue lives in the land of rainbows and unicorns. The good news is that this is nothing more or less than the United States Federal Government, one of the largest, most powerful purchasers of goods and services in the entire world. Our Federal Government provides a lucrative business opportunity that no business can afford to ignore. Can a small business hope to compete for federal government contracts? The Federal Government is required to reward a certain amount of its contracts to small businesses. Last year the Federal government awarded 25% of its contracts to small businesses. In 2018 the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that the Federal government awarded a total of $105.7 Billion worth of contracts for goods and services to small businesses. This marks the first time that more than 100 billion dollars have been rewarded to small businesses and marks a 5 million dollar increase from the previous year. Small Businesses are Thriving with the Government The following facts are also very enlightening: In FY18, the federal government exceeded the service-disabled-veteran-owned small business and small disadvantaged business goals and the prime contract dollar awards in all small business categories increased from previous years. The federal government also exceeded its subcontract goals for awards to small businesses and women-owned small businesses and awarded more than 79 billion dollars in subcontracts to all small businesses. The federal government has been exceeding its goals for contracting to many groups of small business owners that have been formerly overlooked as evidenced by this chart: What government agencies are incorporated into the SAM Directory? Assistance Program Catalog CFDA – Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Award Management FBO – Federal Business Opportunities FPDS-NG – Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation eSRS/FSRS – Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System/FFATA Subaward Reporting System Entity Management CCR/FedReg – Central Contractor Registration/Federal Agency Registration ORCA – Online Representations and Certifications Application Performance Information EPLS – Excluded Parties List System of the General Services Administration (GSA), discontinued November 21, 2012 PPIRS/CPARS/FAPIIS – Past Performance Information Retrieval System/Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System/Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System Wage Data WDOL – Wage Determinations Online Performance Information The SAM Directory makes things very convenient. SAM has conveniently combined the many government agencies into one directory. Registering for the SAM directory makes sure that your business is being seen and noticed by a large group of Federal Agencies. This system has efficiently streamlined contracting for both the government and the individual businesses. When government procurement agencies are casting their search net for companies to send their proposals, your company being a registered entity in the SAM directory makes sure that you will be in their sightline. What do I need to register for the Sam Directory? You will need the following : A Data Universal Numbering System or DUNS from Dun and Bradstreet Your Tax Identification Number or TIN A Social Security Number if you are a Sole Proprietor. What is a DUNS Number? The Data Universal Numbering System—or D-U-N-S number—was created and copyrighted in 1962 by Dun & Bradstreet. It is a unique nine-digit identifier that has become the standard numbering system to identify businesses across the globe. You can compare the DUNS number as a social security number for your business. Any contracting opportunity in the System for Award Management (SAM) will require a DUNS number to apply. What is the difference between a DUNS number and a Federal Tax ID number? A DUNS number is used for business credit reporting purposes, whereas an EIN is issued by the IRS and used for tax identification purposes. Are there any other advantages to registering for the SAM Directory besides government contracting opportunities? A business has to be registered with SAM before they can begin to apply for valuable federal grants. What is a Federal Grant? A grant is a way the government funds your ideas and projects to provide public services and stimulate the economy. Grants support critical recovery initiatives, innovative research, and many other programs listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). First steps to getting a grant. The following are the steps to apply for a grant: Step 1: Obtain a DUNS Number Step 2: Register with SAM Step 3: Register with Grants.gov Is there any other information that I should be aware of to take full advantage of what is offered by registering for the SAM Directory? It is important that a business understands the government classification system which includes the following codes: NAICS PSC FSC What is a NAICS number? NAICS is a six-digit code that stands for the North American Industry Classification System. Many federal agencies post contracting opportunities using the NAICS codes. The NAICS is used as an internal reference that quickly describes what a business does. You want to make sure you have the correct NAICS number to qualify for as many contracting opportunities as possible. What is the PSC number? PSC stands for Product Service Code and is primarily used by the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and the General Services Administration (GSA). They are used to describe the types of products, services, and research and development purchased by the federal government. What is an FSC Code? Federal Supply Class (FSC) codes are four-digit codes that are used to group products into logical families for supply management purposes. These codes… Continue reading Everything You Need to Know About SAM for Small Businesses