Can I Spend Money With You?

[glycerine]

I love it when a potential customer calls up and says, more or less, "I've got some use-it-or-lose-it federal grant money. I need to spend no less than $50,000 and no more than $250,000. Can you help me?" I said "I think so!"

So...note to self...get off DailyDiapers and finish writing the proposal!

[LuvsGurl]

Enjoy it while it lasts. There won't be nearly as many federal grants next year.

[Rihanna]

Enjoy it while it lasts. There won't be nearly as many federal grants next year

There should not be ANY federal grants!!!! Where the hell do you people think the money comes from? Out of our pockets!!! It is then "given" to people who often misuse it. Could rant more, but that's it for now.

[Necros]

There should not be ANY federal grants!!!! Where the hell do you people think the money comes from? Out of our pockets!!! It is then "given" to people who often misuse it. Could rant more, but that's it for now.

I agree that grants should be used responsibly and for what it was given for. Lets not, however, jump the gun and assume OP will propose something to waste it.

Grants should be given to those who need a helping hand but it should never be used as a financial crutch.

Rihanna, when you say "people often misuse grants" are you basing yourself off personal experience with companies you know that have abused of grants or are you basing yourself on statistical facts? Caution should be advised when generalizing something.

A good example of why grant usage should be given would be for scientific research, artists, small businesses, etc.

[Bonsai]

I guess you managed to come out with a quotation for $262.498,80...

That then magically became $249.998,89 with the "special 5% discount for friends"

[square_duck]

If you don't have any thing in mind for say, an extra $100,000....send it my way..I have a few investments I'd happily sink it into

you know where to find me...I also have paypal

[glycerine]

The grant is going for a system to give safety tests to coal miners. And, no, I'm not going to come in at $249,930! Though, Ghu Knows, I would love to. At the end of the day this is going to Save Lives. Money well spent in my book. I'm a small business (really small...ME) but I've been in the testing business for a LONG time. Trust me.. compared to some of the Big Companies they are going to get one hell of a deal.

The note writer that said that there should be NO FEDERAL GRANTS is way off base. Where do you think the science that runs the nifty Internet we are on came from? Grant. Medical advances? Grants. Grants are the grease that gets progress going. Grants are also one of the ways that small businesses can compete with the Big Kids. I don't have a pot of money sitting around to develop new things. This grant, if I get it, will enable me to add some new features to my software that all will benefit from.

[Rihanna]

My reply on grants was mainly aimed at individual people that misuse them. Yes, I have personal experience knowing them. Companies, I don't know what they've done, but I wouldn't be surprised if they've been misused too.

Agreed, some grants to people and companies have resulted in good things.

On the good side, I know a few who used grants to further their higher/college education and are quite successful now.

My point is that there should not be "free" grants. They come out of our pockets without any payback. They should be short or long term loans, even interest free, if necessary. I'm tired of my money being used to support/educate others without any payback!

[glycerine]

...My point is that there should not be "free" grants. They come out of our pockets without any payback. They should be short or long term loans, even interest free, if necessary. I'm tired of my money being used to support/educate others without any payback!

The "payback" is getting a needed service (testing mine operators) that couldn't be done otherwise. I'm sure not going to do that as a freebie, the state I'm dealing with has no money... but the miners are still there. Call me an old died-in-the-wool liberal, but I still think that it is a Good Thing to support state-sponsored safety, and in turn, small businesses like my own.

[gbw_dl]

I hope your using that grant for its intended purpose. If you dont need to use it, dont. We are sooo in debt right now and taking handouts like that cause the government to print more money.

[LuvsGurl]

Well, the idea is that grants are supposed to help develop things that will be of a benefit to others and create jobs. Ideally the taxpayers end up making a profit from taxes on the revenue generated by these projects.

[glycerine]

I hope your using that grant for its intended purpose. If you dont need to use it, dont. We are sooo in debt right now and taking handouts like that cause the government to print more money.

Good heavens! Why would I even think of going after this if I wasn't planning on actually DOING IT?? One thing to note is that if one of my competitors, and some of 'em are BIG, were to go after this the amount THEY would charge would probably be at least twice as much.

Well, the idea is that grants are supposed to help develop things that will be of a benefit to others and create jobs. Ideally the taxpayers end up making a profit from taxes on the revenue generated by these projects.

This will enable me to hire back the office manager I laid off a couple of months ago. So, yes, it's going to create a job. And at the end of the day I hope it will save lives! Remember... this is going for mine safety training.