Has Anyone Ever Applied For A Grant??

Business By SweetToothBaker Updated 12 Mar 2009 , 5:26pm by SweetToothBaker

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SweetToothBaker Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 4:33pm
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I recenly found out it is illegal to sell cakes from your house in Louisiana. I am currently looking for a grant to open a tiny bakery somewhere. Has anyone ever applied for one and gotten it. I was pricing equipment for a commercial kitchen and holy cow that stuff is expensive. I was also wondering if it was illegal to do chocolate fountains and stuff, because I;m not cooking it? Thanks so much in advance.

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beck30 Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 4:59pm
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I dont know of any but I would like to! We to want to open one in our home, but finances are tight.I wish you luck!1 icon_smile.gif

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kellertur Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 5:12pm
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Do you mean a loan or a Grant?
I'm actually in the process of applying for a grant, but for fine arts purposes (a HUGE public art piece). ~ it's a process with lots of paperwork, that's for sure. Does your State have a Arts commission? I'm not sure how cake decorating falls into that catagory, but it might be broad enough to include decorative arts (cakes, etc.). I am wondering though why it was a grant you want to apply for instead of loan. icon_confused.gif

Best of luck to you thumbs_up.gificon_smile.gif

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DNBunny Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 6:41pm
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Hi SweetToothBaker, it's very rare that granting agencies will give a grant to open a business. Grants are usually done by the government (state or federal) or charities. Grants tend to go toward community projects to improve a bad situation, not toward businesses, unless it is an important research idea that can be leveraged into a business.

Like K2cakes said, grants are a lot of work and very competitive (plus mountains of paperwork). They are also difficult to find. A grant is something that you don't have to pay back, whereas a loan obviously has a repayment schedule.

You will be a lot more successful applying for a small business loan. These are far more common. Usually what you need in that case is a detailed business plan with all of the expenses laid out and projections with respect to your finances and profit potential. Both of them are a lot of work to prepare, but one of the ways to get money to take a business to the next level.

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indydebi Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 7:34pm
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I believe I read on the SBA website that no,there is not grant money laying around waiting to be given to people wanting to open a food business. I'll see if I can find it ....

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shelly-101 Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 7:44pm
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indydebi is right I did a whole lot of research on this and even ended up loosing money because these web sits trick you into buying there softwere to look for grant money in your state it is all a big crock....They tell you that there is all this grant money just waiting to be claimed but it is not true. like dnbunny said you are better off appying for a small business loan. Hope this helps

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Chef_Stef Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 7:49pm
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SBA doesn't do grants, like deb said. They do micro loans, and they do have requirements, but they're not impossible to work with.

Grants...? I've looked into it, and I like to joke that you'd have to be a disabled, blind, minority, single mother intending to open a business to employ the underpriveleged and support community action events and promote environmental awareness through volunteer activities, etc etc ad nauseum...to qualify for a grant. Plus there are lots of grant programs that are 'named' but the funds are long since gone, though the named program is still out there, so dead ends there, too.

My SBA lady said people actually call her and say, "Hi. Um...I'm left-handed...and, like, I heard there was a grant for...left-handed people..?" She's like.."*click*"

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jlsheik Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 7:52pm
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Federal and state government agencies do not provide grants to women to help them start a business. Grants may be available from non-profits and private organizations, however, these are very rare and usually focus on helping minority women and women in economically disadvantaged communities. However, there are a limited number of loans available to specifically to help women start and expand their businesses.
Start calling your local technology center or banking institutions...they may be able to point you in the right direction, but I am thinking a business loan is where you are headed, good luck.

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SweetToothBaker Posted 12 Mar 2009 , 5:26pm
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I figured that it would be harder for someone to get a loan as appose to a grant. I'll try that approach. Thanks.

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