How do I apply for a persoanl grant.?

Question

I've been on the internet and there are so many websites to geo to and they are all asking for a fee. How do I know if these web sites are not fraud. I actully called on and the gentleman was very nice and took alot of information, but when he ask me for my credit card number or bank info I told him no and he hung up. I really need help with my credit and I thought I would apply for a grant. Im a single-black parenet and I've herad about all the differnent types of grants but don't know how to go about getting it.

Answer 1

If it is not Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - the official GOVERNMENT site for government grants -- then it is a scam. However, contrary to waht these scammers say, there is no such thing as personal grants

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.

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 2

If you are looking for a grant for college schooling, file a FAFSA form.

If you're looking for a grant to help you out with your personal expenses, they don't really exist except through organizations like churches. And many utility companies have programs that forgive part of your bill. Welfare sometimes gives emergency grants.

The websites that tell you they'll find grants for you are scams. You were wise to refuse to give the guy a credit card number - the last thing you need is MORE bills to pay. He wasn't going to find you a grant anyway, no matter how nice and helpful he sounded.