small business funding

[joysky]

hi guys,

Does anybody knows where l can apply for a minimum of 5k grant to start a new business? l have applied to few different grants only to be told my business does not qualify for the grants. lt seemed to me that the are different grants for specific business.

The business that l'm thinking of starting is a small newspaper around my area. What kind of grants would l have to apply for this kind of business?

Your help will be much appreciated. feel free to contribute in any different ideas you might have about this.

thanks in advance

joysky

PS. l prefer not to apply for a bank loan

[ebonybailey]

if you under 30 you can try the Princes Trust if your over 30 try the Fredricks Foundation, not sure the upper limit, you could speak to a few charities like these to get your mount, I did.

Michael

[joysky]

thanks Michael,

l will try fredricks foundation and other charities. As l'm just turned 31 not qualified for prince's trust.

thank you

joysky

[ebonybailey]

have a look on their site im not sure if it is 30, i know its near that age, you might want to check.

[Jayne]

Try ringing business link, they should be on the web or in your phone book. They are set up to help small and new business with advice, they helped us when we started. We were unlucky and couldn't get a grant, so had to get help from the bank, family and had a few boot sales to raise the cash.

Best Wishes

Jayne

[annethedonn]

Try:

www.startups.co.uk/YUuhv2BoX8KDRw.html

Anne

[joysky]

thanks jayne,

l have tried business link but for some reason the grant that we have applied so far is dead end. But l'm still trying. some grants are only offer half of the amount. l will keep trying though as l know the business that l'm about to start will be able to pay the grant back within a short time.

thanks again

joysky

[Pilfo]

Try j4b (www.j4b.co.uk)

Pilfo

[joysky]

thanks Anne,

l will try that link, lt seemed like the offer different kind of funding. hopefully l should be able to get one of them.

thank you

joysky

[ebonybailey]

Also have you considered contacting an Angel!!!

No, a business angel those who will take a risk for a good business Idea. Type Business Angel into google and off you go!!

[joysky]

thanks Pilfo,

l will try that link as well to see if l can get any help.

thanks again

joysky

[joysky]

Actually l was thinking about contact Angel. but l was not sure of the procedure. You know what, l might give it ago and see what happen. l think it best to try as many organisation as possible to get any help.

So, l will let you all know how it goes.

Thank you again all of you. you have been very helpful.

kind regards

joysky

[Rob]

I know I am going to take this thread slightly off course but I feel it's relevant.

Joysky, I get the impression that without a grant you can't start your newspaper up. Do you have any cash to inject yourself? Even if you got a 100% grant (which is very unlikely) you still have your working capital to fund.

A newspaper lives on advertising revenue (not the cover price). Potential advertisers are reluctant people at best and as a start up paper you have no track record or readership numbers to entice companies to place ads.

As a result you may have to offer ads at knock down prices or even offer free for the first few issues. The angle I'm coming from is do you have the cash to bankroll the business during the time it takes to get it off the ground?

Any potential grant will be dependent on you proving you have the resources. If not, after handing you the cash, they could see their money disappear very quickly.

You may have stacks of cash tucked away and so my ramblings may be irrelevant but something to consider!

[joysky]

Hi Rob,

The newspaper that l'm thinking of printing is more like a A4 type of booklet. And yes, my first issue will be introduction for the advertisers and therefore it will be free.

l'm still looking for the best printing company available that will work together for a longterm at affordable price. l have found a few but l will make a final decision once l work out who will be offer me a better service.

I do have some capital to start with but l will need something more to help me along the way as the business might take a while before taking off.

But thank you for that it is something to consider.

joysky