grants for starting a greenhouse business

Does anyone know of any grants that we could apply for starting a greenhouse business in Michigan
Three Women with Green Thumbs and a Dream.

Go to your City Hall. Tell them you need information on starting a greenhouse business and the packet for starting a business. Normally in the packet it tells you all the legal stuff for running a business and it also has an application for a grant and the information needed for the application.

Good Luck
Cricket

there are all sorts of grants for starting a business and also additional grants for women only. most of these come from the feds but a few come from private individuals. just do a search on your computer.

instead of getting a grant--which is just a loan. I started my greenhouse business by buying a greenhouse and supplies with my tax return each year.
I know some people don't get a tax return so they need loans. by experience---if you dont go into business gung hoe--very large with a loan then you will go in the hole very quickly. I think its best to build it a little at a time.
As the business grows --the customers increase. If you start out big and not enough customers then you go in the hole. no profit.
Just my opinion and experience.


Cricket

a grant is not really a standard loan. most grants do not have to be repaid. i know because i am getting life insurance through a grant and i don't have to pay any premiums.

I searched and searched and couldn't seem to find anything that I fit the criteria. I am a woman and I have six daughters and we live on one income. You would sure think that would make me the model for something. LOL

A lot of people think there are just oodles of federal grants out there just for the asking. That's not so and even less so now than a few years ago.

Nearly all state and federal grants are for groups not individuals. I don't know of any for starting a business unless you're seriously handicapped and can qualify for aid through your state's rehabilitation department.

What is available are loans and they do have to be repaid. The ones you're talking about do usually have a lower interest rate. You can find out about those by contacting your local Small Business Development incubator/center (whatever they are called in your state.)

At least here they are regional so if there isn't one in your town, your local chamber of commerce should be able to tell you where to find the closest one.

They offer a lot of free counseling and low cost classes on how to start a business, write a business plan and so on.

I'm getting grants threw my local economic development center. They have a few grants you can get and the grants are free. Even the help you get with them is free.

http://www.homebizwomen.com/grant-woman.html

http://www.in.gov/iedc/incentives/ (indiana)

This is a very good idea, you are a great fellow, you are on the right track! I am sure your business will flourish soon. I love that young people are looking for ways to start their own startup, while having a lot of different ideas.

I never did get a grant or anything to start my business. I got a $400 check from my insurance company when a hit and run driver hit my station wagon. I printed (self published) 100 copies of my aquarium book, and drove that station wagon to pet stores and got my book on the shelves and after a few months I started getting calls to service aquariums so I bought a better aquarium hose, and I my station wagon, 2 buckets and a hose, serviced tanks. I eventually got a dba a couple of years later when ponds started bringing money in and I've been in business with the dba 21 years now. Good luck.

I started my aquatics business with 2 buckets, a hand siphon hose, a homemade apron and a bottle of chlorine remover. And business cards, with a phone line. Greenhouses are a bit more expensive, I built mine from scrap windows and a couple of guys doing the heavy work and it it still cost me $800 but it's 10 years old and still up too