Grants

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GRANTS!! PLEASE READ HERE  > > >

Thank you for visiting the SBDC Farmingdale for assistance with your small business. We look forward to working with you! Below is a helpful guide that addresses one of our clients’ most frequently asked questions…

What grants am I eligible for?

Grants can be extremely elusive, and many are misled to their availability. Be advised that the vast majority of grants issued in the country today are issued within government and not-for-profit arenas, and generally NOT for startup businesses, home buyers, or minority-owned businesses. A very limited number of extremely competitive grants exists in the high-tech, biotech, energy savings, and recycling industries.

Please be aware of potential scams in the self-proclaimed “grant circuit.” Also see the following sites, with articles cautioning entrepreneurs about books, conferences, and seminars that “promise” grants for a myriad of uses, but require an initial purchase, or non-refundable cash upfront (ranging from $30 - $1000+), with NO GUARANTEED funding.

• A word on Matthew Lesko, and the National Grants Conference, by the Better Business Bureau:

§         www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=279

§         sbdc.scc-fl.edu/faq.htm

§         read online book reviews from people who have purchased the books you are considering

• Products of this kind may be useful in locating organizations providing business and technical assistance (such as the SBDC), but it is information the Small Business Administration has made readily available to you for free (www.sba.gov).

That said, below is a list of actual grant sources, including information on the issuing organization, the amount, and the requirements for applying. This list is by no means exhaustive, but rather an introduction into the uses for which grants are available.

• For a database of federal and state assistance programs, you may want to check:

§         www.cfda.gov (The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance),

§         www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html, and

§         www.nysl.nysed.gov/ils/topics/grants.htm, which list resources for grants available and organizations you can reach for further assistance.

For workbooks, guides, and additional information on securing and writing grants, visit the Foundation Center, www.fdncenter.org.

ORGANIZATION PURPOSE QUALIFICATION AMOUNT CONTACT   New York State Department of Labor Work Opportunity Tax Credit/ Welfare-to-Work Must be used to hire certain workers (welfare-to-work, etc.) Up to $2,400 per employee (516) 934-8558 Long Island Forum For Technology Business Expansion/ Worker Training Technology/ manufacturing sector To $100,000 www.lift.org Nassau County Economic Development Brownfields/ Worker Training Restoring unusable property in Nassau/ Training workers Varies (516) 571-5802 LIPA Energy Issues Special uses: air conditioning, large facilities, light bulb rebate, consultation Varies (631) 436-5755 Empire State Development Economic Development Various programs available - contact for more information Varies (631) 435-0717 US Department of Energy: Office of Industrial Technologies Promote Innovation Inventions, must address industry-specified properties $40,000 or $250,000 www.oit.doe. gov/inventions NY VESID Business Startup Must be disabled, VESID determined Up to $11,000 (631) 952-6357 Small Business Innovation Research Promote Innovation Must be in technology research and training and link w/ nonprofit facility Up to $100,000 (202) 205-6450 Energy Products Center Energy Efficiency Technology for energy efficiency Varies (518) 862-1090 Office of Children and Family Services Licensed Child Care Providers Must be for staff development or health & safety supplies $500-$2000 (800) 295-9616 Child Care Council Startup Day Care Must be home-based (family & group providers) Not funds: hard goods and courses (516) 358-9250 (631) 462-0303 US Department of Agriculture Food and Agriculture Development Must be for innovations in food products, use RFP process Varies (518) 457-2713

Helpful Grant Links Some of the links below are general, NOT necessarily direct sources of grants. Day Care:  www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/; www.childcarenassau.org; www.childcaresuffolk.org Department of Labor:  www.labor.state.ny.us HUD:  www.hud.gov/offices/hsg.sfh/reo/reobuyfaq.cfm Federal:  www.govbenefits.gov; www.grants.gov, www.cfda.gov Research and Innovation:  www.sba.gov/SBIR/indexsbir-sttr.html; www.lift.org; www.eere.energy.gov/industry/financial/; http://gnet.org/government/stategov/1870.cfm Specialized Grant Programs:  www.trickleup.org; www.cdcli.org; www.vesid.nysed.gov County Programs:  http://development.nassaucountyny.gov/home.html; http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/webtemp3.cfm?dept=4&id=243#SCP NYS Programs:  www.nylovesbiz.com LIPA:  www.lipower.org/commercial/small