Did you know that free money is available through free grants and government grants? If you are thinking about starting a business, continuing your education or buying real estate, you owe it to yourself to learn all you can about getting some of this free money for yourself. Many people are intimidated by the application process to such an extent they become discouraged and don’t even try to obtain money through free grants. It simply doesn’t have to be this way…
Obtaining free grants comes down to simply following a process. And there are websites that can help you do just that. There are even websites that walk you, step by step, through writing the proposal.
Applying for Free Grants
The first step in applying for free grants is to know exactly what you want the money for and to locate the grants that are available for that purpose. free grants are awarded to fill specific needs, so you must find the grants relevant to your objectives. Once you’ve located the grants, it’s time to write the proposal.
Writing a Free Grants Proposal
Whether you are writing a proposal for government grants or any other kind of free grants, the grant proposal has the same basic parts: cover letter, executive summary, needs statement, objective, business plan and program description, evaluation plan, and outline of other funding sources.
Look at it this way – your funding sources just want to make sure their money is going to the right place, to someone who is going to use it to accomplish particular objectives. It’s your job to make them certain that you are the right person and that your company will be able to accomplish its goals using the free grants award.
Your cover letter is important because it is your funding source’s first impression of you. It should be brief and business-like, stating concisely the reason you should have the funding. The executive summary, business plan and program description are your opportunity to show what your company does and hopes to do. Your needs statement is why your company needs the free grants money, and why you should have it. The evaluation plan describes how you will gauge your success with your objectives and your list of other funding sources shows that you are serious and are taken seriously by others in your field.
There are websites that will help you understand and use grant terminology and websites that tell you what to watch out for to avoid scams.
Types of Government Grants and Free Grants
There are government grants and free grants for continuing your education, for starting a small business and for housing needs.
Free Grants for Education
Pell Grants are some of the best known free grants. Pell Grants allow students to continue their training or education at either vocational schools or community colleges and universities. The Pell Grants award amount is determined by the student’s financial need, the cost of their tuition and whether the student is going full or part time.
Another factor is how long the student will be attending the institution. Pell Grants are generally given to those pursuing post secondary education or training. Some Pell Grants are available for postgraduate study. Students who are awarded Pell Grants can also seek funding from other grants and loans. At the present time, students can only be awarded one Pell Grant a year. However, that changes from year to year.
Students who are not eligible for those free grants, and who have parents or guardians who were members of the US Armed Forces and died due to the war in Iraq or Afghanistan can get the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. As long as they were enrolled in a college either part or full time when the parent or guardian was killed, they are eligible. The award for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is the same as the award for the Pell Grant.
TEACH is one of the types of free grants that provide a good opportunity for students who want to be teachers. All they have to do is commit to teaching full time in a public school that serves low income students for four years, or to teach in an area of high need.
The students school must participate in the TEACH Grant Program. The student must be enrolled in classes that will lead to a degree in the teaching profession and to have a 3.25. In the event that the student decides not to honor their obligation to teach, the grant converts to a Stafford Loan. If you have decided to become a teacher, this grant provides you with the opportunity to have your education paid for.
Government Grants for Small Businesses
Small business grants are available for starting businesses, expanding businesses or for purchasing franchises. Free grants and government grants for businesses are particularly designed to provide funding for specific purposes. When you write the proposal you will need to say how your organization can benefit the community or other group.
Small business grants can be awarded by state or local governments interested in bringing businesses into their area to provide jobs and services for the community. Additionally, there are small business government grants available for minorities.
Government Grants for Real Estate
There are various kinds of free grants available for help with purchasing and renovating real estate. Today, with the housing crisis, there are even more grants available than there are ordinarily. The Making Home Affordable program offers help for homeowners who are having a hard time making their mortgage payments.
HUD or the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development offers help for first time home buyers and veterans. They offer funds for housing repairs and historic building preservation. There is special assistance through free grants for minorities, seniors and women. If you have a life changing goal you want to accomplish or a dream you want to pursue and money is your only obstacle, look into the free grants and government grants available for your specific objective.