How to spot a grant scam
A real small-business grant is a specific program with an application and an official page. A message that offers free government money out of the blue, then asks you to pay a fee or hand over a bank account, is a scam.
This page paraphrases public advice from the Federal Trade Commission. Read their article, Government Grant Scams, and the federal notes at Grants.gov and USA.gov.
Signs the FTC tells people to treat as scams
- Someone contacts you out of the blue, by phone, text, email, or social media, and says you have been awarded free grant money.
- The pitch is vague “free money” for personal bills, home repairs, or a home business, rather than a named program with a purpose.
- They use a real agency’s name, or a bureau that does not exist, and the caller ID looks official.
- They ask for a Social Security number or bank account to see if you “qualify,” or to deposit the money.
- They ask you to pay an up-front fee, especially with a gift card, wire transfer, cash reload card, or cryptocurrency.
- They say there is no application, or that a phone call is the application.
What a program on this site looks like
Each grant here has a name, a provider, an amount or a clear description of the amount, an eligibility rule, and a link to the official page. The verified date is the day that page was checked. You apply on that official site, not by replying to a text and not by paying this website.
What we will not ask you for
Fresh Grants is free. No fees. No grant kits. It will not ask for a bank login, a Social Security number, or a copy of your ID. The email form asks for an email address and, only if you want, a state and owner type.
If you already paid someone
Act quickly. Contact the company you used to send the money, tell them it was fraud, and ask for a reversal. Then report it to the FTC atReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC’s grant-scam article explains that the sooner you act, the better the chance of getting money back, and that some payment methods are hard to reverse.
Common questions
Should I pay a fee to get a grant?
No. The FTC says the government does not charge a fee to apply for a grant or to release grant money, and it will not ask you to pay with a gift card, a wire, a cash reload card, or cryptocurrency. Fresh Grants also does not charge a fee.
The caller ID said a government agency. Is that enough?
No. Scammers spoof caller ID and invent official-sounding agency names. The FTC notes that the government will not call, text, email, or message you on social media out of the blue to offer a grant.
Where do I report a grant scam?
Report it to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. If you already paid, contact the company you used to send the money and ask them to reverse it, then report it.
Where are real federal grants listed?
The federal list is Grants.gov, and it is free: https://www.grants.gov/. This site focuses on smaller local and corporate programs and is not a replacement for Grants.gov.