GROSS NEGLIGENCE

After ordering a five year subscription to the Business Guide, I received access two days later than the 'minutes' promised on their website. I was looking forward to searching their database for funding for my upcoming venture. However, I find it difficult to put into words how very disappointed I was when I started to peruse the lists. The information I paid for is of no use to me whatsoever.

A few observations:

The search tools are low-tech and extremely non-user friendly and thus not very useful as I still have to spend the same amount of time researching funders online. The site needs a complete overhaul and technology update. This saves me no time at all.

Many key funders are excluded.

Federal programs are listed in provincial areas.

The federal list of funders is extremely incomplete.

I cannot get over how grossly outdated the pages are, with some updated as far back as 2004. Are they kidding? In the world of fund development we may as well be living in the 19th century as have information as far back as 2004.

The Not for Profit provincial section only includes Ontario. What about the rest of the country?

There are many, many more inaccuracies, such as:

The Green Municipal Enabling Fund is actually under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (not Environment Canada) and it's called simply Green Municipal Fund, to mention only one.

The information (promises) on their website are misleading and inaccurate. I would go through their site and list them but I simply do not have time; something I'm wasting sitting here typing this complaint. Not to mention the time it has taken to submit my complaint to the Better Business Bureau. This company did not respond to my BBB complaint and have subsequently received an F rating with the BBB, but they don’t seem to care.

In short, I have an extremely bad taste in my mouth for their business integrity. I can’t believe they are in business and that they get any customers at all. If you’re not familiar with the world of government grants, take my word for it, STAY AWAY FROM SHARON MONAHAN AND HER BOGUS COMPANY, THE BUSINESS GUIDE. GROSS NEGLIGENCE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.