New age women are breaking free. She is everywhere; all set to write her own rules and be the empress of her own free will. Gone are the days, when a woman was supposed to play her part for others. Today, she matters to herself the most. She is ready to assert her own right and be what she aspires to be. Irrespective of the challenges she has to face or people she has to leave behind; she has no qualms paying the cost to tread her own path. Undoubtedly new age women only did what men had been doing for ages, set priorities, exercise choice and move ahead to taste success. It is now that she has learnt the game of enjoying equal rights, equal pay, equal respect and equal opportunity, which was only a theory until now.

Women ponder where to get the start-up funds and other needed funds for their businesses. In situations like this, business grants for women entrepreneurs are a valuable resource- helping women obtain the needed things in order to make their businesses grow. Most women fund their start- ups through Small Business Administration (SBA) loans; the SBA generally does not provide grants for starting or expanding a business. While there are special grants awarded through various governmental departments, such as the Department of Commerce or Health and Human Services, the bulk of small business is steered through the SBA. When various departments receive funding for grant projects, they are listed on the government's website. Most grants are given to non-profit organizations and those with a social agenda. However, number of sources that could provide a grant to a female entrepreneur with the proper credentials.

For the grants for women entrepreneurs, new women business owners should make network to build the business, make contacts that can provide referrals and learn about grants and contests. Small grants are sometimes awarded to members of trade groups and industry associations. Other groups, such as the local chamber of commerce, often make grants available to members, who meet certain criteria. Association with industry and community groups can pay off in a wide variety of ways.

Enter contests for awards and prizes that can help. Many grants for women entrepreneurs are awarded as the result of a contest. WebMomz gives away a sum of $500 every year as a grant to a female entrepreneur with a business plan for a $10 fee. Entry in these contests often requires joining a newsletter or other marketing vehicle for the site. Local economic development groups, such as Rockville Economic Development, in Maryland, award prizes up to $20,000 for new female business owners. The entry fee is $25 for the grant application.

In Philadelphia, the Enterprising Woman Business Plan Competition supports women-owned businesses that earn less than $250,000 a year with cash and prizes. Entries must be from restaurant, retail or service businesses. Women can also use credit cards and personal loans for funding there business initially. Some private grants are awarded from celebrities and other private investors who promote kind acts of generosity. The different corporations that award corporate grants to women include Kellogg's, Verizon, Toyota, Microsoft and more. The federal agencies that offer grants include the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and more.