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How can I get a free grant to start a business or buy a house?

I want to start a smalll business. I've known for quite sometimesthat there are government monies that go untouched each year for these kinds of things. Anyone have info on how to apply?

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1. go to the library and look in the resources section. There will be books about grants and so forth. You can't check these books out but you can copy info out of them on grants such as contact numbers and who is eligible. Good luck!
2. It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business (they perpetuate the myth so you will buy their books or pay for their grant application services - even if they know you won't qualify). Nonetheless, 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 a for-profit venture. 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. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business. Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA 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." 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 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 For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It's a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for "students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices." Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don't have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
3. America's Directory to Grant Resources: grants-loans-venture capital-scholarships. There are two documents you need when requesting a grant. The grant proposal AND the letter of appeal. you will not be the only one requesting money so be ready with: 1)a need for your idea or project,2)sufficient research done on your part to satisfy the grantor's,3)no question that you are the best candidate to receive the grant,4)time you spend reviewing the app. process and then you will be ready write your first proposal draft.
4. No idea about the house part, but for a business, see if your local public library system has a Business Library or something of the sort. The one in Brooklyn, NY, is in the Heights, on Cadman Plaza West.
5. supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same - hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.
6. Ask Bill Gates for it, or your neighbor druglord
7. I would like to know tooo