While microloans offer smaller amounts, it doesn’t mean that the requirements of these microloan providers are any less tough than the bank. They also require collateral, good personal credit even the guarantee of the business owner.

As for grants, there’s no such thing as grants for helping start a business — even for women. What women can avail of are some specific loan programs for women as well as certification programs that allow women owned businesses to compete better in the government subcontracting process. Check with the SBA Women’s Business Center http://www.onlinewbc.gov/

From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CON_FAQ2.html

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“The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments.”
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You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business — THERE’S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs

http://www.vancouverfinder.org/business/bad-credit-loan.html

Hope this helps,