Green businesses employ eco-friendly business practices to develop organic or environmental products. The increasing tendency towards going green can signify huge sales for any individual or company that is interested in being involved in the expansion of the industry of green business. According to a report published by the Organic Trade Association, the green industry, also referred to as the organic industry, witnessed an increase of about twenty one per cent in its growth in 2006 and is scheduled to keep that pace for each year for at least the following decade. Thus, if an individual plans to open their own green business, then they should be able to have access to some grants or green awards that will help them fund their project. In this article, we will talk about some green awards that the United States government proposes to any resident or firm that seeks to join the green industry. More specifically, we will talk about the grants offered by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers grants to both science and technology-based small corporations in 2 steps. Step I essentially concerns newly founded businesses. Indeed, these businesses are offered seventy thousand dollars for a period of research of six months. Step II concerns the small firms that have successfully completed Step I and have submitted a new research proposal to the EPA. In Step II, such small corporations may receive up to 225,000 dollars and are given up to two years to complete their research project. In order to be eligible, the small company needs to have less than five hundred workers, to be situated in the United States, and to have a concentration either in technology or in science.

The United States Department of Energy gives green awards to small corporations that are specialized in the field of energy. Effectively, such firms are required to be engaged in activities or research projects such as use of energy, environmental management, production of energy, nuclear nonproliferation, or even fundamental energy sciences. Just like it was the case with the green awards offered by the EPA, there are two phases with the grants offered by the United States Department of Energy. Small corporations that reach the first phase may be given a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars to use during a period of nine months and at the end of which the studies must be completed. Any business that manages to be successful in the first phase will be given the right to take part in the second phase and will receive another one hundred thousand dollars to use for its research & development needs during two years.

The United States Department of Agriculture offers green awards to small companies whose main area of expertise is the development of innovative solutions in the field of agriculture. An instance of such ideas is the development of products that are meant to ameliorate the quality of food. The green awards that are given by the United States Department of Agriculture are distributed in a similar way as those that are offered by the EPA and the United States Department of Energy. Indeed, small companies who are admitted to participate in the first phase are given up to eighty thousand dollars for their projects. At the end of phase I, an evaluation is made and a new list of businesses is created. On that list, are written the names of the small firms that have been given the right to take part in phase II. Small corporations in phase II receive up to three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to conduct their research projects.