Cash grant. Government money: how to get a grant to open and develop a business

Grants are a free subsidy that goes to support small businesses and saves you from unnecessary debt bondage, as well as the risk of losing friends, honor and dignity. True, the demand for such programs now far exceeds the supply, so we warn you right away: you will have to try. But an extra 300 thousand or 500 thousand is never extra, right?

Where can I get a grant?

In order to receive a grant for opening or developing a small business, you can take part in a state competition. In addition, grants are often awarded by charitable and investment funds, business unions, commercial banks and even national organizations. By the way, you only need to contact the organization that deals specifically with your area - it is clear that if you are going to carry out repair work, then applying for grants for healthcare projects is pointless.

Information about current grant competitions can be found in printed publications, on the websites of business incubators, thematic Internet resources, as well as in the Ministry of Economic Development of your region. Usually, the deadline for holding the competition, submitting applications, requirements for participants and the documents necessary for all this are also indicated there.

What are the requirements?

To receive a government grant to support small businesses, a company must meet a number of requirements. They vary from competition to competition, but there are often similarities. For example, the age of the company should not exceed 1-2 years. It is believed that most often priority is given to young entrepreneurs with higher education under the age of 30-35, as well as innovative projects, projects that contribute to market development or export-oriented, and most often services are eliminated. The easiest way is to get a grant for the purchase of essential equipment and raw materials, and given that the state program is also aimed at combating unemployment, preference will be given to enterprises with a large number of jobs.

A competent business plan plays a special place in this story. It should contain good economic calculations, supported by real figures, contracts, and visual charts. The more detailed and specific the use of targeted funds is described, the better. And the more confidently the applicant answers the commission’s questions, the greater the chances of success.

Required documents

In order to participate in the competition and receive a grant for opening and developing a business, you must register and provide a basic package of documents. This is an application for participation, an entrepreneur’s application form with copies of the main pages of the passport, a business plan and a document that confirms that you are familiar with the basics of entrepreneurial activity (a diploma of higher economic or legal education, a certificate of completion of entrepreneurial courses). In addition, copies of the company’s constituent documentation, a certificate of state registration, a certificate of entry into the register, certificates from the tax office that confirm the absence of debts, as well as documents confirming the presence of premises, creation and retention of jobs will be useful. Let us remind you that the package of documents may change from competition to competition.

Procedure

1 Let's find out what state competitions are currently being held and whether there is a fund in our city that issues grants in our area. Let's look at the main conditions for receiving a business grant. We are studying precedents for grants already issued - to whom they were given, for what programs, in what amount and for what.

2 .We form an application and collect the necessary package of documents. We calculate how much money we need and for what. We are preparing a business plan and economic justification. The application may be considered for a month or two.

3 .We make a convincing presentation of our project. The decision to issue a grant is made on the basis of a competitive selection. If all is well, a grant agreement is concluded with the entrepreneur, and all money is transferred to the company’s bank account. By the way, you will have to account for all funds - in case of inappropriate use, they may be asked for back.

There are rumors that some companies can exist for years thanks to the support of the state and specialized funds: first they receive a grant to open a small business, and then - to develop and support an existing project. They succeeded, which means you can do it too!

To implement any business idea, you need a certain amount of start-up capital. If you don't have the money to open your own business, don't give up on your dream. The easiest way out of this situation is to seek help from the state. You will learn how to get grants for starting a small business for aspiring entrepreneurs in 2019 from this article.

Who receives grants?

Almost every entrepreneur dreams of receiving a grant to start a business. However, only unemployed citizens who are registered with the employment center, or entrepreneurs who want to expand their existing business, can apply for a cash subsidy.

When issuing grants for starting a business in 2019, foreign sponsors insist that the allocated funds be spent in full accordance with the business plan. The state pays more attention to social protection of the population and employment of citizens. In this regard, foreign investors usually finance enterprises that have already participated in similar programs, and government funds more often issue business start-up grants to aspiring entrepreneurs. At the same time, they give preference to socially vulnerable segments of the population:

• University graduates;
• Citizens who have been laid off;
• Single moms;
• Disabled people, etc.

According to the law, a grant for opening a small business in 2019 can be received by citizens over 18 years of age who want to engage in entrepreneurial activity in our country.

Application deadlines

If you try hard, you can find a fund that will finance the most extravagant project. And yet, to be guaranteed to receive a grant, you need to look for more. Experts recommend that beginners focus on the service sector.

You can open:

• Training courses;
• Auto repair shop;
• Cleaning company;
• Design studio;
• Marketing agency.

If you don't know, you can rent out commercial and residential properties. But in this case, one cannot count on state support.

Requirements for applicants

• Filing an application;
• Project development;
• Project protection;
• Project implementation;
• A full report on the funds spent.

There are also many small nuances that should not be overlooked. It often happens that a person presents a brilliant project, but cannot figure out the intended use of funds, and is rejected. At first glance, it may seem that spending money is easy, but if it is someone else's money received for the implementation of a specific project, everything is much more complicated.

Therefore, before submitting an application, carefully study all the reporting rules - deadlines, report form and procedure for providing information. In this case, you can easily account for every penny spent.

The easiest way is to get a grant for renting or purchasing premises, as well as purchasing equipment, raw materials and supplies. In addition, it should be taken into account that almost all government programs for financing small businesses are aimed at combating unemployment, so the commission gives preference to entrepreneurs who create new jobs.

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How are applications decided?

The most important question that many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking for an answer to is how to win a grant to start a business?

The commission that makes decisions on applications carefully checks all documents, and in particular the business plan. It must contain all the necessary financial and economic indicators and their detailed justification. Describe in detail. In this case, the commission members will get a clear idea of ​​the prospects for the development of your business and the effectiveness of the project.

An entrepreneur who does not provide such calculations will most likely be refused. In addition, the business plan must clearly indicate where the money received will be spent. You need to calculate everything in such a way that the commission members are convinced that these funds are not your main funds. The state does not support newcomers who want to open their own business solely through gratuitous subsidies. It is advisable that the amount of your personal starting capital is approximately twice the size of the subsidy.

Another important point is the creation of jobs. The more people you can employ in your enterprise, the better, since every project that is subject to government funding must be aimed at combating unemployment. But at the same time, the number of jobs should not have a negative impact on the profitability of the project.

Good day, friends. We live in a very interesting time, when more and more promising startups appear every day, young boys and girls turn from ordinary students into successful entrepreneurs in a matter of months. Looking at all this, you wonder how they manage to develop their ideas without investing a penny into the business. To be honest, a lot of promising ideas actually start with minimal investments, but then, as a rule, they require financial support to reach a decent level. Where can I get it? One option is international grants and awards. A lot of companies are interested in finding bright minds, are interested in having a part in their developing startup, and are ready to organize all kinds of competitions and give out grants to the best startups.

So, today we will talk about the 5 most famous grants for business, we will tell you how you can get them, what you need to do in order to get interested in you and be ready to invest tens of thousands of dollars in a young project.

The most famous grants for business

1. Fund for Assistance to the Development of Small Enterprises in the Scientific and Technical Sphere
As part of this project, up to 1 million rubles are paid under the “Start” program and 200,000 rubles annually for two years under the “U.M.N.I.K.” program.
If in order to receive a grant from Microsoft, Russian startupers need to work very hard, then this grant is easier to obtain, because it is provided by a domestic fund aimed at working specifically with our young companies.

Who is this grant for?

As a rule, most grants are aimed at supporting small businesses that specialize in promising areas of the future. This fund for promoting the development of small enterprises in the scientific and technical field provides its money to companies that develop the following areas: IT, medicine of the future, modern materials and technologies for their creation, new devices and hardware systems, and biotechnology.

How to get a?

The Foundation carries out a number of events on the basis of the best universities and enterprises in the country, within the framework of which a number of competitors with the most interesting and promising projects are highlighted. The authors of these projects are invited to apply for a grant. This application is separately considered by an expert commission, which then makes a decision on the allocation of funds. It is worth noting that the funds are not given immediately, but are evenly distributed into 4 parts.

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2. Grants from the Skolkovo Foundation
Mini-grants up to 5 million rubles, grants up to 150 million rubles

For whom?
Skolkovo residents are innovative companies that commercialize scientific developments in one of five priority areas: IT, energy efficiency, space, biomedical and nuclear technologies.

How to get a?
Prepare a package of documents: memorandum, presentation, project roadmap, financial plan, project estimate and its justification. First, the application must be approved in the cluster, then it goes to the grant service, where it undergoes due diligence, checking the veracity of the information sent. The application is then assessed by experts, awarding it a score from 1 to 10 points. If the average score is above 5 points, the application goes to the grant committee. If it is lower, it is eliminated. The final chord is a committee, which includes 12-14 people: both external, independent experts and employees of the fund, often its president Viktor Vekselberg. Decisions are made by a simple majority of votes. As a rule, if a project reaches the committee, the likelihood of not receiving a grant is extremely small.

3. Moscow government for small businesses.

To be honest, this grant is most dubious. To be honest, everything related to the allocation of money by government agencies does not seem very transparent to me. God grant that everything is not so, and that it is actually possible to receive a grant. Therefore, I decided to write about him after all.
The grant amount is 500,000 rubles, and it is allocated to young enterprises that are no more than 2 calendar years old. There are certain restrictions. Companies engaged in wholesale and retail trade, gambling, and sales of goods requiring mandatory licensing (alcohol, tobacco, etc.) will not be able to receive the grant.

How to get a grant?
To apply for a subsidy to the Department of Science, Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship, a company must submit an application, the basis of which is a description of the project, its parameters, technologies, methods, timing and implementation features. Applications are accepted at entrepreneurship development centers. After approval of the project, the department is obliged to conclude a contract with the winning company within 15 days.

4. Grants for young startupers from the social network “Vkontakte”
Nowadays it’s hard to find a young person who doesn’t know anything about the VKontakte social network. But we all know it as a place to communicate with friends, classmates, colleagues and simply strangers. But few people realize that VKontakte has organized a fund that supports young startups.
Also, separate grants are issued by the founder of the social network “Vkontakte” Pavel Durov and the well-known entrepreneur in Russia Yuri Milner. Their main goal is to support young IT startups.
You can find out more about these grants on the official page https://vk.com/startfellows

It is worth noting that in 2013, Durov and Milner selected the 12 best projects, each of which received $25,000 for development. I am sure that this amount can become an excellent “accelerator” that can significantly improve the promotion of selected projects.

5 Grand from Microsoft
At the moment, Microsoft is the most successful and most famous company in the world, and its founder Bill Gates is the richest man on earth. It would be surprising if this software giant did not support the development and formation of young startups.
This grant is issued in the amount of 30 to 100 thousand dollars.

Who can get this money?
As a rule, this grant can be received by young IT companies that develop various software, Internet services, information storage systems and user data. In 2012, the company's management decided to introduce microgrants in the amount of $10,000, which are allocated for projects that can realize their ideas in a short period of time (for example, mobile applications, browsers for mobile devices, additions and optimization of existing Microsoft products).
A characteristic feature of this fund is that money is allocated exclusively for the creation or refinement of an existing product, but not for advertising, marketing or promoting its work to the masses.

Requirements: qualified team, technological and entrepreneurial maturity, participation in the Microsoft BizSpark program and use of the latest Microsoft technologies (Windows Azure, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Kinect). It would be very strange if the mandatory conditions did not include the use of the latest work from Microsoft. Therefore, if you decide to try your hand at receiving this grant, then be prepared for the fact that you will definitely need to work with Microsoft software.

How to get a?
To receive a grant, you will have to go through three stages, and at each stage you need to work to the maximum, presenting yourself only from the best side.

The first stage of the competition is getting into the “short list”. The selection is based on the information provided in the application. Here you need to describe your project, all its advantages, benefits to society, prospects for use, the possibility of mass integration. You definitely need to indicate the prospects for your software to work with mobile devices, because they are the future.

The second stage is a telephone/Skype interview with the short-listed project authors. Based on the results, a rating is compiled, and 4-7 projects are allowed to speak at the meeting of the selection committee. Naturally, the interview will be conducted in English, so you must be fluent in it.

The third stage is the actual presentation at the main office of the fund. By the way, if you want your presentation to be as effective as possible and to impress the commission, then you need to prepare for this in advance. We recommend reading our article “Apple Presentations: Secrets and Recommendations”. After a successful presentation, the project must be approved and then the grant is paid.

State support for small businesses is an important area of ​​economic policy: today there are more than 5.5 million small and medium-sized businesses operating in Russia, which account for 21% of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

It is planned that by 2030 the share of small and medium-sized businesses in the GDP of the Russian Federation will reach 45%. That is why diversified government support for small businesses has entered its active phase.

Basics of government subsidies

Support for individual entrepreneurship and small businesses today in Russia is provided at the legislative level.

Within the framework of the program “Stimulating Economic Activity”, financing of the activities of entrepreneurs is provided.

The program to stimulate economic activity in 2019 provides additional funding, which is called a subsidy.

Subsidizing is a targeted and free government payment for starting a business.

The money will not have to be repaid, as is usually done when borrowing or taking out a loan.

According to preliminary information from the Ministry of Economic Development of our country, only 11 billion rubles were allocated for the entire 2017 program, while in 2014 this amount was more than 20 billion, and in 2015 – almost 17 billion rubles.

These funds are divided among all constituent entities of Russia on the basis of competitive procedures. Due to a noticeable reduction in support, the regions of the country will have to independently determine the priority areas of business activity for financing.

State funds will go to truly important areas of the economy: agriculture, trade, provision of utilities and household services, social entrepreneurship, innovation and others.

Every small and medium-sized business has the right to count on comprehensive support from the state - this is regulated by various regulations and, first of all, Federal Law No. 209-FZ. Different programs have their own validity period, terms of provision and budget.

In 2019, the size of the subsidy will depend on the region of residence and will be issued for the following needs:

• purchase of raw materials;
• purchase of equipment;
• purchase of consumables;
• intangible assets;
• repair work.

The subsidy program for individual entrepreneurs allows start-up businessmen to receive government funding. The size of the subsidy depends on the region in which the businessman lives. The average payment amount is 60,000 rubles.

Important! When starting your own business, you should keep in mind that government subsidies cannot be obtained for the production of tobacco products or alcoholic beverages.

Financing is provided on a non-refundable basis and only if the businessman has start-up capital.

An entrepreneur can use the funds received to open and develop his business - for example, purchasing equipment, raw materials, carrying out repair work or purchasing intangible assets.

Types of financial support for the development of small businesses can be approved by the executive body. After receiving state financial assistance, the entrepreneur must provide a report on the use of funds. This means that every person who receives a government subsidy is responsible for its distribution and must spend the funds correctly.

The rest of the financial assistance will have to be returned, and if it is discovered that the allocated money was spent inappropriately, the entrepreneur will have to return the entire amount to the state.

How to get a subsidy for small business development

Any unemployed citizen of the Russian Federation in 2019 can become a recipient of a subsidy for the development of small businesses.

Funding is provided jointly with the Employment Center.

A person can be recognized as unemployed if he is registered with the Employment Center at his place of registration.

A potential entrepreneur with a ready-made business plan should contact the Employment Center.

The applicant’s business plan must contain detailed information about the planned activity, the location of its implementation, the necessary equipment, materials, technologies, labor, and suppliers.

A separate place in the business plan is given to the cost of the project, taking into account own and subsidized capital. It is also important to carry out calculations and analysis. To do this, it is necessary to calculate the expected revenue and profit, the profitability of the project, the payback period, etc.

After agreeing on a business plan with the Employment Center, an unemployed citizen applies to the Federal Tax Service with an application to register as an individual entrepreneur.

The period for registering an individual entrepreneur, established by regulatory documents, is 5 working days. After receiving the Individual Entrepreneur Registration Certificate and an extract from the Unified Register, the aspiring entrepreneur again applies to the Employment Center with an approved business plan, an application for a subsidy, a passport and documents confirming the status of an individual entrepreneur. This is how an agreement on subsidizing activities is concluded between a businessman and the state.

In order to receive a subsidy from the state to start a business, you need to draw up a business plan correctly and in detail.

After signing the documents, the Employment Center transfers funds to the entrepreneur’s personal account.

Do you need information on this issue? and our lawyers will contact you shortly.

Features of receiving subsidies for small business development

The main feature of receiving government funding for small businesses is that there is no need for repayment, since the funds are provided free of charge.

In return, the state receives a new small enterprise, new jobs for the population and another cell of the market economy.

When concluding an agreement on subsidizing business activities, a businessman must know that he assumes a number of obligations. The main one is reporting.

Within 3 months after receiving funds from the state, the entrepreneur must submit a report with supporting documents on the use of the subsidy to the Employment Center. Fiscal and sales receipts, invoices and paid payment orders, receipts and other documents can be submitted as confirmation.

The report must correspond to the paragraph of the business plan, which indicates the intended use of funds.

In case of partial or complete non-confirmation, the entrepreneur is obliged to return the subsidy amount to the state in full. Another feature of the subsidy is fixed in the terms of the contract. According to the agreement, the activities of the state-funded business should last at least a year.

Thus, the state excludes the existence of fly-by-night companies.

Types of subsidies

The type of subsidy can be established by each subject of the Russian Federation. State aid is of the following types:

• business support – 25,000 rubles;
• opening a business in 2018 with the possibility of increasing the subsidy for a new workplace - 60,000 rubles;
• opening a business provided that the entrepreneur is the only parent of the child, is unemployed or has a disability - 300,000 rubles.

A subsidy can be received not only for starting a business, but also for its development. At the same time, you can have your own production ideas for a small business or open it as a franchise. A sum of money is issued to individual entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Subsidies for individual entrepreneurs in Moscow

Entrepreneurs and small businesses registered in Moscow not only have more opportunities for business development, but also receive special privileges available only to businessmen in the capital. One of these benefits is a business development subsidy. The size of this subsidy reaches 500,000 rubles.

To receive financing, a start-up entrepreneur must contact the State Budgetary Institution “Small Business of Moscow” with a corresponding application and a package of documents. The condition for receiving a subsidy is an activity carried out for at least six months and no more than 2 years. To confirm the success of the business, the entrepreneur provides financial statements, rental agreements, cooperation agreements, and so on.

The application with a package of documents is reviewed by a special Industry Commission.

Among the priority areas of subsidies are the innovation sector, agriculture, healthcare, education, social sphere, hotel business and tourism. After submitting funds, the entrepreneur is required to report on the intended use of the financing, as well as confirm the indicated financial indicators.

Thus, the state controls not only the legality of the use of subsidies, but also the influence of the enterprise on the economic environment of the country.

Dear readers!

We describe typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique and requires individual legal assistance.

To quickly resolve your problem, we recommend contacting qualified lawyers of our site.

Last changes

The purpose of receiving a subsidy for an entrepreneur in 2019 is to open a new enterprise or expand an existing one.

The advantage of this financing option is its gratuitous nature, but the main disadvantage is a large number of conditions and a strict selection procedure.

The Government plans to launch a geomarketing navigator system.

For this purpose, over 200 business plans were developed in 75 areas of small business activity. With the help of this system, it will be easier for entrepreneurs to choose an area or niche to open a small business.

If the project receives approval, then government support will be a good help for entrepreneurs.

There are several other types of assistance from the state to budding entrepreneurs:

1. Renting real estate on preferential terms.
2. Acquisition of state property at preferential prices.
3. Use of infrastructure specially created by the state for the development of entrepreneurial activities (technology parks, offices, business incubators, etc.).

Our experts monitor all changes in legislation to provide you with reliable information.

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State subsidy for starting a small business

December 2, 2015, 15:40 March 3, 2019 13:51

What is a grant? This is a subsidy that is paid to organizations, enterprises or individuals. A sum intended for a specific purpose. But the goals can be different: conducting research, getting an education, or completing an internship.

Etymology

Before considering the meaning of the word "grant", it is worth understanding its origin. What language is this noun borrowed from? It's easy to guess that "grant" is a word of English origin. Translated into Russian it means “to favor”, “to give”.

A grant is an amount that is given free of charge. This concept has nothing to do with credit or loan. Grant issuing is the financing of projects that can further benefit society. Let's consider the features of receiving such a subsidy.

Who issues the grants?

What are they and who are they for? They are needed by young, ambitious and talented people. But who is ready to shell out a large sum for the implementation of a project without receiving any certain guarantees? Grants are usually issued by non-profit organizations.

Grant competitions

Let's give an example. A group of graduates from one of the best universities in the capital has been engaged in research activities for several years. One day, young researchers learn about a competition held by a certain organization (for example, the “Council of Young Scientists”). In order to become a participant, you need to meet a whole list of requirements. But the offer is quite tempting. After all, the winner will be able to receive a prize that is quite an impressive amount. And this will allow further research to continue, which for a true scientist is the meaning of life.

What are the criteria?

Requirements for participants may vary. The selection of applicants for research grants is usually carried out according to the following criteria:

• The head of the research team was under forty years old.
• All its participants are students, graduate students, doctoral students or employees of a particular university or research institute.
• The team members published a number of scientific articles.

A list of publications and monographs written by team members is submitted along with other documents. In addition to basic information about competition participants, sometimes it is necessary to provide information about the participation rate. The team leader is in charge of this. That is, he enters the following into a certain document: “Ivanov - 0.8, Petrov 0.15, Sidorov 0.25, etc.” There is also such a thing as an additional grant. This is a subsidy that the winner receives in a competition consisting of several stages.

During the first phase, a special commission selects several participants who have demonstrated the most pronounced growth trend. They receive grants, but the competition does not end there. In the second phase, the organizers hold a reporting conference, during which young managers talk about the work of their teams. The second prize goes to the person whose story is the most convincing.

What is a training grant and how to get one?

There are many talented young people among students and graduates of Russian universities. But not all of them are the children of successful businessmen. Money is evil, but without it, unfortunately, it is difficult to achieve anything in this life. However, curious, persistent and capable people should not despair. After all, everyone has a chance to receive a subsidy for education at a foreign university. An international grant is an opportunity not only to acquire a specialty at a prestigious educational institution, but also to significantly improve your knowledge of a foreign language. Such subsidies are issued by scientific foundations, universities, and public organizations.

The training grant can be either full or partial. In the first case, all expenses are covered, including travel, accommodation and food. But such grants are quite rare. A partial subsidy is much easier to obtain.

Who can receive a grant?

A program has been in place for many years, thanks to which capable students from Russia and other countries have the opportunity to study in the United States completely free of charge. Even a high school student can win such a grant. After winning the competition, he goes overseas, lives with an American family for several months and studies at one of the local schools. The US government bears all costs. This is a full grant. No English tutors can replace two to three months of stay in the USA or UK. Perhaps every schoolchild or student dreams of receiving such a subsidy. But winning such a competition is quite difficult.

Graduate students and young teachers of higher educational institutions have a greater chance of winning an international grant. As a rule, the competition is open to participants no older than 30 years of age.

International educational institutions offer various training courses in the fields of science, design, and art. To receive a grant, you must first choose the country in which you would like to continue your education. After that, make a list of universities offering similar programs.

For example, within the framework of the German DAAD program, a competition is held annually, the winners of which subsequently study at one of the universities in Germany. Specialties such as architecture, restoration and urban planning are widely popular. The duration of training is from ten months. The exchange service provides the winner with 750 euros monthly for travel expenses, language courses and health insurance.

Where should you start? First of all, you need to write a competent, meaningful letter. You should not limit yourself to one educational institution. It is better to send letters to various universities. In your resume, list all your achievements and also talk about your plans for the future. The heads of such educational institutions annually have to choose from a variety of candidates only a few worthy ones (in their opinion). That is why the letter must be convincing and competent. Writing it is somewhat reminiscent of writing advertising text.

Competitions in Russia

Of course, it is not only in the West that there are organizations that provide subsidies for education or research. You can take part in a similar competition in Russia. Although winning them is no easier than winning international ones, because grants are given only to the most promising graduate or undergraduate students.

If your candidacy was rejected, do not despair. The reason for the failure lies, perhaps, in the limited number of grants. The winner is the one who has such qualities as perseverance and hard work. If your abilities and knowledge were ignored this year, then perhaps next year they will be of interest to the leadership of one of the prestigious foreign universities.