Free Online Grant Applications
There are lots of free online grant applications to be found on the internet. However, it is wise to consider the fact that some of these sites may not be worth your time.
Numerous websites have been set up to simply gain personal information from you. This information is then sold to various telemarketers across the country. If you ever come across free online grant applications that ask for credit card information, social security information, or any bank account information, these sites are not valid. Instead, stick with sites that have an “.org” ending, since these sites are generally the more reputable ones.
Some sites to consider include EGRANT; McGavickGraves; FAFSA; GRANTS GOV; and Federal Government websites. You will notice that most online grants come in the form of government funded programs, which is solely due to the fact that many of these grants are to be used for educational purposes. If you are seeking a movie, photography, or research grant, you will probably have to go the old paperwork route. This type of funding is generally provided by smaller companies, which means that you will have to go through an old fashioned interview process. Government funding is a different story, since most school funding is done through the internet.
In order to find the right kind of free online grant applications for you, it will help to narrow down your search a bit. What are you looking for? What kind of grant do you need? What does your project consist of exactly? What sort of researching are you? Do you need lots of money or just a start-up fund? All of these questions must be answered prior to applying for any type of funding. In fact, you really can’t fill out any application without knowing the response to all of these questions. Also, it is important to note that these are the only types of personal questions that should be asked by any potential funder.
Be careful when it comes to giving out your information. While a lot of government, and small business, websites are legitimate, there are tons that are not. For the most part, writing your grant request on paper is the best, and safest, way to go.
Go ahead and take a look at some free online grant applications that are available. Just be sure to find out who you are dealing with specifically before giving out any personal information.