How do I find a grant writer/researcher in Houston, Texas?

I have been looking for a grant writer for about a year. Lesko claims there is a lot of assistance out there but I can not find anything. I need some money for personal debt and two small business

Lesko claims there is grant money that people will give you to get rid of personal debt? Completely NOT TRUE.

Check out the Leisure Learning classes in the free magazines all over Houston. There are free classes on how to write a proposal to submit and get a grant.

Keep in mind, you need to have a sound business plan in order to be eligible, but it won't keep you from applying.

Money does not fall off of trees!

You're not finding any grants for small businesses and personal debt because there aren't any. Lesko lists grants -- which exists -- but he glosses over the fact that grants have purposes and not everyone can get grants.

The government is NOT in the business of giving away free money for the sake of giving away money. There are hardly any grant monies for starting a business and there are defimitely none for paying bills

Grants are free, but it means OBLIGATION. You will be obligated to do as the grant sets out to do. Grants have objectives, and your purpose must fit the objective of the grant.

For one, you have to write the grant application and the grant application is not a simple document - you have to explain how your purpose for applying for the grant fits well with the objectives set out by the grant.

There is a stringent review process through a committee. You will compete with other applicants for the grant money, and this grant review committee will evaluate the merits of each proposal. Only those that they feel exemplifies the objective of the grant will be approved.

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 your purposes.

Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.

Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. 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. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.

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

I would start looking in your library as a good resource. Online could get you started as well, just need to be careful with whom you are calling. You could contact some not for profit organizations and see if they use someone too. Good Luck.