For your firm to really know what it is doing when it applies for government grants, it needs to comprehend the U.S. federal government grants key terms. And the place to start is with the basics: the definition of USA government grants. Grants are "gifts" (usually money) your business receives from the federal government for specific purposes. Because some grants are conditional or proportional, your team also should gain an understanding of those key terms.

There are a wide variety of sources for definitions for words related to federal government grants. Although your business can find the words defined in general dictionaries and glossaries, your purposes are best served with specialized sources. Your team will want to collect meanings from business, legal, government and other authorities. As you build your company's US government federal grants vocabulary, refer to the following sources:

1. Identify important vocabulary in federal grant information.

2. Find government grants for business terms in business and legal dictionaries.

3. Use special sources for US federal grant information.

Action Steps
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Understand basic terms related to federal government grants

Of course, your business will want to check the definition of grant and other key terms at the glossaries at the federal government grants websites first. Once you've perused the definitions of general terms, focus on words related to specific grants of interest, such as federal government business grants or personal grants.

I recommend: Start your education at Grants.gov. The official US federal government grants website has a comprehensive glossary of terms related to grants. Your team also can build a working vocabulary by reading the answers to FAQs at the website.

Learn terms related to federal grants for business

Check business and legal sources for the definition of discretionary grants and similar technical terms. Those sources will provide basic information from the business and legal perspectives. Assess the importance of differences you find with your legal department so that you don't overlook crucial information.

I recommend: Study the definition of grants at BusinessDictionary.com. Encourage staff to use the links embedded in the definition to find the meanings of important related terms. Compare the definitions from business sources to those at USLegal. The legal glossary is quite comprehensive.

Locate federal grant information in specialized sources

To complete your understanding of US federal government grants key terms, have your staff check glossaries for related organizations. They can find the technical definition of organization and other technical terms, as well as interpretations for general terms. Whether your are applying for government grants for small business, federal government grants for women or even personal government grants, the best places to check are national or state organizations.

I recommend: Note the definitions at the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. It provides examples of key terms for business related to the arts. Review the glossary posted by the Environmental Protection Agency. You'll find terms approved by the federal and state governments.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Once your business has a working knowledge of federal government grants terms, it's important to learn the specific guidelines and requirements, and there can be lots of them. Use the help tools at the grants websites to get clarity for any instructions that aren't clear.

USA government grants are awards bestowed upon an organization, business or individual by a federal agency. The recipient does not have to pay the money back. Over 1,000 US government grants exist, and you may apply for as many as you wish. Sorting through the federal grant information and applying takes time, however.

Due to the enticement of free money that federal government grants affords, coupled with the hassle of choosing the US government grants that are right for you, scam artists have surfaced. You will see advertisements for companies that offer to find federal grants for business or personal grants. Some organizations truly do that; others do not. To complicate matters further, other groups advertise that they will spend countless hours visiting all of the aforementioned sites to see which ones are legitimate. But they want money, too, for their service. However, US federal grant information is available online, and it’s free, but that doesn't mean applying for a grant is easy.

Some things to think about before you embark on the US federal government grant journey:

1. Scams related to USA government grants are plentiful.
2. Practice the process of elimination so that you apply for the right USA government grants
3. Grant writing can make or break the deal.

More than 1,000 grant programs are offered in categories that include education, agriculture, arts, law and transportation. Individuals and small businesses can apply for grants that include money for research projects, community development, technical projects and more.

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Select a service offering you help with federal government grants with caution

Learn some tips for knowing how to tell a legitimate service from a scam.

I recommend: Check websites that review online grants and recommend top picks. Ask for client references. You can also tell a lot from the website. If a company has not put much time into its website, providing clean copy and a professional site, odds are they are in business for some fast cash. Read tips from the National Procurement Fraud Task Force.

Determine whether you should apply for business or personal grants

Find out which grants you qualify for before going through the application process.

I recommend: On the government’s grant site, you can register as an individual for personal government grants or as a business. You can also search and apply for grants, as well as track your application. The site is comprehensive, and it’s free.

Find tips and tutorials on how to write grant applications

A few tips or a tutorial may be all you need to write an excellent grant application.

I recommend: Check out The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance for a tutorial on how to write grant proposals. The US Department of Health & Human Resources also has a grant-writing tip sheet for federal government grants.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The website for US federal government grants is the first place to start. I was impressed with its organization, tutorials and tools. This site can help you determine the business and personal government grants for which you are qualified, cutting down on your time considerably. With all this site has to offer, you may be able to apply for your own grants, saving you money.

Being awarded federal government grants is an exciting and satisfying experience. There are more than 1,000 US federal government grants. Every year the government awards more than $450 billion in grants to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, political entities such as states and cities and many other recipients. Those statistics are the "bottom line" of US federal government grants basics.

The key to success in securing federal government grants is wading through the federal grant information and meeting the requirements. Your firm's first step is a visit to websites for US federal government grants. Using the tools your team will find there, they'll be able to identify the grants your business qualifies for and how to apply. However, applying for government grants for business isn't easy. Most requirements are very specific, and some can be complicated and time consuming. To prepare your company to seek federal government business grants, do the following things:

1. Read the US federal grant information carefully.

2. Consider applying for several federal government grants.

3. Get official help with applications for federal grants for business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Research US federal government grants online

The US government has posted information about grants and all aspects of the application and award processes on line. There is a lot of information at the grants websites, so schedule enough time to sift through it to find what your business needs to know. Check the online glossaries for any terms needing clarification.

I recommend: Check USA.gov, the official US federal government website, first. Scan the list of grants and benefits to get a sense of the range of grant opportunities available. Next visit the federal government grants portal at Grants.gov to find specific grant opportunities. The website also provides a number of help tools to simplify your business's search.

Check into business and personal government grants

With so many grants opportunities available, it makes sense to apply for more than one if you can qualify. Check the qualifications for government grants for small business, personal grants, even federal government grants for women or minorities if they fit your business classification. However, make sure you have a good chance of qualifying before you invest the time and effort to apply.

I recommend: Study the information on grants for small businesses through the US Small Business Administration (SBA). The information covers grants from federal and state governments and non-profit agencies. Find information about grants for minority-owned businesses at the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Locate announcements of grants for individuals at places like the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Beware scams related to USA government grants

Because there is a great deal of money at stake and almost overwhelming paperwork and guidelines, dozens of scams have surfaced around applying for U.S. government federal grants. Some companies will help you write the proposal, for a fee and some will apply for you, for a fee. Many fail to produce once they have your firm's money. Encourage your staff to use official government resources (and not to be fooled by 'government' in the business name or web address).

I recommend: Use the guide for developing and writing a grant proposal from CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance). If your business seeks help in the grant process, read the information about the National Procurement Fraud Task Force, the group that monitors illegal activities related to federal grants. Verify your notes on fraud with information at Scammer Alert. Although not a government agency, it posts scams on its website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The federal government grants process can seem slow and frustrating. Often deadlines are extended, parameters changed and so forth. Once your proposal is accepted, continue to check on the status and submit any additional information requested.

U.S. federal government grants education and training can be a rewarding project for your company. Train employees to write grants by registering them for timely seminars that explain funding opportunities made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Online sources for government grants educational events run the gamut, from explaining basic concepts behind the awarding of grants to offering step-by-step instructions on how to write a winning grant proposal.

Most workshops begin with the theory and terminology of federal grants. Once employees have completed initial training, encourage them to learn about the thousands of federal grants available to individuals and businesses. Finish the training with a hands-on workshop in grant writing basics.

Design a U.S. federal government grants education and training program for your company by following these easy steps.

1. Start the training with basic terms and concepts related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

2. Suggest that employees take workshops where they will learn about the different types of grants and the application process for personal and business grants.

3. Encourage employees to practice writing federal government grants.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about federal government grants related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Start your education by learning essential terms related to government and personal grants. Find out the purpose of grants and how they are different from benefits and entitlements.

I recommend: Recent seminars at New York University have explored the different categories of grants, the federal agencies that provide them and what type of individuals are eligible for grants made available with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Check your local colleges or universities for similar offerings. Go to John F. Tierney's website to get on a wait list and obtain materials for an ARRA Grants Seminar that details the funding opportunities specific to this Act. Check your local Congressional representative's website for similar offerings.

Find out how to apply for U.S. government federal grants

Employees learning about grants can register for seminars to access detailed information on the most common types of government grants for small business and schools. They should come away with an understanding of the application process.

I recommend: Fedmarket offers seminars and workshops that explain how companies can win grants to become federal government contractors. Go to Federal Publications Seminars to register for events that focus on laws concerning U.S. federal grant information programs and the agencies that award them.

Get practice in writing U.S. government grants

Your employees can complete their U.S. Federal government grants education and training by learning how to write an actual grant. They should focus on the planning stage of grant writing, and how to create a proposal and engender community support for it.

I recommend: Federal Grants Wire takes you through the entire process, from developing an idea to planning the budget, and offers software programs for purchase. Another source for help in writing grants is the U.S. Department of Education. Learn how to write grants for scientific and health projects at the NIH.