Find Grants

Grants are funds that are disbursed for a particular purpose or project. Unlike loans, you don’t have to pay them back, but they do come with strings attached.

Unfortunately, most grants are for nonprofit organizations, not small businesses.

Be very careful of advertisements promoting “free money for your business.” These ads can be very misleading, often suggesting you can receive a list of many grant sources for a fee of a few hundred dollars. Frequently this is a list of microloan programs - which you must repay - or grants for nonprofit agencies.

To receive a grant, you’ll have to complete a proposal or an application to the potential funder. More often than not, you’ll have to account for how the funds are spent through official reports.

Federal grants back to top

The federal government provides very limited grants to high-tech companies through the SBIR and STTR programs. The federal government does not provide grants directly to other types of businesses.

You can find some grant opportunities through state and local programs, but they are typically going to be for nonprofit organizations, not small businesses. The state of Missouri does provide grants for early childhood programs in the day care industry, and in a few other very specific industry-focused areas. The state of Kansas has a small fund for businesses in economically disadvantaged areas, usually given in the form of low-interest loans.

These grants are not “free.” Often, they require the recipient to match funds or combine the grant with other forms of financing such as a loan.

Nonprofits can check out the Kansas Grants Clearinghouse for a list of online resources to help you kick start your search for state and local government grant opportunities. Local libraries also can help you research funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations.

Early childhood grants back to top

The Early Childhood Development, Education, and Care Fund (ECDECF) provides funding to access to quality early childhood programs for all Missouri families.

The funds are distributed through grant programs, certificates to families, and an increase in state child care subsidies for child care programs accredited by a recognized accrediting organization.

How to find grants back to top

These resources can aid your search for business loans, grants, and financing.

• Business.gov’s online loan, grant, and financing guide  helps you find  what programs for which you may be eligible .
• GrantStation provides access to a comprehensive online database of grantmakers and valuable grantwriting tools.
• Johnson County Library hosts a variety of online resources and databases to help you finance your small business
• Kansas Grants Clearinghouse provides a list of online resources for local government grants.