We generally think that U.S. business is about mega-corporations, those IBMs, GEs, and Fords that provide thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of revenue each year, but these giant corporations account for less than half of all businesses in the U.S. There's another crucial side to American business, that being that while small company might provide fewer jobs per business, small businesses pay more on a percentage basis than larger corporations with their tax shelters. This factor can't be overstated. With a great percentage of the population working for small businesses, each worker also contributes to social revenues every April, keeping small businesses afloat, propelling them to success, small company's are as important to the United States as large corporations which are able to hire cheap labor offshore. Recognizing the importance of small company's, the United States government provides grants for small businesses to spur startup, expansion, and growth.

Any business or a proposed business is eligible for grants for small business. If you're a startup business, you can get cash for that startup right from the treasury you pay into every tax season. Startup businesses have a good chance of getting one of the grants for small business from the government if their proposed new business is in a field that the government itself wants to see expanded. For example, alternative energy is a new field that is receiving a lot of attention now. There is room for the introduction of new products, methods and technologies, as well as for consultants and engineers, now that government is urging businesses to rise to the requirements for a sustainable environment.

Any new business that can meet this emerging need stands a good chance of getting one of those grants for small business; they have a preference for businesses focusing on green technology.

Grants for small business, as do all grants from the federal government, require a grant proposal. If you can afford it, you can hire a professional grant writer to do the proposal for you. These writers determine what need it is your project will satisfy, the nature of your project, that is, how your project will satisfy the needs, and the money you require to carry that project through to completion. You'll also have to let the writer know what it is about you or your organization that assures success. The professional grant writer will then take this information and write the document. With his extensive experience - you'll want to make sure of that by checking his references - he'll produce just the right proposal to get those granters to nod in the affirmative.

You can also do the grant proposal yourself. If you're a good writer and know how to detail needs (requirements) and solutions, if you've studied other grants written for small businesses (you can find them on the internet), and you have the salesmanship, the persuasiveness a good salesman needs, you should be able to write your own proposal for one of those grants for small business that the government wants to give away - if only you ask.