Accepted UnknownFugitive - Grant Application

[UnknownFugitive]

Firm Name
The Hawthorne Group

Which grant pool are you applying for?
Innovation, Startup, Research and Development (R&D)

How do you plan on using your grant funding?
In preparation for registering as a limited liability company, I need to cover the costs of legal counsel, essential financial services, and ongoing operational expenses until a steady income stream is established.

For context, the business is a private intelligence firm specializing in Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), responsible for procuring intelligence products to support strategic decision-making for clients.

Ideal Grant Amount 30,000

If awarded, I intend to use the grant money allocated to me for its intended purpose on which it was approved for, and provide a breakdown in my application thread of how the funding was used.
Yes

 

[xSyncx]

Hi @UnknownFugitive, can you please elaborate on what you mean "essential financial services" and "ongoing operational expenses"

 

[UnknownFugitive]

We employ a small core team of intelligence officers to facilitate and manage intelligence production projects. Our strength lies in developing and leveraging a network of consultants and specialists, whom we contract on a per-project basis to provide specialized analysis.

Regarding financial services, aside from fulfilling our tax and filing obligations, we rely on financial advisors to optimize budgets and allocate resources efficiently. This helps reduce operating costs in our projects, enabling us to offer better prices to prospective clients.

Furthermore, our firm addresses a market gap in intelligence work, where establishing credibility and trust is essential for client acquisition. This process requires significant resources and time, including activities such as marketing to raise public awareness (likely outsourced to marketing agencies), networking with high-net-worth individuals and firms, and negotiating partnerships to ensure steady revenue. Meanwhile, we continue to incur fixed fees for financial services, human resources, and legal counsel to support essential functions.

Scalability remains our primary concern. As a resource-intensive operation, our costs reflect this reality despite our best efforts to reduce them, which could make us economically inaccessible despite the potential demand for our services. However, with a grant, we would have the opportunity to introduce novel, affordable services, demonstrate results, and "audition" for credibility and reputation. This would help attract clients and partnerships, positioning us as the first firm of its kind with a proven track record. This, in turn, would enable us to secure stable revenue and scale sustainably.

 

[xSyncx]

Accepted

Congratulations, you have been approved for a partial grant of $10,000 in funding which will be disbursed into your account shortly. As you use these funds, please provide evidence (i.e. screenshots) on how it is getting used to meet its intended purpose!