Federal grants are typically aimed at specific industries and targeted causes identified by the government, such as scientific and medical research, conservation efforts, and so on. Check out this blog for more information. Other options, like loans, may be available to help. Try getting in touch with a local Small Business Development Center or SCORE, two of SBA's resource partners. They're located across the country and provide free business counseling and answers. Visit our local assistance guide to find your local SBA resource partners by entering your zip code.Good luck!

There are quite a few possibilities for connecting with help to move ahead with your objective, Bill. For example, there are franchise opportunities that focus on wellness-specific services for SMBs (small/med-sized businesses). A company like FranNet offers access to advisors who will work with you at no cost to evaluate fit and discuss funding sources. If your wellness strategy includes dental plans (which under the new ObamaCare will be mandated for children soon), Delta Dental has just launched a whole new partner's program in this area. To test market your business idea, choose your state and then free help to learn where your local Small Business Development Center or SCORE office is. There are also no-cost sources for demographic data in the BUZGate public service directory to verify issues like projected market size and spending trends in this area. Other useful resources you'll find there include different sources of funding, such as Regional Development Corp., and Start-up FAQs. Your point about the SMB marketing being fragmented is "right on." The key, therefore, is to define the specific "niche" that you will serve and then "focus" totally on that niche. Good luck! Wellness is a huge issue and one where improvements offer many benefits for many different stakeholders.     This post was edited to remove links. Please review our Community Best Practices for more information about how best to participate in our online discussions. Thank you.