US Government grants and funding.

[PJ-Hunter]

My wife and I are seriously thinking of starting a small business to do landscape design, repair, maintenance and the spraying and removal of trees that will be or have been affected by the Pine Beetle epidemic during the spring, summer and fall and then doing guided snowmobile tours during the winters. I have done some legwork and there is a need for it in the area and there are no other companies around and the nearest sprayer is from Denver which is two or more hours away. There is another guiding operation going on locally but it is more of a luxury thing. In my experience most riders don't want to drop $500 or more a day to ride. I know the same areas for the "deep powder days" that he knows, and I have knowledge of other terrain in different locations nearby also. I'm not knocking him at all, he caters to the folks with money to burn and I would be catering to the normal run of the mill folks that aren't familiar with the area and would love to have somebody take them out and they don't have to worry about getting lost or stuck in an area that will destroy the rest of the day or potentially a sled trying to get back out.

I know that the Government awards grants for people trying to start a business with the intention of succeeding. I also know that they offer grants to female business owners and minority business owners. My wife is part Hispanic, part Native American and obviously a woman, so she would qualify for a lot of those grants.

My question is this. How would we find these grants to apply for them? I know that there are some ways to go about it, like paying another company to file the applications for you. We don't want to do that because we are trying to keep start up costs low. There has got to be a way.

If anybody has some advice or information please post it or feel free to PM it to me. We aren't looking to get rich by doing this, more or less, just trying to keep some income coming in to make up for me getting laid off from the engineering/land survey industry. Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts.

~PJ

 

[PJ-Hunter]

WOW! Ask a legitimate question and nobody says anything but somebody leaves a negative (unsigned of course) note in my comment box.

 

[snowww1]

Check with the Small Business Administration. There should be an office in Glenwood Springs. They can be very helpful.
You have probably already done this, but check with the US Forest Service to see if they will allow more outfitter permits.

 

[JHG]

The SBA for sure and check on business.gov

Most of the loan and grant programs should be available on business.gov
Also talk to the Dept. of Agriculture for the tree thing. The business you are talking about is really two different businesses in terms of grants and financing. Grants for tourism and grants for landscaping...etc. would be available form different sources. If you had an ex military member laying around anywhere that would also make some other less sought after grants and loans available. Here are some other good places to start.

http://www.coloradoenterprisefund.org/
http://www.self-help.org/business-and-nonprofit-loans
www.doi.gov - Minority loans/Grants for Native Americans
http://www.sbir.gov/ - Try this one for grants

 

[EricW]

The minority program that you reference is an SBA program titled "The 8a program". You need to deliniate apples and oranges here. Most if not all of the minority/WBE (Women Business Enterprise) designations only have incentive when providing goods or services back to the government through the various agencies i.e. NFS, BLM, ACOE, USBR, NPS etc. I am not aware or any incentive based on minority designation that would benefit a free enterprise (guiding service).

Lets break this down into the benefits available through SBA programs for both the grounds maint. and the guide service. They will be completly different as GM (Grounds Maint.) is a needed service by the gov't and GS (Guide Service) is not.

For the GM biz your wife may well qualify for 8a minority designation which is a program designed to "incubate" or grow existing businesses through low interest SBA backed loans, sole source awards on bids, set asides on contracts, and business guidance and assistance for government based contracting. The idea is to use govenment funds and programs to help your business grow with the idea of eventually being able to be competetive in the non-government free enterprise world when you graduate from the program (9 years currently with extensions). 1. You would need to be an existing business for 2 years to qualify for this program (this is not a start up program), and 2. Your wife would need to be able to show minority status and how being a minority has resulted in some sort of disadvantage is your business development locally. These things are not impossible, but contrary to popular belief it is not free money(grants) and it is a lot of work to comply with the guidelines.

I just realized that by the time I write all the things you need to know, you will already be way in or way out of business. lol. A couple things to keep in mind. 1. My feeling is that in your area the Obama stimulus money is best hunted in Defense (this is always true and the leader in gov't spending), Road Construction - Infrastructure/Utilities, or Forestation, Bio Fuels reduction in the woods/green energy, or possibly water quality/Salmon rehabilitation projects. The problem with the Obama money and these programs is that contrary to his retoric, few small fish will feed on these dollars, its the big fish that will get bigger and if the small fish are lucky, they can find a way to work or sub for the big fish.

If I'm a betting man in your position I would get wifey into flagging on road construction then eventually grow her a business that would be recognized by SBA.

Here I go again, PM me your phone number and I'll give you a call. You will age much less talking to me than you already have trying to read my garble.

Let me know man, I'll share with ya what I can. Good luck. EW

ps. Be aware that once you are a sucessful business you may find your self up at 3:30 am surfing snowmobile threads just to try to get your mind off of the very business you wanted so bad. I am dog tired with a big day tomorrow, but I'm here because I cant sleep worrying about all the business issues. Its not for everyone, but may be for you. Just being honest.

 

[J-Fly]

You should write Obama a letter, maybe if you ask really NICE he will send you a bailout. I mean a grant to start your business.

 

[GayWussy]

WOW! Ask a legitimate question and nobody says anything but somebody leaves a negative (unsigned of course) note in my comment box.

boo hoo