For many years when I hosted a syndicated radio show the topic of government grants always garnered a great deal of interest.  Of course, we all read the stories of companies and individuals receiving money from the government and as a taxpayer it would be nice to tap into some of it, right?  I used to bring on my show as a regular guest Matthew Lesko.   I did an Internet search and see that he is still around (including his trademark colorful suit with question marks on it).  If you can look beyond his unusual marketing style, he does offer what many consider to be the best resources on government grants.  Lesko is not without controversy and complaints, but most libraries carry his books and consider them a valuable reference source.

Another name well associated with government grants is National Grants Conferences and the husband and wife team of Mike and Irene Millin.  This organization that has over the years promoted itself with slick infomercials has drawn in thousands to what many consider to be a scam.  What makes the controversy over National Grants Conferences even more interesting is the involvement of two former Congressmen, J.D. Hayworth and J.C. Watts.  The company is accused of selling a seminar package for $995 that provides information that people can obtain for free elsewhere.

 Is The Proposition Of Obtaining A Government Grant Unrealistic?

Although I have not personally received any government grants (except for college),  I know quite a few organizations that have been the recipient of significant amounts of grant money.  I think as with most things, you must look beyond the exaggerated claims of easy money and endure the painstaking process of making an application.

I was very surprised to see how easy it is to use the portal available at Grants.gov.  I spent a few minutes on the site and found some very interesting possibilities for my wife, who is a middle school music teacher.  They also provide an excellent free guide that can be downloaded on how to search for grant money.  Another great resource that one can explore is so called grant writing (the name is a bit misleading as what is actually being written is a grant proposal).  Books such as Grant Writing For Dummies can provide a wealth of information on how to obtain grants from both government and private sources.

Other Government Grant Sites

Money For College

Money To Start Or Grow Your Business

The truth is that most of this money is for organizations not individuals.  But that is not the whole story.  There were plenty of examples that I found of money that an individual could apply for directly.  The bottom line of all of this is that there are really government grants but they are not easy to get, the money is mostly for organizations (not individuals), and there is no reason to pay any significant sum to obtain the information that you need to get started. 

Share Your Government Grant Story

If you have been successful in receiving a government grant, please use the comments section below to share your own story.

Helping you make the most of God’s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
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