- Rarely can you go back and claim money with grants
- Grant planning is essential but rarely done
- Grant funding deadlines come heavy in the spring and fall, so join our next grant writing waitlist here: https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing/
Download Now! Five Grant Gotchas
There is grant money waiting for YOU! BUT if you step in a “grant trap,” your application is a NO! Learn the FIVE most common errors to AVOID in government grants! Get the 5 Grant Gotchas now to save you countless hours.
I’ve heard the title of this blog so many times that I’m dedicating this blog to it. Time to demystify some of the grant process.
GRANT TIMING
To win a grant, you need to do the hard work up front. Sad, I know. But it’s true.
Trust me – you’ll forget all about the “hard work” when you get the letter in the mail that starts with “Congratulations.”
I recently attended an ATB talk on grants hosted by an IRAP (grant agency) representative. He said that people call and can’t answer basic questions about their product.
Grant tip: before you call a grant agency, you need to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how much questions. Why? Because the grant agency needs to help you in order to identify the best program for you.
Whether you are a start-up business or established, you need to make sure your pitch is excellent.
YOU CAN’T GO BACK!
This section hurts almost every entrepreneur that I’ve ever spoken to. For those of you out there not entrepreneurs, you would be shocked how much “skin in the game” some Alberta entrepreneurs have invested in their business. Like, shocking amounts of money, time, and grit.
Unfortunately, I know of about two grants that let you “go back and claim expenses.”
Download Now! Five Grant Gotchas
There is grant money waiting for YOU! BUT if you step in a “grant trap,” your application is a NO! Learn the FIVE most common errors to AVOID in government grants! Get the 5 Grant Gotchas now to save you countless hours.
The first one is the Farm Energy and Agri-Processing Program. It shares costs with the agriculture and agri-processing sector on energy efficiency investments. The Program is designed to encourage energy management which will result in cost savings, energy conservation, and ultimately, reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The Program offers financial support, subject to financial constraint, to applicants who incorporate high efficiency equipment that is identified in the applicable Funding List in their construction and/or retrofitting projects.
The second is the Historic Resource Conservation Grants | Alberta Culture and Tourism:
Value: The maximum matching grants per application per year are $100,000 (Provincial), $50,000 (Municipal), and $5,000 (Local). Funding up to a maximum grant of $25,000 is available for architectural and/or engineering services, studies, reports or plans associated with the conservation of a historic place. Matching grants are awarded up to 50% of eligible costs.
Description:
Historic Resource Conservation grants provide project funding for conservation of Alberta’s historic places or architectural and/or engineering services, studies, reports or plans associated with the conservation of the historic place.
Eligibility:
o The application must include contractor’s estimates for proposed work
o Only one application for conservation and one application for architectural and engineering services, study or report per historic resource per calendar year will be accepted
o Completed work must comply with the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada and approved by a Heritage Conservation Adviser
Funding is determined based on a number of factors including but not limited to:
o The size or scale of the historic place
o Scope of the project
o Conservation priorities
o Grant program’s budget
Deadline:
o February 1 (funding decision in June or July)
o September 1 (funding decision in December or January)
Contact: Carina Naranjilla | 780-431-2305 | carina.naranjilla@gov.ab.ca
Because “retroactive funding” is so rare, I took a screen shot of the historic grant’s program guide.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
Most people think, “I need money. I should apply for a grant.”
I see this all the time, but I want to give you a handful of tips.
1. As stated at the grant funding workshop in Calgary last week, most big money agencies want to work with you for a while to understand your problem – then they will fund you. I’ve written about this topic before here. Meet before you write: https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/blog/six-questions-to-ask-a-grant-agency-before-you-write?rq=six%20questions
2. If you need cash yesterday, forget it in grants. Look, it’s summer time right now. A whole bunch of people are hiring summer students. Guess when the deadline for the federal and provincial summer students. FEBRUARY! One exception is the Rupertsland Institute: http://www.rupertsland.org/for-employers/. Ask to speak to Janelle. She might be able to get someone for your asap.
3. Grants involve time. Building the relationship with the grant agency, telling your story in a compelling way, building trust takes time. However, the returns are enormous. Some grants are seven figures. Many are over $100,000 and piles of them exist over $10,000.
4. Grant tip: many grants provide multi-year funding! Imagine that!
5. Grant tip: You can win the same grant more than once.
6. Another major misconception is the flow of money. Some grants you need to pay, and then you get reimbursed. Other grants will fund the consultant directly, and you only need to pay a percentage up front. You should know these things up front.
GRANT PLANNING
Everyone has heard of strategic planning and financial planning. But most of you have never heard of grant planning. Millions of dollars exist in grants. Many for-profit businesses need grants to de-risk or thrive. Many non-profit organizations depend on grants to survive and help people. Often when I meet these organizations, they have not been intentional about building a solid grant plan. Many haven’t met their Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature – the very people entrusted with tax payer dollars.
Today is a massive time for grants. Massive. You can start your grant planning by taking our grant writing seminar. You can joint the waitlist here: https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing/ – check out the video testimonials at the bottom of the page.
Have an awesome week!
David Kincade
Phone: 780.297.6177
Email: davidk@albertabusinessgrants.ca
Download Now! Five Grant Gotchas
There is grant money waiting for YOU! BUT if you step in a “grant trap,” your application is a NO! Learn the FIVE most common errors to AVOID in government grants! Get the 5 Grant Gotchas now to save you countless hours.
