Bob, it was probably inevitable that the scammers would show their ugly heads.  Sadly, so many businesses are just so desperate for cash that they have a bigger audience that we would ever have anticipated.

While broadly speaking the government does not give grants to businesses, there is another way of approaching the topic.  Most people automatically think of a grant as a "gimme".  That really isn't accurate.  Most business grants require that specific tasks be accomplished, and often the grant is released in stages depending on the completion of certain tasks.  Those "tasks" are often related to scientific matters, but can also be related to reviving slum areas, training minorities for jobs, providing childcare in needy areas, as well as a host of other tasks, some in other countries.

If we can look at "grants" as "tasks that need to be accomplished, that just happen to be financed via a grant vehicle" then thousands more opportunities open up.

And we don't have to stop at federal grants.  There are local, state and regional grants as well.  Even lots of grants from non-profit institutions.

All of these grants basically say, "Here's a job.  Can you do it?"

Responding to the grant requests with "Yes, I can!" means setting forth a specialized business plan, one that addresses the specific job at hand.

Yes, grants are still difficult to come by.  We are in a tough economy.  But let's look at the positive side, and get our energy working for us.