It seems that there’s a misconception among many American, thinking that there are government grants for individuals given for almost any kind of reasons. This is a misleading rumor coming from irresponsible people because there’s no way the government will give you the grant for trivial reasons.
As you know, grants are basically free money that doesn’t have to be repaid. However, in general, there are eligibility requirements or specific conditions that need to be fulfilled. Therefore, allow us to explain some of the government grants available in the United States.
How about other types of the grant? Well, it depends on what kind of grant you want. In some areas, the government does provide grants for individuals based on several criteria (like in education category). On the other hands, the government provides support programs through the states or non-profit organization and doesn’t provide a direct individual grant (like in the case of business grants).
Personal Government Grants for Individuals
Government Grants for Individuals – Your Options
It is true that there are several government programs that offer grants for individuals, which include the Federal Pell grant, FSEOG grant program, and a few other grant programs. All of these grants are educational grants, meaning that they can only be used for help paying the tuition of college or university education.
Moreover, these programs are need-based grants, meaning that you have to be considered as financially needy. The grant award is considerably small, but it is often that people who are Pell grant awardees get other types of educational grants too. To be eligible for this grant, you have to enroll in an accredited college and complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) score. The EFC score will be the base to determine how much grant you will receive.
In the case of business grants, there are currently no direct grants available for entrepreneurs. However, the government often provides free training, consultation, etc through the State’s labor office. There are many other local programs that can help you grow your business, but for free money, you should search from other sources like non-profit organizations etc.
Another example of indirect grants can be seen in the medical field. The Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Family, Food Stamps program along with various other welfare programs are good examples of the indirect grants from the United States’ government.
There are various other sources that you can use to search for capital assistance. If you want to try your luck you can go to the Grants.gov, where you can see various grant opportunities. Otherwise, you can go to Benefits.gov to search if there are government programs that can give you benefits based on your current circumstances.
If you are looking for a way to help you with necessary and immediate needs like food, health care, emergency fund or clothing, we recommend contacting your state or local human service or social service agencies. Usually, they also provide information on the local community organization that may help you with what you need.
Getting government grants for individuals is pretty challenging because there are lots of people who want them, yet the fund is limited.
