How grants work, in plain English
What is a grant?
A grant is money someone gives you to do good work — and you don't pay it back. It's not a loan. There's no interest. If you win it and do the work you promised, the money is yours to keep.
Who gives grants?
- The government (federal, state, city). They fund things like housing, education, health, and jobs. These have the most money but the longest applications.
- Foundations. Rich people and companies set up charities that give money away. There are tens of thousands of them.
- Corporations. Big companies fund projects in communities where they operate.
What does it take to win one?
- Be eligible. Each grant has rules about who can apply (nonprofits, schools, small businesses, etc.). Read them first.
- Match their mission. Funders give to projects that look like what they already fund. Our finder shows you past winners so you can see the pattern.
- Write a clear application. Explain what you'll do, who it helps, and what it costs. Simple and honest beats fancy.
- Apply early. Start at least 3 weeks before the deadline. Federal grants can take 40+ hours to prepare.
What are the traps?
- 🚩 Anyone who charges a percentage of your winnings. This is banned by professional grant-writing ethics. Walk away.
- 🚩 "Guaranteed" grants. Nobody can guarantee you'll win. Anyone who says so is lying.
- 🚩 Paying to apply. Real grants never charge an application fee.
What do I need before I start?
- For federal grants: accounts on SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and Login.gov. Our Launch package sets all of this up for you.
- For foundation grants: usually just the foundation's own website. Much simpler.