Government grants for felons to start a business – All you need is a second chance in your life to re-starts and begin a new journey. The task of beginning from the start is hard and it becomes more difficult when you have committed a felony before. Even after paying their debt to society, most of the felons find it difficult to start a business or even earn a living. Besides this, they are not very much trusted with the certain positions that involve working with children or handling money. They are straightaway disqualified when they apply for funds. Hence, it becomes more difficult for a felon to start a business or something of his own.
Highlights of this Post
Organization and Programs That Help Felons To start Business
In case, you are too in search of a ray of hope that will help you with the startup money without judging you on the basis of your past, then there is one! Here are some of the small business grants and resources:
HelpForFelons.org Felons help
It is a website especially designed to serve the ex-culprits. They do not directly support the ex-culprits with their business rather they have their main focus on the general re-en try of them into the society. The website contains information and tips regarding everything from legal to educational loans. Click on this page and you will be directed to the links of each state’s programs that carry out felons’ re-entry.
SCORE Help For Felons
Since the last 50 years, SCORE has successfully helped over 300 chapters across the country. SCORE has a panel of various reputed former business owners, current entrepreneurs and professionals that serve as a guiding light for all the felons. They mentor them by giving free consulting and start up or business advice.
Felons who need such kind of service can reach out to them by visiting the SCORE chapter in your neighbourhood or get mentoring online. Their site offers a variety of online courses, articles, templates, webinars, etc.
Read More – CDL Grants For Felons In Need
grants.gov Help for felons
Website contains different federal government grants. You can visit this website and search for federal government grants. But there is a small catch, as do not try to search by the term “felon”, instead reach out for the words like business idea, heritage, nationality or other personal characteristics.
However, you will get more grants for non-profit businesses than for- profit. Also it is easier to get federal government money, if you opt for non- profit businesses.
Your local Community
There are ample of resources that the felons can find in their own country. The government will surely help you in starting in your own small business with their state programs and schemes. Here are some of the places where can reach out for help within your own country-
- County government websites/offices.
- State government website/offices
- City government website/offices
- Local temples, churches
- State and local economic development organizations
The Federal Trade Commission
In this internet studded era, there are people who scam innocent people by introducing them with false make quick money, money from home, be your own boss kind of schemes and jobs. They play with other people’s hardships and take advantage of the desperate people who are in need of money. Making $2000 to $10,000 in an hour through your phone and laptop, telemarketing, stuffing envelopes are only vague promises made by such spams.
Before signing any kind of contracts or paying money to one such operations, be sure that the people or website is safe and verified. For this you can visit FTC website to get to know about background checks, credit reports that can help you in recognizing spams.
SBA Microloans For Felons
It usually not easy to get loan from SBA. However, they have a SBA microloan Program which offers loans under $50,000. The average loan is about $13,000 which might not be enough for starting business. SBA has strict guidelines and works only with approved lenders and guarantee them a portion of the loan.
IndieGOGO Felons Help
It is a crowd-funding website that can help you in financing your unique business and idea and turning them into reality. The concept of crowd-funding is very interesting as it’s a way to test your business idea or rise a funding. It is an easier way to raise some start-up money. Just do not lost in the sea of requests and focus on what is best for your business.
This site offers guidance from experts right from launching and managing your crowd-funding campaign, connecting you with designing prototype and retail partners, thus helping you in taking the product to the market.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
All the small business owners and people who want to lay their own start-up are being helped by the Association of Small Business Development Centers. It a non-profit network laid out across the entire country. They also connect with local colleges and universities to provide assistance over there too. SBCDs maintain a group of business experts like marketing professions’, accountants and attorneys that help you build and shape your business, numerous seminars, webinars and host-networking events are being conducted by them to help people grow their businesses.
Federal Education Loans and Business Grants for Felons
Life is all about learning and upgrading g with the rapidly changing world. What if, in order to learn various skills like graphic design, accounting etc. you have to go back to school? The foundation of a good business is set up by a skilled entrepreneur and in order to get training, certification or degree in a particular course, you might have to return to school. For this, you might need a federal student loan to finance your school expenses. Even if you are a felon, going to school to restart a new life and learn life skill is your right. You can learn more about federal education loans and grants by clicking here.
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a trust-worthy financing site that helps people who need financial assistance. They have helped more than $3 billion individuals in earning a living. Mostly, people use GoFundMe to fill their education or medical expenses. If you want some funding, you first need to create a campaign and share as much as you can on the social media. People who find your idea unique or relatable can fund you using this platform. Hence, this is a perfect solution to suffice your financial need.
Your Correctional Facility
If you felons have the fear of how you will start out all over again once you get out of the prison, you need to look out for the resources inside the jail first. Start from where you are! Take advantage of every resource that is available inside the jail so, that you have an advantage after getting out. Some correctional facilities conduct programs that help inmates in gaining job skills in starting and running business.
Inmates to Entrepreneurs
Sageworks fund this non-profit community group that helps felons inside the jail in learning about businesses and transforming them in entrepreneurs. They provide all the knowledge need to start business of your and mould unskilled felons to trained professionals ready to start their business. Reach out to such groups and join them if they are available in your neighbourhood. If you are not able to attend in-person meetings and seminars, they also have made their resources available online.
Freelancer Marketplaces
If you have absolutely no money to even start out a business and you have good knowledge of some topics like content-writing, copywriting, graphic design, website design etc., you can always become a freelancer. You do not need to worry about any credit checks, applying to programs and communities for financial assistance or signing leases. All you need is a phone and you are ready to work.
There are ample of freelancing sites available such as Freelancer, Upwork, Fiver and many more that are becoming the blooming marketplaces where individuals are earning lakhs per month just by working from home. You can try it out as it does not ask for your history!
Frequently asked Questions
Are there available grants for felons to start a business in the united states
Yes, if a felon want to start a business there are various grants such as FedEx Small Business Grant, State and Regional Small Business Grants, Federal Small Business Grants, Small Business Loans for Felons is there to help felons and ex felons.
Where can a felons get grants to start a business in the united states
You can find grants to start a business for felons by accessing Grants.gov, GrantWatch. these are easy to access resource that can help felons to start a small business.
What are the small Business Loans are available for felons to start a business
Small business loans grants for felons can increase their chance to make their business at new level. basically there are 3 types of small business loans available for felons
1. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloans
2. Small Business loans Online
3. Business credit cards to get credit for business
I am A Felon, How can i get help to start My new Business
If you are a felon and want to start a new business, there are many ways that can help you with business grants.
1. Federal Government Grants for felons
2. Small Business Administration Microloans
3. Microfinance Loans from the State for felons
4. Online Crowdfunding Websites
5. Angel Investors
6. Entrepreneurship Programs for felons
7. Score and local Programs
