Have You Investigated All Your Business Funding Options?

There are few terms quite as sweet as ‘free money’. And while adding some extra free cash to a personal bank account, chances are good that your small business could use a nice sum of money. But hanging out in front of your store or office and trying to panhandle from people on the street isn’t exactly a great business strategy. A better option may lie in the place you least expect it to come from – the government.

Federal grants are designed to help small businesses in numerous ways. Some focus technology based businesses, others on exporting companies, and more. The first step is just taking a look at them. Here are some of the best examples.

• Commercialisation Australia – This grant is focused on businesses looking to develop technology and products to make them more commercially viable. Amounts can range from 50,000 to 2 million dollars, and it can be a huge boon for a small business.

• Export Market Development Grant – Just like its name sounds, this grant is designed to help those businesses who are working on exporting their products. Companies could receive up to 50% of their eligible export promotion budget.

• Clean Technology Grants – This program is designed to provide grant money to businesses that are utilising clean technology in their business or who are working on transitioning over to a clean, environmentally friendly model of operation. It’s only one of several different grants designed for clean technology.

There are plenty more options out there for businesses of all types, and the key is to find the grants that your business is eligible for, double check the guidelines, and apply. Approval isn’t guaranteed, but there’s a good chance you could get the extra cash you need. You never know how close you may be to free money until you try to get it!