Frequently Asked Questions

Smart Grant Scout is a comprehensive platform that helps small and medium businesses discover government grants, tax incentives, and funding programs. We aggregate over 7,000 programs from federal, state, and local sources into one searchable database.

Our database contains over 10,000 government grants and incentive programs, including:

• Federal programs (SBIR, STTR, SBA loans, etc.)
• State-level economic development incentives
• Industry-specific grants
• Tax credit programs
• Local municipal incentives

We offer both free and paid plans:

• Free: Browse the database and view basic program information
• Starter ($29/mo): Full database access, filters, save up to 25 programs
• Pro ($99/mo): AI Match Score, document checklists, application assistance
• Enterprise ($299/mo): Team access, API, white-label reports

No, grants are essentially "free money" that doesn't need to be repaid (unlike loans). However, grants typically have specific requirements:

• You must use funds for the stated purpose
• You may need to provide progress reports
• Some have job creation or investment requirements
• Misuse of funds can result in penalties

Most small and medium businesses can find relevant programs. Eligibility varies but common factors include:

• Business size (employee count, revenue)
• Location (state, city, rural vs urban)
• Industry sector
• Business age and structure
• Specific activities (R&D, exports, hiring, etc.)

Our eligibility checker helps you find programs that match your specific situation.

Timeline varies significantly by program:

• Tax credits: Applied at tax filing time
• State incentives: Often 30-90 days after approval
• Federal grants: Can take 3-6 months or longer
• SBIR/STTR: Multiple phases over 1-2 years

The AI Match Score (Pro plan and above) analyzes your company profile against each grant's requirements and gives you a compatibility score from 0-100%. It considers:

• Location requirements
• Industry eligibility
• Company size requirements
• Revenue thresholds
• Specific program criteria

This helps you focus on grants where you have the highest chance of success.

Yes! Starter plan and above can export grant data to CSV and PDF formats. This is useful for:

• Sharing with team members or advisors
• Creating reports for stakeholders
• Tracking your grant pipeline offline

Our Pro plan includes AI-powered application assistance:

• Document Checklist: Know exactly what documents you need
• AI Draft Generator: Get started on application narratives
• Application Review: Tips to strengthen your application
• Winning Tips: Insights on what reviewers look for

Note: We provide tools and guidance, but do not submit applications on your behalf.

Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time from your account dashboard. Your access will continue until the end of your current billing period. We don't offer refunds for partial months, but you won't be charged again after cancellation.

Yes! Annual billing saves you approximately 20%:

• Starter: $279/year (save $69)
• Pro: $950/year (save $238)
• Enterprise: $2,870/year (save $718)

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) through our secure payment processor, Stripe. All transactions are encrypted and PCI-compliant.