Four common mistakes businesses make when applying for government grants

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien - SmartCompany - 6 July 2018

For entrepreneurs and business owners, there’s a whole host of government grantsand rebates available, each bearing the promise of a little breathing space for startup founders, entrepreneurs and small business owners.

But, whether it’s a government grant or a tax incentive, once you’ve established your business is eligible, there’s invariably a process involved in applying for it. In some cases, that process is long. In others, it’s complicated. Usually, it’s both.

According to Gary Shapiro, co-managing director of Rimon Advisory and all-round expert on government funding, grants can be split into two categories: competitive upfront grants; and rebates, or incentive-type grants.

For upfront grants, companies are generally expected to apply before starting a particular project, putting forward a submission and then being assessed against the grant criteria. Even if the business meets the criteria, although sometimes that criteria is niche, it still needs to be the best of the bunch. Read more