Does anyone know of a web site to search for grants for free?

Question

I am specifically looking for the following grants:
1. downpayment assistance for 1st time home buyer;
2, home repair;
3. assist with mortgage payments;
4. assist with utility bills;
5. for someone unemployed

I don't want to purchase one of those cd. Most are scams. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Not to sure if this is exactly what you mean but there might be the resources on the pages to assist you.

Answer 2

Depending upon where you live you can find grants through your local government. In Upstate New York certain towns have WEB sites that tell a prospective home buyer about grants that are available for certain city areas. The grant may be 10,000 and you may have to live in the house for a certain number of years. This grant is to help you get into the house but the repair and renovations are expenses that you must bear.

Assistance in Utility bills are available through you local utility if such a program exists in your area. Again in Upstate NY such a program does exist and you would have to call your local utility company.

I am unaware of any assistance for home repair or assistance with mortgage payment. You are wise in avoiding the scams - they are everywhere on the WEB. You may live in an area where such grants are available through your local government.

I hope I helped you some

Answer 3

Generally, grants are for nonprofits, not for individuals. However, there are nonprofits that will help you connect with government and other assistance. You want to go to an agency that helps unemployed people and speak to a social worker. They'll also tell you if there's help with utility bills from the local utility.

I'm confused though. If you want a grant for a first-time home buyer, why would you need assistance with mortgage payments?

Answer 4

I suggest you exhaust all possible government assistance you can qualify. The Government has created a portal to help individuals who need benefits because of life events. Visit http://www.govbenefits.gov

Use the drop down button
DO YOU NEED BENEFITS BECAUSE OF A LIFE EVENT?
Choose the life situation best applicable to you and then see if you qualify for the available government assistance.

Forget grant money - there's hardly any money for individuals. The government is NOT in the business of giving away free money for the sake of giving away money. There are no grants for paying bills, no grants for paying off credit cards, no grants for getting out of debt and no grants for simply fattening your wallet.

Downpayment assistance - you get it from non profits which are recipients of these government grants. Check out Habitat for Humanity. Also visit the Nehemiah Corp as they have a downpayment assistance program for qualified lenders http://www.getdownpayment.com/

Grants are free, but it means OBLIGATION. You will be obligated to do as the grant sets out to do. Grants have objectives, and your purpose must fit the objective of the grant.

For one, you have to write the grant application and the grant application is not a simple document - you have to explain how your purpose for applying for the grant fits well with the objectives set out by the grant.

There is a stringent review process through a committee. You will compete with other applicants for the grant money, and this grant review committee will evaluate the merits of each proposal. Only those that they feel exemplifies the objective of the grant will be approved.

You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.

Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.

Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

Answer 5

Our research department is constantly asked for research material regarding your question and we have compiled a list which is extensive to say the least, in addition to the links below, each state has additional programs answering your question and to research those you will have to go to your state's website and search on home purchase assistance on the state's search bar. Here are some of the many links we have on the subject.
FHA Federal Housing Administration loan programs: http://www.fha.com/
FHA Rural Housing loan programs: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/common/indiv_intro.htm
US Government Housing assistance grants all areas:
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/catalo...
US Government Grants page: http://www.grants.gov/
US Federal Domestic Assistance catalog for all Federal Programs available to State & Local Governments & the Public
http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html
All government Benefit Programs http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal
Department of Veteran Affairs – Home buying programs for Veterans:
http://www.homeloans.va.gov/veteran.htm
Federal Reserve, pamphlet on acquiring the best mortgage: http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/mortgage/mortb_1.htm
US GOVERNMENT CONSUMER TIPS ON HOMES: http://www.consumer.gov/yourhome.htm
Low Income Home Purchase Assistance (Private): http://www.nehemiahcorp.org/
The following link list web sites of that are directly or indirectly related to low-income energy assistance http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/resources.html
American Federation of Municipal Employees Union, Real estate programs: http://www.afscme.org/members/1207.cfm
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTACT LIST FROM REALTOR.COM US GOVERNMENT AND ALL STATES: http://www.homefair.com/homefair/servlet/ActionServlet?pid=187&art=contlist&cid=homefair
Low income housing assistance (private) Habitat for Humanity: http://www.habitat.org/
The following link list web sites of that are directly or indirectly related to low-income energy assistance http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/resources.html
USDA Rural Housing programs & eligibility requirements: http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do
Public Assistance Programs that can assist grandparents an article by AARP includes link to all types of assistance programs other than real estate: http://www.aarp.org/families/grandparents/raising_grandchild/public_benefits_programs_can_help_grandparents.html
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