While there are other sources that are awarded grant funding, in general, the free money aspect is lost, and individuals, in general, are not qualified for most grants other than those used for educational purposes such as to pay tuition bills for higher education. Businesses can also tap into the federal grant program, but only by meeting strict criteria through the government agency offering the grant, such as if grant funding is available for research in a particular area that is of specialty to that business.
Most active grant seekers, such as universities, employ full-time grant writers to do nothing but apply for and administer Federal grant funding. With Federal funding cutbacks and the competition for grant funding becoming more intense, seeking free money through a grant requires not only
Large organizations, such as universities, can benefit from grant funding much easier because they can apply for multiple grants at once and
The United States government is giving away free money in the form of federal grants. While it’s true that the government does indeed award $400 billion annually through its 26 federal entities, the statement of free money through the government doesn’t exactly pinpoint the definition of a federal grant.
It also doesn’t mean that if you’ve been awarded a grant, you’ve won the lottery. Getting a government grant will get you an unbelievable amount of obligations, and not fulfilling your obligations will, in turn, grant you legal problems.
The majority of federal grants that are awarded are the farthest thing from being considered free money. While there are other sources that are awarded grant funding, in general, the free money aspect is lost, and individuals, in general, are not qualified for most grants other than those used for educational purposes such as to pay tuition bills for higher education. Businesses can also tap into the federal grant program, but only by meeting strict criteria through the government agency offering the grant, such as if grant funding is available for research in a particular area that is of specialty to that business.
Once the free money is provided through the grant, the organization that has been awarded the free money must keep careful track of all project expenditures. Detailed program goals must be developed, approved, and completed by the organization exactly as specified in the grant application without exception. Any unforeseen project changes that occur along the way must receive prior approval by the government agency that awarded the grant.
The free money offered through a grant program can lead to legal and financial disaster to an organization that does not abide by the strict rules that the grant holds. By failing on a part of the obligation agreed upon when the grant is approved, the organization and/or persons in charge are held accountable. Penalties can range from economic sanctions to prison in the instance of improper use or theft of this free money.
Few individuals have the money, expertise, and time necessary to prepare adequate applications that are awarded free money through federal grant funding. Most active grant seekers, such as universities, employ full-time grant writers to do nothing but apply for and administer Federal grant funding.
Additionally, by even unintentionally not abiding by the grant’s requirements, as mentioned, an individual who is unfamiliar with the Federal government’s grant programs can find themselves in a legal or financial disaster. With Federal funding cutbacks and the competition for grant funding becoming more intense, seeking free money through a grant requires not only time, but also money, with no guarantee of success.
Stating it plainly, Federal grants and free money are fictitious. Large organizations, such as universities, can benefit from grant funding much easier because they can apply for multiple grants at once and a skilled, knowledgeable staff can monitor the grant’s use carefully.
The plain truth is that with federal funding cutbacks and competition for them becoming more intense, seeking a federal grant always requires a lot of time and potentially a lot of money up front with no guarantee of success. Dedication is needed, and is the most important part of attempting to obtain free money through grant funding.
