Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarship Programs

There are a large number of federal grants that cover all types of community assistance programs, Social services grants, and educational grants. In addition to grants for college there are many scholarships and fellowships that are awarded to help pay for your college education.

Many of the federal grants are called block grants. These block grants are given to the states to help fund a wide variety of public assistance and social services. The funds must be spent on programs that meet the federal criteria for which they are given, but the states are usually given wide latitude on how they structure and pay for the various programs.

Federal Pell Grants

The Pell Grants are federal education grants for low-income undergraduate and select graduate students to increase access to a college education. Pell Grants are in the range of $5,000 and the maximum amounts can vary every year. The Pell Grants are not loans and they do not have to be repaid. 

The Federal Pell Grants are awarded direclty through participating institutions to students with financial need and have not gotten their first bachelor's degree or who are enrolled in graduate student programs that will result in teacher certification. Students can not get Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one college at a time.

In order to determine if you are eligible for the Pell Grant, you first need to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Colleges will then use your information from your FAFSA application to determine your financial aid package.

Rural Housing: Housing Repair Loans and Grants

The Rural Housing Repair Loans and Grants program provides grants and loans to very low-income homeowners that live in rural areas. The grants can be used to improve, repair, update, or remove health and safety hazards in your home. The loans are for up to 20 years at an interest rate of 1 percent.

The grants can be for individuals that are 62 years of age or older and can be used to pay for repairs and improvements to remove safety and health hazards. A combination of a grant and loan can be used if your are able to repay part of the cost.

To qualify for the loan program, you must be a homeowner and live in a rural area. Also, you must be very low-income. Which means your income is below 50 percent of the median income for your area. Finally, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. To be eligible for the grant program, you need to meet the same requirements, and also be 62 years of age or older.

The amount of the loans can be up to $20,000. The loans are for up to 20 years at an interest rate of 1 percent. You must have a real estate mortgage for loans greater than $7,500. Grants are available for up to $7,5000. If the property is sold in less than three years, the grants may be recaptured. If eligible, you can combine loans and grants for up to $27,500 in assistance.

Special Improvement Project

The Special Improvement Project grant provides funding for projects that aim to assist children in getting financial and medical support.

To be eligible for this assistance program, you, your spouse, parents or children have to get or be eligible to get Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or you have to be a parent or primary caregiver that needs assistance in paying for child care, collecting child support, or help to make sure your child is not separated from your home.

 Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SAPTBG)

The SAPTBG program allows states to provide prevention services and substance abuse treatment through both statutes and regulations. The emphasis is placed on treatment of specific groups which focuses on women with dependent children, pregnant women, and injecting drug users. The program also makes primary prevention services available to people that are not in need of treatment for substance abuse.

To be eligible for this program, you must need help with either the prevention or treatment of drug or alcohol abuse. Also, you must be the parent or guardian to a child under the age of 19, or you or any member of your family must be pregnant.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The TANF grants are provided to the states to provide a wide variety of benefits and services to families in need of temporary financial assistance. The TANF program was formerly known as the traditional welfare program.

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