Does anyone know any grants I could apply for for a hybrid taxi service?

Question

I'm looking for either federal or private grants to start a taxi service using hybrid vehicles. Anyone know of any?

Answer 1

Several cities are making the switch to hybrids for all future taxi licenses.  Too bad you didn't start your company last year before the idea got discovered.  A taxi service is just a business like any other.  You get a bank loan based on your proposal and your experience. Hiding in the background is the amount of money you currently have in the bank.   If you have enuf cash to open the business without the loan,  but you don't want to tie up all your cash...... the bank will loan you the entire amount today.  If you are like most of us, you need the bank loan because you don't have the cash.  Which is why most of us get rejected because all we have is an "idea".

i had to go to relatives who would invest with me.  It was scary because i drew my mom's bank account down to zero and i still wasn't making a profit.  you can also go to www.prosper.com to bypass the bank loan.  It's pretty cool.

My business is now 7 years old.  I'm glad i did it.

Answer 2

It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for starting a for-profit business.

One possible exception is for companies developing or exporting agricultural goods, including food and forest product. Another exception could be the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)  programs http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/... , which fund the research and development of technological innovation that meets specific government needs.

Your best bet actually will be from the states if they offer grant programs for women (or any other special interest groups -- minorities, women, disabled, veterans, etc). Or check with non profit organizations, particularly women organizations if they offer grants. Examples include

Iowa Women's Foundation http://www.iawf.org/

New Mexico Women's Foundation http://www.nmwf.org/guidelines.html

Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CO...

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business -- THERE'S NONE.

http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALO...

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs