Inside: Best sites for finding grants for bloggers to help you grow your business.
I think we can all agree that having more money to use towards our businesses is only ever a good thing. But it can be near impossible to come up with extra money during the first few years of getting it up and running.
A blog is not an exception to this rule. When you tell someone that you have a blog, they probably think it’s your hobby.
They’ll say, “That’s nice, but how do you pay bills?” and you have to tell them that the blog is your job and that, yes, you have enough for your bills.
Owning a blog is owning a business.
It may not feel like it some days when you’re stuck in the hard moments, but it is.
And since your blog is a business, that means that you can qualify for small business grants! These grants can be from the government, a large company, and so many other places that you don’t expect.
You miss out on all the chances you don’t take, so what is the problem with trying your hand at winning a grant?
I am going to show you the best sites to help you get started.
Best Sites for Finding Grants for Bloggers
1. grants.gov – Grants.gov has all of the government grants that are offered for small businesses like yours. You can get information and sign up through this site. It will connect you with more grants than you can imagine, so find the ones that you qualify for and apply.
Remember that grants should not be used as an emergency source of money, seeing as it can take upwards of a year for you to see the money. It’s one of those things that you invest in, and it pays off later.
2. GrantWatch – On grant watch, you can sort which grants you want to apply for by type, location, and even amount. It gives you information on how many grants are accepting applications and which groups those are in reference to. There is so much information on here; you can see it for yourself.
3. Amber Grants – Amber Grants are donors that are only for women, so if you are not one, I am sorry, but this isn’t for you. There are so many awesome grants for women in business; I think you will be surprised. Whether you qualify for one or for many, it’s definitely worth taking a look.
4. Visa’s She’s Next program – I am sure you have heard of Visa before. Well, they have a grant program for women in business! That’s right. You can learn all about it on their site, but here is a snippet,
“Visa has partnered with IFundWomen, a funding and education platform that provides access to capital through grants and crowdfunding, expert business coaching and a network of women business owners. If you are an early-stage founder in need of resources to take your business to the next level, check out the Visa / IFW entrepreneur resources to get started.”
5. Ms. Foundation for Women – This foundation gives grants to women who own their own businesses in the U.S. So if you are from the United States then this is a wonderful option for you.
6. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
I hope that this list of the best sites for finding grants has inspired you to put yourself out there and start applying. As I said, you miss all of the shots you don’t take. What do you have to lose? If you don’t, you’ll be in the same position you are now.
If you want to learn about more ways to earn money with your blog, I would suggest this breakdown of how I earned my first thousand dollars with my party site. There is a lot of insightful information that you can use to better your life!
I don’t gate keep.
How to Know If You Qualify for a Grant
You can find out if you qualify for a grant by reading the criteria section. When you are finding grants for bloggers, the criteria may be a little different, but there are some universal rules to abide by:
1. You must be making money with your business
You cannot claim that you have a small business and yet have no earnings at all from your endeavor. This is going to come off as a red flag to any grant committee and you will not get the grant.
2. You must make under 5 Million dollars
In order to qualify as a small business, you must make under 5 Million Dollars in a taxable year. I know, I was kind of shocked to learn that because 5 million dollars seem like kind of a lot. I wouldn’t think a business that makes 5 Million dollars a year would be considered small. But alas, they are.
I am sure this is not a problem for you, but if it is…perhaps you don’t need the grant anyway.
3. Your business must be established
This kind of goes hand in hand with the first qualification. Your business must be established. Otherwise, they could give you the money just to have it not go towards your business. Most people can get away with operating for at least one year. Otherwise, you do not qualify for the grant.
Finding Grants for Bloggers: Tips For Winning
If you want to win, you are going to have to stand out from the crowd. Below I have included some of the best ways that you can do just that. Take a look and remember to do this whenever you are applying for your grant.
1. Apply On Time
This is a pretty straightforward one, but I wanted to include it just in case. Grants are not like college essays; you cannot get an extension on them. You must apply by the deadline date.
2. Express Your Business’s Unique Angle
Chances are your business offers something to the world that is unique to you and only you. You need to play this up when you are applying. I know it can feel weird to really gas yourself up in this way, but it’s important. Think of it like this: You are selling your business to these people. Why should they invest in it?
3. Use Your Niche
If you come from a niche group, you can use that to your advantage. For example, if you are a woman, you can play on the fact that there are not enough women in business. If you have other cultural backgrounds, you can express your passion for representing your culture and so on.
So, in conclusion, yes, you do qualify for grants as a blogger. How exciting is that?!
At the end of the day, your blog is your business, and you are offering a unique thing to the world. You should be rewarded for it.
That money can go towards betting on your blog and your business in a way that you would not have been able to without it. It goes without saying that your grant money should ONLY be used for your business and nothing else. Okay, I am glad we are on the same page.
If you are curious about some other ways that you can improve your blog and earn more money, check out these free blogging apps.
