This is loaded question. There are plenty of marketers that do a good job of promoting the “endless supply of grants that are available to everyone. These individuals and companies make it harder for true professionals in the industry. From the guy with the question marks on his suit to the twin brothers to all of the online companies, grant finding agencies seem to be growing and growing.

First let’s get one thing straight. Over ninety percent of grants go to nonprofits. This means that funders (foundations, government agencies, wealthy individuals) are making money available to organizations that are tax exempt. I will elaborate more on this in my Truth About Grant Series.

With that being said there are grant opportunities for women to take advantage of. They can get funds that are designated to for women only. These funds can assist business start up/expansion, home buying, education and more. So the best government grant for a woman depends on what she needs the grant for.

To find the grants research has to be done. As I stated earlier most grants go to nonprofit. Although individuals and entities may be able to receive a grant directly from the funder, it’s unlikely. So you have to find the nonprofit who receives the grants and apply to them. Nonprofits have missions. So if your need fits the nonprofit’s mission then you should apply to the nonprofit for assistance. For example a government agency may fund women owned start up businesses. Find out which nonprofit(s) received the funds and apply to that agency if you fit their criteria.

The best place to learn what federal agencies are doing is www.grants.gov. For states and local jurisdictions, search their main site. It should contain links to the proper resources. If you don’t know the address of the main site just google Maryland or Baltimore to get you there.