Ways to Get Grants from the Government
- Author: Jessica Williams
- Posted: 2024-07-29
Ways to Get Grants from the Government
You might be used to the idea of the government taking money from you in the form of taxes. However, the government gives out money to its citizens in the form of grants.
Grants are non-repayable funds that the state, federal or local government often give to a private citizen, non-profit organization, a business, a school, or a hospital.
To get these grants, more often than not, you have to apply for them. You can apply for government grants through the free federal government's free website that will provide various grant programs.
Other commercial sites such as Grants.gov often charge a fee for these applications.
The qualifications you need to have for these grants are; be an American citizen, have a financial need, or be an eligible non-citizen with a genuine financial need.
For the schooling grants, one should be enrolled part-time or full-time to any recognized college or university in the United States and be undertaking an eligible degree or certificate program. So how do you get these grants?
1. Find the unclaimed money
Although this might not qualify as a grant, it is a form of free money that you could get from the government. The government, through the National Association of State Treasurers, releases a list of people with forgotten funds.
Through the official website unclaimed.org you can type in your name and know if you're missing out on any funds, you should have gotten. These funds can be in the form of insurance reimbursements, pensions, pending paychecks, or even forgotten savings in the bank.
2. Apply for schooling grants
It is widely known that college and university education is costly in the United States. You might have the determination to further your studies in any college or university in the country but lack the money to do so. Educational grants often help out with cases like this.
Most of them are offered by the government's Federal Pell Grant. Unlike student loans which often need repayment, educational grants are obtained for free. With these grants, a student can get up to $6,000 a year, which can help their schooling.
There are also many available grant donors online, specifically for schooling. However, they are given based on interests, career pursued, and the area you come from. All you need to do is search for these college/university grant websites online and fill out an application.
3. Assistance with Childcare expenses
There are many people who have borne kids, and they are finding it hard to take care of them financially. Some of these people might require government assistance in covering the high expenses associated with upbringing a child.
Lucky enough, the government offers such kind of assistance to low-income families, whether employed or jobless.
Through the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, the government has programs such as the Child Care and Development Fund to provide funding for the expenses of children aged thirteen and under.
4. Healthcare credits and reduced healthcare
The cost of healthcare in the United States can be very expensive for many people. With the ever-rising monthly payments for healthcare, some people might find it hard to foot these bills. The government provides financial assistance to these people in the form of tax credit.
This is the money that you'll be getting back after filing your taxes with IRS. You can either save these monthly tax credits or use them to cut down on your monthly healthcare premiums.
The government can also enable you to get reduces healthcare for you or your children if you're having difficulties paying for them.
You can find the available service programs in the Children's Health Insurance Program or just apply for your state's health programs for specific ailments for the children.
5. Assistance with Phone Services
Some of the local income earners in the United States might find it very hard to pay their phone bills regularly but still need the phone services. There are assistance programs for this, such as Lifeline Program.
These programs enable the Americans in need to get less-costly phone services or even free services depending on their phones' service providers. These benefits are tailored around safety and job-related phone needs.
Conclusion
If you're in need, whether healthcare, educational, or you can't afford your utility bills, be on the lookout for these government grants.
Although you might need to apply for most of them, they can go a long way in catering to some of your essential expenses.