Is There Free Money Available to Individuals?
The idea of getting grants that could provide ‘free money’ is intriguing. But does ‘free’ money actually exist in the grant world for individuals? If so, where can it be found? GrantWatch.com lists grants available for a wide variety of recipients. Though grants are usually awarded to nonprofits, municipalities, and IHEs (Institutes of Higher Education), there are also grants available to for-profit entities, small businesses and some individuals.
Grants come from different funding sources. In fact, two of the primary funding sources are the government and foundations. Even though the government doesn’t award personal grants to individuals, it does fund hardship programs, loans and benefits to individuals. These come in the form of food programs, subsidized housing, student loans, Medicaid, and social security benefits. You can obtain more information about government programs that may help through the official site: USA.gov/Benefits.
“The government does not offer free money for individuals. Federal grants are typically only for state agencies and nonprofit organizations. But you may be able to get a federal loan for education, a small business, and more”.
USA.GOV
On the other hand, some foundations have grants available to individuals. While these grants are free money, they usually come with ‘strings attached’. Foundation grants can be hard to find as they aren’t always publicly listed. Furthermore, these grants aren’t available to everyone. Each foundation grant will have its own eligibility criteria that needs to be met, which is typically a specific type of individual.
GrantWatch is a grant database that lists current available grant opportunities for all recipient types. Currently, there are more than 1,000 grants available to individuals from foundations. Below is a list of some of the grants now accepting applications:
15 Financial Assistance Grants
- Scholars and graduate students can apply for grants up to $5,000 for costs related to their studies.
- Musicians and music industry employees can apply for grants to pay for mental health-related expenses.
- Art students and emerging artists can apply for grants to pursue career development and training opportunities.
- First responders and their families can apply for up to $2,500 in financial assistance.
- Qualifying service members, veterans and first responders can apply for grants to offset financial difficulties.
- Hospitality workers who are experiencing hardships can apply for emergency aid.
- Single mothers can apply for grants of $500 for urgent financial assistance.
- Grants are available to domestic violence shelter victims for pet housing and veterinary care.
- Nurses can apply for financial assistance as a result of challenging circumstances.
- Individuals with Acute Myeloid Leukemia can apply for $300 grants.
- Financial assistance is available to families of children with cancer to help offset related costs.
- There is financial assistance available to low income individuals and families to assist with regular monthly bills.
- A maximum of $5,000 is available to individuals with autism and their families for urgent treatment needs.
- Up to $5,000 is available to help children under 16 years of age in low income families to offset the cost of medical treatments.
- Individuals facing a disease or serious illness can apply for grants to help with medical expenses.
Looking for grants? With close to 8,000 grants currently available, GrantWatch.com is the leading grant listing directory. Upgrade to a MemberPlus+ subscription to view the full grant details, including eligibility criteria and application information. For more information, you can also visit the GrantWatch FAQ page, and to see the great value with the top 20 GrantWatch features, click here.