Customer Reviews

Free Money from the Federal Government for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

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I rarely rate a book as one star. This book is the exception.

My favorite gripe about books is that some of them have misleading titles designed to make them more appealing to book buyers. That certainly describes this book. The bulk of the programs listed in the book are LOAN programs. I don't think loans are a source of free money. Do you? The author never explains why these are sources of free money.

Usually, when I find a misleading title, I still find a mostly worthwhile book underneath. This book is the exception. Almost all of the programs listed come from either the Small Business Administration, the Agriculture Department, or Housing and Urban Development. Each of these organizations will help you over the telephone or send you material on the programs they make available. Web sites are also available.

Why, then, is the book so thick? That's because it lists the same agencies at the same address over . . . and over . . . and over . . . and over. You get the idea. Properly organized, this book could have been condensed to about 20 percent of its size, and would have been easier to use. That would have reduced the costs to the readers and the profits to the publisher and author. Can't have that, can we?

Let's look at the next problem. This book was published in this edition in 1996. There's been a lot of change in government programs since then. So undoubtedly, a lot of this information is out of date. A book like this should be updated at least every two years.

Finally, once you find out who to talk to or write to, what do you do? The book claims to help you design your application and use your grant properly. I found the material on that subject to be very brief and general. Few would find it adequate to succeed in even getting an SBA loan. Lengthy books are written on that subject alone!

If you want to get help from these agencies, find someone who has experience with them to help you (like your banker, attorney, accountant or neighbor). Even if you need to call information in your state to get the telephone number of the relevant governmental agency, that will still cost a lot less than this book.

Do not buy, and do not read this book.

If ever I have seen an example of a miscommunication about how to improve a business, it is in the form of this book. I encourage you to consider ways to redesign your business's basic operating model (perhaps through more outsourcing) as a way to reduce your need for capital, as a substitute to taking on loans from the Federal Government.

I searched all over for this book. It was even recommended through a business brief published by Business Reference Services Humanities and Social Sciences Division Library of Congress in 1994. So you could only imagine my dissappointment when I realized this book simply lists a bunch of addresses over and over again and gives you almost nothing to go on. I got much more out of a 35 page booklet entitled Your Guide To Free Government Grants than I did from this over 350 page book. I truly felt dissapointed and would not recommend this book to anyone searching for a grant.

I was very disappointed in this book because I felt like the title itself is very misleading. The title of the book is called "FREE MONEY From the Federal Governement for SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS" By Laurie Blum. The book description clearly states that there are hundreds of millions of dollars available FREE! to small business and entrepreneurs, when in fact the only thing that I found in this book pertaining to small businesses were LOANS and ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, and the last time I checked LOANS are not free. This book description needs to be more clear as to what kinds of grants are available and the title "FREE MONEY" should not be used when this book is filled with mostly loan options. From reading the book description I was under the impression that this was a book filled with nothing but grant information! I was very disappointed and unsatisfied with this book. If I'm wrong or misunderstood this book please fill free to correct me and direct me to the pages where the business grants are supposed to be located.

I purchased this book and attempted to find something that would apply to my needs as a minority and it was a big disappointment! It has nothing that can be used by anyone that is seeking help especially a minority, I don't suggest this to anyone!

This was one of five books that I brought from Amazon.com and by far the worst of the lot. This man has one idea about how the government really works. Take it from me I have been with the IRS for five years.

I wish I had seen these reviews for this book. It is worthless in terms of information on obtaining funds for small business. If your handicapped or a minority it might be of some use for loans. Nothing relevent for myself as an individual with no startup capital.

This book is just what the other reviewer said it was--just a bunch of addresses with nothing to go on.

As an information source I find this book unsatisfactory since the telephone numbers for Regional and District offices of the Small Business Association are either incorrect, disconnected or no other information is available. I spent more money than I paid for the book calling information to try to get the correct phone numbers. Do yourself a favor and don't buy the book. You are better off on your own.

This book is not what it claims to be. It's just a lot of addresses, etc. Didn't do anything for me except waste my time and money. Don't bother with it is my advice.

I was very excited when I first learned of the book, but was disppointed after purchasing it.

The language in it was much like the government non-functional language. I could have gotten the same information going to the government on-line site.

I was hoping that finally an author was putting things in the layman's terms.

I was looking for a government grant for a minority woman to receive in opening an aquarium business. I didn't know I would need an attorney or professor to decifer what each grant pertained to.

Very disappointing. I'm just your everyday, average person (much like the main populous) who cannot decifer government mumbo-jumbo language.