[scaramutti]

I am wondering if there are any government or non-government type grants out there for small or midsize "green businesses." My friend owns a green businesses called Greenwerks which among other things completes site surveys, installs rain catchment systems, solar systems and even is a contractor to build "green" properties. We are not knowledgeable of grants or the grant process and are under the impression most grants are earmarked for non-profit organizations. Nevertheless, he and I are wanting to see if we can find a grant that will for example give us funds to install rain catchment or solar systems on 100 homes as a way to curve water use in the city (perhaps as a pilot program). We are located in Seattle, WA so any city, county, state or even federal program would be what we are looking for.

Along the same lines, I am wondering if there are any grants or special loan programs out there that help fund the construction of a "green" home. I've heard rumors that such grants exist through HUD or USDA but have been unsuccessful in finding one. Anyway, any resources anybody in the community knows about would be helpful.

[Fr_Chuck]

You would want to hire and get a grant writer. You can apply to many different corporations, ( such as BP and others)
Also of course there could be tax breaks for those homeowners who install to help pay for install.