Money to start your business—could anything be better? That’s what a grant could do for your startup. And while small business owners may dream of receiving grants to fund their startup, they may not be as plentiful or easy to get as you may think.

However, if you know where to look and how to apply, you might be successful in securing free money for your business.

Before you invest any time and energy in finding and applying for a small business grant for your startup, it’s important to understand what criteria these grants look for, and decide whether or not your particular business or industry qualifies.