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Check out these 6 private small business grants for women-owned businesses.
September 3, 2015 11 Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses – Part 2

Thanks for joining us for part 2 of this 2-part series. (5 Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses) Let’s continue with the last 6 private grants for women-owned businesses.

6 More Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

  1. Chase Google — Mission Main Street Project: Google has partnered up with Chase to create private grants for women-owned businesses. Together, they award winners with $3 million in small business grants. In 2014, grant winners received $150,000 each to help expand their small businesses. The lucky winners also received:
    • $2,000 coupons to help with Google Consumer Surveys market research studies
    • Google Chromebook laptops
    • Trips to the Google headquarters
  2. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): This program, which is award-based, includes a partnership between 11 different federal government agencies. The program helps small businesses owned by women explore the potential of their technological products and services.
  3. Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR): This program focuses on federal research. It’s in place to help fund development in order to provide women-owned businesses with funding opportunities specifically for research and development.
  4. Women Veteran Entrepreneur Corp (WVEC) Small Business Competition: This grant is organized by Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence and Capitol One. For this competition, you’ll have to present a 2-minute pitch to judges. You’ll be competing for the chance to take part in a 9-month business accelerator program.
  5. Wal-Mart Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative (WEE): Yes, Wal-Mart offers private grants for women-owned businesses. These grants are for both US-based businesses and international companies. The small business funding opportunities are part of a very big Wal-Mart initiative. Over the next five years, awards will increase to $40 billion.
  6. Zions Bank — Smart Women Smart Money: Is your woman-owned business based within the state of Utah? Then, this may be the small business grant for you. Awards of $3,000 each are given out each year, across six different categories, with business being one of them.
Check out these 6 private small business grants for women-owned businesses.
Check out these 6 private small business grants for women-owned businesses.
Image Source: Edu-Schools

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The EntreMarketing Group will help you build your business brand so that your award money doesn’t go to waste. Contact The EntreMarketing Group about helping you grow your woman-owned business into a brand your target market knows and trusts.

Check out these private grants for women-owned businesses in the US.
September 2, 2015 11 Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses – Part 1

Looking for private grants for women-owned businesses to help you launch your start-up or grow your company? Well, The EntreMarketing Group is here to help. In this 2-part series, we’ll explore 11 different small business grants specifically designed for companies with female ownership.

5 Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

Here are the first five on this week’s list of 11 private grants for women-owned businesses. Check them out:

Check out these private grants for women-owned businesses in the US.
Check out these private grants for women-owned businesses in the US.
Image Source: Tommy Toy
  1. The Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant Program: Each year, five grants are awarded to businesses that are 100% women-owned. The principles behind the company must include innovation, sustainability and social consciousness.
  2. Huggies Brand — Mom Inspired Grants: Dedicated to the development and advancement of innovative products related to motherhood. Award winners receive grants of up to $15,000 and resources to help them advance product development and small business startups.
  3. FedEx Think Bigger — Small Business Grant Program: Award winners share $75,000 in grants. Applicants share their visions, which are judged by votes from the general public to become finalists. This small business grant allows you to promote your business as you compete for votes.
  4. Idea Café Small Business Grant: This is a freeway online gateway that gives you access to various small business grants all hosted on one website. Currently, it’s promoting the 16th Small Business Cash Grant. The grand prize is $1,000, which will be awarded to the woman-owned business with the most innovative idea.
  5. InnovateHER: 2015 Innovating for Women Business Challenge: This is one of the private grants for women-owned businesses sponsored by the SBA (Small Business Administration) Office of Women’s Ownership. In the end, three awards of $30,000 each in prize money will be given to the three businesses that make major impacts on the lives of women.

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The EntreMarketing Group will help you build your business brand so that your award money doesn’t go to waste. Contact The EntreMarketing Group about helping you grow your woman-owned business into a brand your target market knows and trusts.

Next, We Explore 6 More Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

Many Women-Owned Business qualify for free money known as small business grants.
September 1, 2015 Understanding Small Business Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

Small business grants are not all that easy to come by these days. It takes due diligence to find one that you not only qualify for, but that your business venture qualifies for as well. For many women-owned businesses, this could prove to be a difficult task.

Many Women-Owned Business qualify for free money known as small business grants.
Many Women-Owned Business qualify for free money known as small business grants.
Image Source: Grants for Women

But, if you can find a grant for your small business, you’re winning, simply because, unlike small business loans, you never have to pay back grants. In essence, they’re “free money” for businesses, but just like anything of value, they all have stipulations. Not to mention, they generally come with complex navigation processes. That’s why it’s important that women-owned businesses network with each other so we’ll all be informed about what’s available for our ventures.

5 Tips to Finding Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll actually discuss some small business grants designed specifically for women-owned businesses. In the meantime, here are five tips to help women entrepreneurs find grants to for start-ups and to grow their companies:

  1. Do research to locate various grants for which you and your business are eligible.
  2. Check out the compliance guidelines and application process to be sure you meet all the requirements.
  3. Devote all the energy and time you have to the very lengthy grant application processes.
  4. If you are able to get a grant, know that you’ll be responsible for reporting just how you used it.
  5. Be patient, and wait for approval.

 

Keep in mind that you’ll be competing with other women-owned businesses trying to get free money from the same pool of funds. So, be prepared with a good business plan and marketing plan, just in case.

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Interested in starting your business? Trying to build your online reputation as a woman entrepreneur? All you need is a good marketing strategy from The EntreMarketing Group. Ready to get started? Contact The EntreMarekting Group about a customized brand building package today.

Next, we explore Women-Owned Businesses: The Art of Applying for a Grant.

Tips to Getting Organized When Applying for a Grant
September 1, 2015 Women-Owned Businesses: The Art of Applying for a Grant

There are many funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Many of them have been specially designed to meet the specific needs of women-owned businesses. Whether your business is a new start-up venture or you’re trying to grow your business, there’s probably a funding source just for you. But, you need to be very organized before applying for a grant. That way, you can keep up with the demanding requirements of each one without getting all discombobulated.

Tips to Getting Organized When Applying for a Grant

Once you’ve found a funding source for your small business, now it’s time to go through the tedious, demanding application process. When applying for a grant for your small business, follow these simple tips to keep you organized each step of the way:

Tips to Getting Organized When Applying for a Grant
Tips to Getting Organized When Applying for a Grant
  • Eligibility – Read all of the eligibility requirements and grant guidelines before applying for a grant.
  • Checklist – Create a comprehensive checklist for all of the information, data and documents required to apply for the small business grant.
  • Rules – Make sure you follow the rules and application guidelines down to the t. It would be wise to have someone double-check your work to ensure that all accompanying documents and info is in place.
  • Time – Don’t wait until the last minute to get started on your grant application. Go ahead and get started early, so you’ll have time to make changes before submitting your app.

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Ready to start applying for a grant? Then, continue with this Women-Owned Business Grants series. Tomorrow, we’ll explore some really small business grants designed specifically for women entrepreneurs and small businesses owned by women. Or, go back and read our earlier post “Understanding Small Business Grants for Women-Owned Businesses” and learn five tips to finding grants for women-owned businesses.

Next, we’ll explore a list of Private Grants for Women-Owned Businesses.

Genki-Su is expanding into new stores thanks to Community Sourced Capital small business crowdfunding.
June 15, 2015 Looking for a Zero Interest Small Business Loan? Community Sourced Capital May be Your Answer

Ever heard of a business-oriented crowdfunding platform called Community Sourced Capital (CSC)? Many small business owners and entrepreneurs haven’t. But, according to my research, it just may be another answer to your small business funding problems.

What is Community Sourced Capital?

Through Community Sourced Capital, you can become a member of a collaborative network. This network was created with the sole purpose of helping small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive with the assistance of local communities. You’ll be connected to “mission-aligned funders”, other small business owners and community members coming together to build “meaningful relationships around money.”

What makes CSC so different from so many other crowdfunding platforms?

  • It focuses on connecting small businesses in need of funding with local community members interested in investing in local ventures
  • Entrepreneurs and small business owners can obtain loans from $5,000 to $50,000 with zero interest
  • Funders buy into investments by purchasing squares for $50 each, up to $1,000 worth per campaign
  • Loans are due and payable, interest-free, within three years

How to Make the Community Sourced Capital Small Business Funding Cut

Each CSC campaign application is reviewed for “financial integrity and community connection.” The CSC team actually spends time helping each business build its campaign.

Genki-Su is expanding into new stores thanks to Community Sourced Capital small business crowdfunding.
Genki-Su is expanding into new stores thanks to Community Sourced Capital small business crowdfunding.
41 Squareholders participated in this loan. $13,300 loaned to this CSC campaign.
Image Source: Community Sourced Capital

Once your campaign is approved, it will run for free for up to four weeks. If you don’t reach your campaign’s minimum funding goal, you don’t get any of the funds. So, the goal needs to be to create a realistic campaign, worthy of the support of your friends, family, affiliates, co-workers, associates, community members, etc…

Chief Executive Rachel Maxwell of CSC gave his take on how the platform works:

“We’re looking for whether the capital is useful, responsible and connected.

It’s useful if it’s for a purpose that will help strengthen the business. It’s responsible if the loan is an amount the business will be able to pay back, and it’s connected if the business has a community that will support it.”

How Much Does Community Sourced Capital Small Business Funding Cost?

There’s a one-time fee of $250 to launch your small business venture campaign. Plus, there’s a $50 membership fee due each month that your loan is outstanding. Once it’s paid in full, you no longer have to pay a monthly fee to remain a member of Community Sourced Capital.

The nonprofit community development financial institution Craft3 matches every single dollar raised on the CSC crowdfunding platform. With its help, CSC has helped to facilitate 58 different small business loans totaling more than $1 million.

According to Craft3 Chief Executive John Berdes:

“We are in a very close relationship. We are not only being mentors and supporters, but we are matching their squares throughout the region.

We really think they are on to something.”

The typical company using Community Sourced Capital for small business funding are food-related companies and neighborhood ventures such as local gyms, salons, day care centers, etc… These local businesses are generally “built around strong communities”, says Maxwell.

Marketing Your Crowdfunding Project

Have a crowdfunding project you need to promote? Well, at the end of the day, potential investors want to be sure that your project belongs to a brand worth funding. Be sure they know what your brand is all about, and who the mastermind is behind that brand. A responsive website will get the job done for you.

The EntreMarketing Group creates responsive websites and blogs for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Get a customized crowdfunding marketing package created just for your brand. Call The EntreMarketing Group at 888-507-2191 or click here to contact us about helping you promote your crowdfunding project today.

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