If you have ever stayed up late enough that the infomercials stop talking about lotions, potions and that weird “antigravity” ball, you have undoubtedly seen guys such as that guy who is always dressed up like the Riddler, talking about getting government grants. To hear these hucksters talk about the whole thing, you would almost think that Uncle Sam is just pouring money down the throats of the American people left and right. And while getting all kinds of “Christmas present” money with wild abandon might sound like a blessing from on high, it is nothing like that at all. On the contrary, this is nothing more than a whole lot of hype that is being dumped on people who are often too tired, too drunk, or just too naive to see that it is a small amount of truth, covered like a peal with layer after layer of silliness and nonsense.
For example, the hype mongers are all very likely to claim that you can get grants for things such as starting a business. However, the business that you start, the structure of the business, and other things such as its location are all going to be very important, as well. At least they are if you are intending to get some kind of a grant off of the government for starting your business. If you think that you can simply set up any old thing, fill out a form or two and get a grant, you are sadly mistaken.
If you buy the hype that a lot of these shill meisters are spitting out, you will purchase their products (which have undoubtedly paid them better than any of the “knowledge” about government grants that they are supposedly trying to impart to you), then you are missing the point entirely. The notion of a government grant is not so that you can simply do one thing and never have to work again. That is what the welfare system is about, not what grants are about. Grants are about helping people to help others with the altruistic missions they fund.