Business Starting Grants

What sort of grants are available for a start-up small business in WI?

I am looking into starting a small packaging consulting business in Wisconsin. I was hoping there were some grants available to help me get off the ground. Does anyone know of any and what would I need to do to start the application process?

Public Comments

1. Again, the only way you can get assistance with your business start-up costs is if you get a loan backed by the SBA(Small Business Administration). No matter what people tell you, and no matter what you see on websites, there is NO SUCH THING as free money from the government unless you're wanting to start a non-profit organization. To get an SBA loan you're gonna have to have a well thought out business plan, decent+ credit, and the ability to repay the loan.
2. my peer is correct and had i been the first to answer I would have said the same. do a biz plan. go to the library, get books on small biz and entrepreneurship. I can guide you for a few hours, free. consulting in small biz packaging.......confusing tell me more at my email address
3. Although grants are typically only available for non-profit businesses and rarely awarded to start-ups, there are two programs that recently received an influx of funding as part of recovery legislation - the SBIR and STTR programs: The Office of Technology administers the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. Through these two competitive programs, SBA ensures that the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts. Eleven federal departments participate in the SBIR program; five departments participate in the STTR program awarding $2billion to small high-tech businesses. The grant writing process is quite arduous and I would recommend checking with your local state universities to see if there are professors/grad students who are available to assist in the process. Lastly, you will need to have a formal company in place and apply for a DUNS number before you can submit anything to www.grants.gov. The bottom line is that you are probably better off writing a solid business plan and trying to get a small business loan than to spend time trying to get a grant. Best of Luck, - John