There are so many different kinds of grants and organizations that provide them — and you need to understand them so that you can determine which grants you can apply for. This list describes the primary grant types and lets you know where you can look for them. If you are a Regional Government that is interested in finding grants, check out Block Grants.
Government Grants: For the best and most complete information on all available government grants, go online to grants.gov. Most federal agencies release their grant opportunities online. The Government Funding section provides links to federal grant programs and opportunities.
Pell Grants: According to ed.gov, “Financial need is determined by the U.S. Department of Education using a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the financial information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine the family EFC.” Here in a nutshell is basic information about Pell Grants:
•A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.
•The maximum Pell grant for the 2010-11 award year (July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011) is $5,550.
•The amount awarded depends on your financial need, costs to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.
•To apply, complete the FAFSA.
You can learn more at the ed.gov website as well as on our page Grants for College. And be sure to look at the great (free!) information about Scholarships at Free Scholarships Wiki.
Business Grants There is a misconception that the Small Business Administration provides grants to companies. While this is not the case, they do provide asssistance to organizations that do provide such grants, and they are a very useful source of information. As is true for all types of government grants, grants.gov is also a good place to seek out information about business grants, especially those which are aimed at companies owned by women, minorities, and other specific groups. Check our our page Grants for Business.
Block Grants: Block Grants apply to Regional Governments seeking grants. A Block Grant is awarded by the Federal Government to a Regional Government specifying only broad requirements with regard to how that money must be spent. Other types of grants have more strict direction as to the use of funds. Over the past several decades the U.S. Government has awarded huge amounts of money through block grants.
Other Grants: It takes a bit more effort to find grants available from Corporations and private Foundations because there is no central agency which lists them. You can, however, check the information at one of the “Foundation Center Cooperating Collection” sites nearest you. These collections were formed by the Foundation Center (a nonprofit research and publishing group in New York) to create a convenient place to find a variety of helpful pulications and directories (both print and online) regarding national funders and their grant offerings.
The Common Grant Application This is an excellent approach for non-profit organizations to follow to find grants. It was created to ease the burden involved for non-profits to find available grant. It provides an online grant application and management system that non-profits can access in order to apply for and seek funds from non-profit grantmakers through a single application. As of August 1, 2008, the Common Grant Application Web Site lists over 3,500 grantseekers and grantmakers and is a very valuable resource open to “Non-profit organizations, Non-governmental organizations, Charities, Churches, Libraries, Schools, Government agencies, Individuals, Groups, and associations, coalitions, and alliances of grantseekers.”
Trusts and Corporations You can find Trusts and Coroporations which offer grants through subscription-based directories such as the Foundation Center Directory. The most basic subscription is about $240 per year, providing fairly limited search capabilities. More functional versions begin at $480 for one year.
Grant Database Software Programs: In addition to the resources noted above, there are many consultants who can help you. A potentially less expensive route is to investigate some of the many grant-related software programs that can help you find grants, prepare to write grants, and apply for grants.
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Portions of this article are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Grant (money)” and the Wikibook on “Grant Writing”. Other material sources are cited in the article.