How can a minor (under 18) in the United States finance a small business?

I need a loan, grant, investor, partner, etc. for startup costs. I don't want opinions. I just need as much information as you can give me. Thank you.

I have a plan and am ready to go forward, but I don't have anything to invest. I am not going to sell the rights. I just want a straight answer to the question posed, like the answer by d_jayde_318.

The easiest way would be to borrow money from your family and friends.

There are no grants for starting a business, so take that away from your list. From the Small Business Administration website, http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

As for loans, banks will not grant you a loan unless a guardian or parent will guarantee the loan for you. Plus, you need more than a business plan to get a loan for starting a business

- Your background and experience in the business -- in my experience, this is KEY in the eyes of the bank because they want to make sure that you know what you are doing and that you can make the business work. If you don't have any experience with the business, have someone on board that knows the business to give banks assurance that someone will guide you

- Your credit factors because it shows your dependability and how well you handle credit. They will do a credit check on you and poor credit history may be frowned upon, or even reason for the disapproval of your loan application

- Your collateral. Banks, even SBA guaranteed loans, want the borrower to show collateral. They want to be guaranteed that somewhere somehow they can get payment from you. At your age, it will not be easy to have any collateral - unless your parents will allow you to use your home as collateral for your business loan

- Condition or terms of loans. Banks would want to know three important things: "How much money are you requesting? What will it be used for? and For how long will it be needed?" Banks oftentimes prefer to approve loans for items that can be identified, has lasting value, and can be repossessed and sold if things fail.

If you are looking for investors, you either need to create some sort of buzz for your business (get the media interested in your business) or you need someone that the capitalists or investors trust to act as your middle man or benefactor (they invest in you because they trust the instincts of this benefactor)

This is a long shot, but you may want to go and pitch your ideas where investors gather. Here are some places where angel investors come and those looking for funding can come and pitch their business plans. Be sure to have a strong business plan and describe what makes your business idea stand apart:

Angel Capital Association http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org
Angel's Forum http://www.angelsforum.com
Band of Angels http://www.bandangels.com
Common Angels http://www.commonangels.com
Keiretsu Forum http://www.k4forum.com
Launchpad Venture Group http://www.launchpadventuregroup.com
New World Angels http://www.newworldangels.com
New York Angels http://www.newyorkangels.com
Robin Hood Ventures http://www.robinhoodventures.com (charges $250)

seriously, you need a very good business plan first... ask yourself this questioyou:can you make a better hamburger than Mac Donald's? The next question is: can you promote your hamburgers like Mac Donald? if you really can do it, then you can easily approach any companies who would offer to buy the rights to it

You could try and apply for a business loan, I think someone might give it to you because companies give minors credit cards. But you would definitely need a co-signer.

Check out the following sites. I think you need a guarantor as you are a minor.

A lot of people think they have a very good idea for business or that they have a very good product to sell but they need money to start.
I'm trying not to give you and opinion as you requested so, i will make a suggestion for you to make your own opinion.
Read the books "The Myth" by Michael Gerber and Cashflow by Robert Kiyosaski.
If after reading those books you still want to go on. Count with me as a partner or as an investor