[Newly Updated – 2020 Comprehensive Edition]
It is estimated that each year the government gives out around $360 billion annually for research, businesses, education and organizations. Grant money is given away for several reasons including community service, growing small businesses, humanities and arts programs, research and development in the science fields, educating those who cannot afford it and stimulating the economy. Government grant money that is awarded never needs to be paid back, but are usually awarded to recipients who demonstrate in their application that they are in financial need or that they will meet the non-financial conditions requested in the application.
Most government grants can be applied for online.
For Covid-19 related grant relief, we recommend you visit FederalAssistance.com. For other grant types, keep reading below.
Who is Eligible for a Grant?
- If you are a US resident or citizen over the age of 18 you are eligible for a government grant and we recommend you apply. If you are an organization that can best help improve society or the economy, you should look into applying for government grants that can help your organization meet your goals.
Types of Grants Available (click each one for more info)
Grant appropriations to the SBA (Small Business Association) for 2016 are $853 million. This funding will go toward small businesses started by Americans who apply for the money.
Women business owners are eligible to receive SBA grants through the government and there are also many corporations that give non-government grant support to females to help grow their business. Some of the big corporations awarding money to women in 2016 are The Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant Program; Huggies Brand; FedEx; Chase Bank; Google; InnovateHER; Walmart; and more.
Receiving grants for college are some of the most common ways every day American’s receive grant money. The most common college grant is called the Pell Grant and in 2016, students can get up to $5,775 per year. Next year, the maximum will increase to $5,815.
Personal grants can fall into many different categories and typically those looking for personal grants have fallen upon a little bit of hard times and need to dig themselves out of it. Financial trouble can present itself in the form of credit card debt, mortgage loans, payday loans, school payments and many other ways.
Housing grants come in the form of helping first time homeowners purchase a home for a lower down payment and lower interest rate. They also help homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payment to avoid foreclosure and get back on their feet.
Minority grants are available to African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. All minorities should apply for an ethnic based grant in addition to the Pell Grant.
Private grants come in the form of corporate financial assistance. Usually corporations who offer private grants set the criteria for receiving grant money based on their company’s mission statement or ethics.
Medical or healthcare grants are available because sometimes the healthcare profession is short on medical help. During these periods, different entities offer grant assistance to further encourage students to go down this route.
Scholarships are merit based typically for superior scholarly performance or superior athletic performance. College scholarships are similar to college grants in that they do not need to be paid back.
How Much Can I Get from a Government Grant?
- Amounts vary depending on which grants you apply for. Typically grants are from $15,000 to $250,000. Larger amounts are usually granted to organizations and small businesses, but individuals can still receive them.
Is Now a Good Time to Apply for a Grant?
- Absolutely, now is one of the best times to apply for a grant because the government is trying harder than ever to stimulate our economy. In 2008 and 2009 America had two bailout stimulus packages that helped boost the economy and poured money into our economic system. Although the economy and real estate markets have been on a tear since 2008 the government is still printing money and placing it into our economic system to continue propping up and supporting our wonderful nation. For this reason, I believe grant money and government quantitative easing will continue for at last one more year, making now a great time to apply for a government grant. If you are in need of stimulus or grant assistance, now is as good of a time as ever.
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