Credit Federal provides and maintains Government Grant and Unclaimed Property links as a free public service and is not a grantor. These government resources enable you to search and apply for grants and unclaimed property with absolutely no fees, no hidden charges, and no credit card required. For Gov Grant, Unclaimed Property or Private Grant Foundation questions or applications, contact the appropriate authority. Read our article, or select specific areas: Grant to go to college, Grant to buy a home, Grant to pay rent, and Grant to start a business.
Government Grant and Loan Facts:
Don't be scammed by ads; whether on radio, tv, or online, about free money from the government. The federal government does offer grants and loans, but the information you pay for may be misleading. Here are the facts:
The differences between grants and loans. Loans are obligations which must be repaid, and often with interest. A grant; however, does not require repayment, but there are extremely few grants available for individuals. Most grants are awarded to universities, researchers, cities, states, counties, and non-profit organizations. Loans are generally the best bet for individuals.
Tips:
Don't try to call the United States Department of Grants. There isn't one. Federal agencies may have different rules for who is eligible for grants and loans and how to apply.
Be aware that grants require you to submit a proposal to the federal agency describing what you plan to do with the money. Even after submitting a proposal, it may be quite some time before the agency either approves or denies your request.
Grants also require you to fill out forms, generally on a quarterly basis, that tell how much money you have spent and what you have spent it on, as well as how you are progressing on the work you promised to do.
A better approach for most consumers is to visit GovBenefits.gov. You check off which categories you fit into (for example, veteran) and then answer a series of questions. GovBenefits will identify loans and sources of financial assistance for which you may be eligible and tell you how and where to apply. You may be surprised what you are eligible for- there are forms of assistance available for a variety of personal situations including disaster victims, farmers, or people with teaching experience.
Grant to go to college? Facts:
You can fill out an application for Federal Student Aid by visiting the Department of Education's website. You may be asked to provide information about your income and your family's income to determine your eligibility. Save report cards and transcripts in case you need to report your grades. Have a good idea of what schools you plan to apply to and what you want to study.
Visit GovLoans.gov to learn more about well-known programs such as Pell Grants, Work-Study, and Perkins and Stafford Loans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs website can tell you more about the "GI Bill" and other programs for veterans and their survivors and dependents.
GovLoans.gov also has information about Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). Eligible parents can borrow to pay the educational expenses of dependent undergraduate children who are enrolled in school at least part-time.
Beware of "scholarship scams." For example, be wary when you hear that your bank account number is needed to "hold" the scholarship. Be sure the scholarship is legitimate before giving out any personal information.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) helps individuals by giving grants to non-profits and local governments, however HUD does not offer assistance directly to consumers. Visit or call the HUD office in your state to find out more.
Here are some HUD loans and other options to explore:
HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures loans, allowing you to purchase a home for as little as 3% down. Anyone can apply, but there is a limit on the loan amount they will insure-this varies according to geographic area. You can also wrap the closing costs into your mortgage.
A foreclosed or "HUD Home" may have a lower asking price. Most HUD Homes are affordable for low to moderate income families.
The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service insures loans for the purchase of homes in rural communities. Fannie Mae has a website that can help you find a low cost mortgage and a lender that are right for you.
Grant to pay rent? Facts: Visit HUD's website to learn about programs to assist you in renting a house or apartment. You can locate low-income housing, or apply for a Section 8 voucher that you can use to pay some or all of your rent.
The Rural Housing Service makes financing available to elderly, disabled, or low-income apartment residents in rural areas to ensure they are able to make rent payments.
There are no grants for starting or expanding a business, but the Small Business Administration (SBA) has loans to help you start a business. You can also get all the forms you need online.
As the saying goes: "Buyer Beware". If you see ads claiming you qualify to receive a "free grant" for education, to start a home business or to payoff unpaid bills but you must pay a processing or membership fee to obtain the information, be wary. Scam artists will claim your grant application is guaranteed to be accepted and approved, and you never have to repay the money. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that these grant offers are often a scam. The grant isn't free, nor is it guaranteed, nor is a refund.
According to the FTC, some scam artists market "free grants" in classified ads and on the internet, as in the example ad below:
Example of Grant Scam Advertisement - courtesy of FTC
FREE GRANTS Never Repay — acceptance guaranteed. Government and private sources $500 - $5,000. Education, home repairs, home purchase, business, non-profits. Phone live operators 9am-9pm. Monday-Saturday 1-800-###-####, ext. [###]
When you call their toll free phone number, here's an example of what happens:
A company representative asks non-threatening, simple questions to supposedly determine if you qualify to receive a grant. The representative then acts as if he/she is checking your eligibility, and then congratulates you as being eligible. But for you to get the grant information from them, they will charge you a processing fee. Although they will promise you that the grant is guaranteed or you can get your money back, the truth is far different.
They will tell you that the processing fee is for finding a grant source and sending you the appropriate application package in the mail. But you won't receive an application or a source. Instead they send you a list of agencies and foundations which you must write and request an application. In order to get your refund, you must apply to; and be rejected by, all these agencies within 90 days.
Most grantors don't award grants to individuals for personal needs. Generally grants are to serve mankind and communities as a whole, such as job expansion, training under-employed youth, preserving history, funding charities, art museums, or for researching medical issues. So, even if you're in a financial hardship, or you may be an unwed mother, a single parent, a minority, etc, you're not likely to get approved for a personal use grant. And you may as well forget about getting a refund from the grant "broker" because the conditions for a refund are nearly impossible, requiring you to apply at every grantor on the list they provided to you and be denied by each resource within 90 days. If even one resource doesn't reject you within the first 90 days, you won't get your refund, nor will you get it back if the rejections are past the 90 day requirement.
If you're thinking about applying for a grant, remember that the applications are available to you for free and that anyone who guarantees you a grant is likely to be interested in their own financial gain, not yours. If you think you may have been a victim of a grant scam, file a complaint with the FTC by visiting www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
Don't fall for grant scams. Use the free resources available to you at public libraries, on the internet, and at Credit Federal
With our resources, you can research and apply, 100% free for Government Grants with no fees. Plus you'll have unlimited access to Unclaimed Money which you can immediately claim with no credit card required. Our links also include Educational Grants, and Grants for Disabled people, and even Veteran Grants. Search now for government assistance as well as individual grant foundations.
Don't be a victim. Read our latest news about scams and fraud, and join our newsletter to receive alerts.
Search our free credit help resources and apply for financial services. The credit crisis may have prompted stricter credit card company and loan lender approval standards, but poor credit people can still find bad credit financing.
How and Why Credit Federal protects you from government grant scams:
How: Credit Federal provides you with the resources to research grant programs and to apply directly to grantors, so you can avoid grant scams.
Why: Although there may be other legitimate grant resources such as Credit Federal, there are also scam artists. Our mission at Credit Federal; as established by our founder, is to educate consumers on matters related to personal finance, including government grants and federal assistance.
One of the many loans people search for is a government debt consolidation loan. Unfortunately, the U.S. government does not have any such program for individuals.
