ladytin33 asked:
Really need to get some home improvements. I live in Philadelphia and everything I need to get done is in the low thousands and I would really like to apply for a Gov. grant if I knew they were legit and could really help. I just don’t want to waste my time applying and find out its a scam since they ask for cash to even download the info to apply for the grant.
Really need to get some home improvements. I live in Philadelphia and everything I need to get done is in the low thousands and I would really like to apply for a Gov. grant if I knew they were legit and could really help. I just don’t want to waste my time applying and find out its a scam since they ask for cash to even download the info to apply for the grant.
6 responses so far ↓
1 golferwhoworks // Jan 15, 2009 at 1:51 pm
those are scams but try talking with the city or the state as they may have some grant money
2 src50 // Jan 18, 2009 at 5:52 pm
If they ask for money up front, its a scam.
3 mwa345 // Jan 21, 2009 at 10:49 am
Most Are the government will give you money if you start a nonprofit business. I am not for sure on the home repairs
4 New Haven SCORE // Jan 24, 2009 at 9:36 am
For a government grant, go to and follow the instructions. You should also contact the Philadelphia city government as they may have grants for particular areas.
5 imisidro // Jan 25, 2009 at 6:52 pm
YES - a scam. And don’t ever ever pay to apply for grants
Home repair grants are very rarely given — only to those 60+ living in very poor rural neighborhoods
The government is NOT in the business of giving away free money for the sake of giving away money. There are no grants for paying bills, no grants for paying off credit cards, no grants for getting out of debt and no grants for simply fattening your wallet.
Grants are free, but it means OBLIGATION. You will be obligated to do as the grant sets out to do. Grants have objectives, and your purpose must fit the objective of the grant.
For one, you have to write the grant application and the grant application is not a simple document - you have to explain how your purpose for applying for the grant fits well with the objectives set out by the grant.
There is a stringent review process through a committee. You will compete with other applicants for the grant money, and this grant review committee will evaluate the merits of each proposal. Only those that they feel exemplifies the objective of the grant will be approved.
You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) and Grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.
Even if you buy books on “how to get grants” or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.
Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs
6 Credic J // Jan 26, 2009 at 12:27 pm
They’re kits that SHOW you how to get grants easier, where to look, how to write them, etc.