Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
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Manufacturer: Wiley
Author: Laurie Blum
Publisher: Wiley
Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Description
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.15224
EAN: 9780471130093
ISBN: 0471130095
Label: Wiley
Manufacturer: Wiley
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 358
Publication Date: 1996-01
Publisher: Wiley
Studio: Wiley
Editorial Review of Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Even in the best of times, starting and running a small business can be an uphill battle. To help make life easier, Free Money(r) guru Laurie Blum shows you how to successfully tap into the hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding available free to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Grants range from $5,000 to some in the six figures, and best of all, absolutely none of them ever have to be paid back.
1,500 grants available from 52 government agencies
* Complete addresses, phone and fax numbers, and contact names
* Easy-to-use format with grants grouped by state and according to business category (agricultural, real estate, minorities, general business, R&D, etc.)
* Step-by-step instructions on how to apply for a grant and how to write a winning proposal
* Sample application forms and an extensive bibliography listing government and private foundation sourcebooks as well as other helpful publications
Customer Reviews of Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Review Summary: Misleading is and understatement!!!
Review: First of all I agree with what everyone has already said but I must reinterate what a waste this book is. I have had this book sitting around for a while and decided to take a look since I am lokking to start my own business. CAN YOU SAY REDUNDANT? How on gods green earth did this book even get published? It is a lot of nothing over and ove again not to mention that it is all about loans not free money! There are about two pages in the intro about how to write a proposal and thats it. Supposedly there are sample application forms but unless my book is missing something there is none of that either.... not that it matters. WHATEVER YOU DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MOMEY ON THIS BOOK. I noticed that the author has another book on Amazon called "Free money when you're unemployed" Lord only knows what is in there!!??
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: No Free Money!!!!!!!
Review: I have been a small business consultant for years and have followed up on many of the claims about "guaranteed" sources for grants and start-up money from government and other sources. If you are starting a for-profit business unless you have a new technology of interest to the government or are creating a significant number of new jobs in a depressed area, there is very little possibility of obtaining a grant. Most are far better off putting their time and resources into planning and starting up their business than pursuing grants and spending money on books, lists and other meida like this claiming to have the "secret" to getting free money. Most, like this, only provide lists and links to places to apply for grants which do not apply to the vast majority of people. Save your money and go see your local Small Business Development Center from some real free assistance in starting a business.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: I totally agree with all the other complaints
Review: Since you can tell how I feel about this book based on the title of my review, I won't repeat everything that's been said by the other reviewers so far. However, I will say that, as a small business owner who tries very hard to spend money wisely, I am SO NOT HAPPY that I spent close to $20 for this book that is of absolutely no value to me. I don't want to throw it away, but I certainly can't see where anybody would want to buy it if I re-sold it. This book was a total waste of money--if there were a 0-star rating, I'd give it that without hesitation.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: I wish I had read these reviews
Review: I wish I had seen these reviews for this book. It is worthless in terms of information on obtaining funds for small business. If your handicapped or a minority it might be of some use for loans. Nothing relevent for myself as an individual with no startup capital.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Ways to Call Local Government Agencies for Loan Applications
Review: I rarely rate a book as one star. This book is the exception.
My favorite gripe about books is that some of them have misleading titles designed to make them more appealing to book buyers. That certainly describes this book. The bulk of the programs listed in the book are LOAN programs. I don't think loans are a source of free money. Do you? The author never explains why these are sources of free money.
Usually, when I find a misleading title, I still find a mostly worthwhile book underneath. This book is the exception. Almost all of the programs listed come from either the Small Business Administration, the Agriculture Department, or Housing and Urban Development. Each of these organizations will help you over the telephone or send you material on the programs they make available. Web sites are also available.
Why, then, is the book so thick? That's because it lists the same agencies at the same address over . . . and over . . . and over . . . and over. You get the idea. Properly organized, this book could have been condensed to about 20 percent of its size, and would have been easier to use. That would have reduced the costs to the readers and the profits to the publisher and author. Can't have that, can we?
Let's look at the next problem. This book was published in this edition in 1996. There's been a lot of change in government programs since then. So undoubtedly, a lot of this information is out of date. A book like this should be updated at least every two years.
Finally, once you find out who to talk to or write to, what do you do? The book claims to help you design your application and use your grant properly. I found the material on that subject to be very brief and general. Few would find it adequate to succeed in even getting an SBA loan. Lengthy books are written on that subject alone!
If you want to get help from these agencies, find someone who has experience with them to help you (like your banker, attorney, accountant or neighbor). Even if you need to call information in your state to get the telephone number of the relevant governmental agency, that will still cost a lot less than this book.
Do not buy, and do not read this book.
If ever I have seen an example of a miscommunication about how to improve a business, it is in the form of this book. I encourage you to consider ways to redesign your business's basic operating model (perhaps through more outsourcing) as a way to reduce your need for capital, as a substitute to taking on loans from the Federal Government.