Grants for women?

[Debbie]

I thought I'd ask you all....if it's really worth it looking into.

My understanding that if hubby Jeff were to seek grants, he'd have less chance of getting it. Whereas, if I were to seek grants, I would've gotten multiple grants within a heartbeat for the following reasons: woman, minority, small business and disability (hearing impairment).

When I was first told about the grants, I thought it about it for maybe 30 seconds. Then disregarded the possibility. For few reasons:

1) Handicap/disability----heck! I'm too stubborn to be a "handicap" hence hate the idea of being qualified just for that.
2) Being a woman---I get by just fine in a man's world (okay, being sarcastic here)
3) Minority----compared to men? Oh please! (being sarcastic again)
4) Small Business---Does RE investment qualify?

Why haven't I looked into it? For two reasons: I'd feel funny to qualify for any of the above. It kinda makes me feel I'm more "special". And, two--my pride's in the way hence it's interfering my desire to seek knowledge til now.

Well, Fambly---Would I be wasting time checking into those grants?
Any suggestion/advice/knowledge you'd want me to know?

Thanx. Debbie

[Aldo]

To quote former President BlueDress, "Let me say this about that."
Though I have thoughts about your four (reasonably valid) points, I'll blow them off in favor of a far more serious consideration. Most grants have more strings attached than a parade of puppets.

Grants usually have fine print which requires a buyer to hold the subject property for not less than five years, agree to lead paint inspection and remediation, and be subjected to annual inspections by the local code enforcement authority. Trust me. There's more, but those three are enough to make me look for other options.

[TommyOH]

I did some grant investigating back in 2000. There are all kinds of grants that are available to people. The technicality we face as investors is that most of what we do falls under a Community Development Block Grant which is administered by the local governments.

Aldo is right in that respect, because there is so much red tape with the CDBG's it's almost not worth it. I tried to set up a program in my home city in NY for lower income people to buy houses. There were a dozen meetings. The last one was with the mayor who basically told me great idea, I'm behind you if you can garantee 100% owner occupancy. Well, I couldn't, so all that work and time was lost.

If you want a small business or personal grant, go for it. There are hundreds for women, minorities, handicapped, etc. Just not so many for investors.

[smidgen]

Well, I have to tell you that when I was younger living in AR I was going to college in MO. I applied for so many scholarships, grants and everything else under the sun and you know what? It was my grades that got me to have a FULL scholarship to go to college. Sure I had to maintain my GPA at a 3.0 but so what I wasn't in school for my health I wanted that piece of paper more than life itself!

Pride is one thing but if it is to help people (who can make it any other way because of cash problems) to reach their goal and you give back to society afterwards, I don't see a problem? After I graduated I worked in Americorps for awhile and it gave me so much! I was able to protect our National Treasures with the chem. stuff that I learned (from a grant from the school) and then do it very cheaply.

About the disability.... yes, it is hard for my husband to use that card too but if we needed to and I could not afford a wheelchair for him, I would apply for it! I would NOT have my husband ever suffer because I could not get him a wheelchair. The help is out there for the people who really need it and Deb, if you really need it..... I don't see an issue here?

[Debbie]

The help is out there for the people who really need it and Deb, if you really need it..... I don't see an issue here?

That's the bottom line----I don't need it. Thanx Sharon for pointing that out to me. :SM086:

[landtrustwizard]

Just a thought: How does 52% of the population qualify as a minority?

[Debbie]

Correction----every single people living in the USA are in the minority.

I'll prove it to you:

I'm 3/4 french with a pinch of english, scottish, irish, indian & italian.

Jeff is mostly german/swedish along with a dash of irish, scottish, etc.

And fambly, you're nationalities are???????

[Aldo]

landtrustwizard, thank you for bringing that to the forefront. That 52% includes the whiners, freeloaders and wannabes. Remove them and I'd guess about 10%. Include all of the genuine minorities and that 52% could very well be in the 90% range, all things considered. Anyone who is true to form doesn't need to lean on minority status to succeed.

I'm an American with multi-national ancestry and a disability I've chosen to deal with and otherwise ignore. Where my ancestors originated does not change what or who I am.