This agency is composed of as many as 27 institutes and centers and provides leadership as well as financial support to researchers not only in each state in the U.S. but throughout the world as well.

If you currently have a research plan in mind and are trying to find some financial help, you may want to apply for NIH grants.

Types of NIH Grants

Before you actually proceed with applying for National Institutes of Health grants, you need to conduct some research and try to figure more about the types of NIH grants available for selection.

Basically, you can ask the NIH to help you in different ways including contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants. Some popular types are mentioned here for your understanding.

Research Grants – There are sub-categories to help you find a grant suitable for your project. Some grants are only available for specified projects, while others provide limited funding for relatively short period of time and are usually suitable for collection of preliminary data, feasibility studies, secondary analysis of existing data, etc.

Research grants available for short periods are usually awarded for no more than two years. In addition, you can also obtain funding for conferences and scientific meetings, academic search enhancement and developmental research.

They are usually divided into two categories, including grants for educational projects and grants for resource-related research project. In education projects, the NIH funding is to promote an interest in biomedical research.

In addition to these NIH funding is available for other purposes as well. For instance, you may find different programs like Trans-NIH programs, Inactive Programs, Career Development Awards and much more.

So, spend some time in learning more about these types, as this will put you in a better position to submit your application properly.

Program Center Grants – Again, these NIH grants are divided into different categories, including research program project grant, center core grants, and specialized center grants.

Some of these are designed to offer funding for integrated, multi-project research projects, while others provide financial support for shared facilities and resources for categorical research.

Who Can Qualify for Funding?

Once you learn a bit about the types of grants available, you will be able to find the one that suits you most. Once you find it, you need to read about its set of eligibility requirements as each type of grant program is surrounded by different eligibility criteria.

Individual Eligibility: Most of the NIH programs come with a specific citizenship requirement; however, you don’t always need to be a U.S. citizen. To find out more about citizenship requirement, you will have to keep a close eye on the request for applications or program announcement.

Institutional Eligibility: No matter if you’re related to private or public, foreign or domestic, for-profit or non-profit organization, you can still qualify for NIH grants. The limitations are usually imposed on specific types of programs.

For instance, foreign entities cannot ask for a grant for programs that are usually designed to help small businesses.

Foreign Eligibility: Generally, you will find all types of international organizations and foreign institutions being eligible for NIH grants.

Still there are certain limitations, as these organizations cannot apply for program project grants, resource grants, center grants, construction grants or Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grants.

There are some other eligibility requirements as well; therefore, you should conduct proper research and know the important points before going any further with the submission of your application.

A Word about Submitting Your Application:

Generally, you can use a paper submission or submit your application electronically, but you need to make sure by confirming with the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

You will have to use different forms when using different submission methods. When thinking of applying for NIH grants, you need to ensure that you follow the application deadlines set by the FOA.

You need to educate yourself about the different issues related to NIH grants before making a move. Along with understanding all points mentioned above, it is important to point out that you may have to wait up to 10 months or sometimes more before you actually receive an award.

Make sure you use the internet and check the NIH Grants Database to learn about the proper process for completing and submitting your application along with finding enough information to track your application until it’s approved.

At that time the foundation was developed for a number of good reasons.

The main idea of the NSF was to advance health, science, welfare and prosperity within the United States of America. Annually the NSF has access to almost $7 billion that can be awarded for various projects and specializes in projects that are considered high risk, high pay-off projects.

The NSF is on the forefront of research, keeping an eye on the trends in research around the world and choosing to fund projects are the most promising. National Science grants are a coveted prize, awarded to only the best and brightest for projects that have potential.

In order to obtain a National Science Foundation grant, you must submit a proposal that will be reviewed. The review committee is made up of a number of people from various academic backgrounds that will review the specifics of the proposal and decide whether it’s a worthy project to receive one of the NSF Grants.

Below are a few tips to help you better-prepare for submitting your proposal for a NSF Grant:

Write a Professional Proposal – While this may seem like an obvious point, this should not be taken lightly. When submitting your grant proposal, make sure that your proposal is clearly written, outlining exactly what it is that you want to do.

Identify what your project is about and outline the science early in on the proposal. In other words, get to the point. If writing is not your forte, make sure to bring someone into the proposal writing process that can help you.

Type of Project – The NSF is not interested in funding projects that seem to have no real objective, other than to gather more information. You should want to test a hypothesis, rather than just find out more information on a hunch. Funding your project should yield real results.

Think of the Reviewer – Their time is important and they want to get to the point. Although you will want to write a thorough proposal for NSF funding, you should also write it in a way that answers the questions that reviewers may have, without flipping through all the pages in your proposal.

Deal With Controversy – The last thing you want a reviewer to do is stop reading your proposal when they encounter a controversial position or topic. If you are aware that your project could be dealing with someone like this, deal with it early on in your proposal.

Build Rapport/Relationship – You will need to build a relationship with your program officer. Don’t be afraid of them as they are no scary people. They want to see good projects succeed and can be fairly helpful in the process.

The NSF takes their job very seriously. They are not interested in funding projects that are not professional and serious. They sift through thousands of applications per year, looking for the best projects.

Their goal is not simply to hand out money to get rid of their budget each year, but rather to fund exceptional projects that will possibly one day benefit the entire country.

Keep in mind that although it is a serious thing, to submit a proposal for an NSF grant, they realize that no proposal is perfect. They are looking for potential.

Some of the best research proposals have been submitted by people that would not have been on their radar. There is a risk involved in submitting proposal, but it is worth your time to pursue it if you believe that your project is worthwhile.

NSF grants are a great source of funding for budding scientists, whether early on in your career or education or a seasoned professional with many years of service.

One of the best things about working with the NSF for research funding is that they are a professional organization, dedicated to finding exceptional projects to fund. Although the process of putting together a proposal for an NSF grant can be daunting, consider it time well spent. Your project could get the needed boost in funding to get your research moving forward.

If your project is one of massive scale in terms of solving a large problem, curing a disease or somehow helping mankind, think of that as you are spending your time putting together a proposal that will get you the funding that is needed.

Is your research project the next project that might be funded by the National Science Foundation?

Although the company makes a tremendous amount of money each year, they have set aside a significant amount of money each year to help out non-profit organizations through the Google Foundation.

The Google Foundation was setup as a separate organization that allows Google to help various organizations, sharing a portion of their annual income to those organizations that are in need.

Advertising Help

Each year the Google for Non Profits program helps over 6000 organizations by allowing them to advertise on Google to promote their organizations. Small and large non-profits alike can benefit from this program and leverage the power of Google’s Adwords program to get the word out about what they do.

For example, a non-profit that specializes in literacy programs could be given a credit toward purchasing keywords that promote their business. Every time someone searches for keywords related to your organization or literacy programs, your advertisement would be displayed prominently.

This can increase the scope of a non-profit, allowing them to reach thousands of people who might not otherwise be able to find the non-profits website. These Google grants have helped many small non-profits increase in size year over year, sometimes increasing revenue 25, 50 and even 75%!

Depending on the size of your organization, you could receive anywhere from $300 to $10,000 in Google Adwords credits each month, to promote your organization. The catch is that the words you will be bidding on will be capped at $1 per word, so for example, if you were given $10,000, and you had to pay $1 per click, you could have 10,000 more visitors to your non-profit’s website in one month.

For most smaller organizations, this much extra traffic could help them increase their donor base, build awareness or recruit volunteers to help them achieve their goals.

Google Research Grants

Google has also been instrumental in funding research projects in various fields from green energy to pandemic prevention. These grants were given out in the form of cash given directly to a non-profit or a researcher who was undertaking important work that would help the general public. These grants were given out, sometimes in the millions of dollars and went to worthy causes around the world.

Many of these grants were focused on improving the lives of people in third-world countries, improving their health and preventing diseases for example. Some of the funding that Google provides also comes in the way of donations of technology and infrastructure support and not simply just writing large cheques.

They have come to the rescue of organizations that help the environment by leveraging some of their technological assets to help improve the environment.

Google Invests in Clean Energy

Google is working hard to improve the environment, taking part in and funding projects that further the development of wind and geothermal energy. Because they recognize that our earth’s resources are finite, they are committed to working with and funding organizations that support green energy initiatives.

Currently Google is reporting that they have provided almost $1 Billion in funding for green energy projects -other aspects of Google Foundation include YouTube for Non-Profit’s, Google Earth and Google Apps.

How to Obtain Google Grants?

To obtain Google grants to advertise a non-profit, you simply apply online but you have to meet a few requirements before they will consider you for the program. For a full list of eligibility criteria this website is a great source of information: http://www.google.com/nonprofits/eligibility.html – generally there is a common trend in organizations that they will approve.

The organization must help a disadvantaged people group of people in some way or another. The most obvious eligibility criteria is that the organization must be an IRS approved 501 (3) organization as all others will not be approved.

Other stipulations include that the organization cannot be involved in vehicle donations or selling goods or services on their website. Religious groups promoting a single faith will also be excluded from the process.

A Corporation That Cares

Although Google is one of the largest companies in the world, they are committed to using their vast resources and wealth to help non-profit organizations and researchers. It doesn’t matter how big or how small your non-profit is, you can apply to see if Google can help.

Whether you need a small boost in your advertising and awareness efforts, or you require multi-million dollar funding for a research project, the Google Foundation is willing to look at your application.

In the most basic terms, technology grants are given to non-profits, schools and other socially responsible organizations to help them update their technology and allow them to leverage the power of technology to help their organization with its goals and objectives.

Depending on the type of work that your non-profit is involved in, technology can bridge the gap and allow you to have a greater scope in the work that you do and to be more effective in your community.

Where Can I Get a Technology Grant?

There are various places that technology grants are offered. The most obvious place to look for technology grant money is through a government organization, such as a State Government or Federally. The other place that you can look for a tech grant would be through a private company.

These are usually companies that are involved in technology to some degree, whether that’s building computers, making software or offering IT services of some kind. Often these companies will allocate funds each year to support non-profits to acquire new technology.

Who Can Apply for a Technology Grant?

Usually in order to receive a technology grant, the organization must be a registered 501(3) organization, registered with the IRS.

If you aren’t registered with IRS, your first step would be to apply to become registered as a 501(3) and then you will have ample opportunity to apply for these grants.

Why Do Companies & Governments Give Tech Grants?

That’s a very interesting question and one that has two answers. First, many companies and the government realize that many non-profits simply don’t have the money to acquire new technology or computers to be more effective and efficient in carrying out their services.

They come to the rescue and offer money each year to help you acquire the technology needed.

The other less obvious reason is simply that it makes good business sense. Businesses need publicity, they need tax write-off’s to offset their profits and they want to build goodwill in the community. No one likes to see a greedy organization that makes billions but appears to do nothing for the community.

Giving of their resources creates a win-win situation for both the company and your non-profit.

Education Technology Grants

Most large technology companies have recognized the importance of schools and other educational organization. They often lack the funds to purchase the technology that’s needed to learn within a classroom setting. In today’s technology driven society, learning to leverage technology from a young age is a powerful resource.

Funding for technology can come in the way of funds to purchase new computers for classrooms, iPads for students needing mobile computing abilities or to establish networks and buy servers. K-12 funding as well as post-secondary funding has become a major focus of these education grants in the past few years.

On a post-secondary level, many incredible inventions and ideas have been birthed out of funding from large companies who were willing to invest to foster the ideas of bright students who would not otherwise have the ability to create without this money.

When looking for organizations to support your non-profit, look first to the large technology providers within your area or even those that have a national scope. Each year companies like HP, IBM and Microsoft give away millions of dollars in tech grants to non-profits, so be sure to check these out first.

Also, don’t discount smaller technology companies in your local area. Most small cities have a few technology start-ups that have been successful in their market, and they are willing to support organizations in their local community. Video game and software companies which are local are a great source of funding, especially to local projects.

Where to Find Private Technology Grants

Obviously you will be searching the internet to find companies that offer tech grants to non-profits, and this website has developed an incredible list of resources to help you find those companies: http://www.techmd.com/services/nonprofit-expertise/technology-grants-for-nonprofits/

The Catch

There’s always a catch when it comes to “free” money, so make sure you read the fine print. Most often, organizations or government bodies that are offering grants for technology will also come with some strings attached. This isn’t something to be feared, but certainly make sure that your request for funding meets the requirements.

It may be that you will be spending the money on very specific technology or that with the tech grant, you will be hiring staff to manage the technology that you acquire.

Putting it All Together

Just like any other grant offered, you may to do some leg-work to find the money that you need to support your non-profit. There’s applications to fill out, there’s phone calls, emails and maybe personal meetings with company or government representatives to make sure that your request for funding is legitimate, but don’t despair.

It’s like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You will get the money that your organization needs to invest in the technology that you need. Whether it’s funding for a new office computer or a full classroom of computers, there is money out there to those who will put the time and effort into finding it.

Most non-profits start with a great idea, usually meant to help a certain group of people in some way, but good intentions can often be as far as it gets if they don’t secure the needed resources to move their idea into reality.

Whether your non-profit organization was founded to help homelessness, support education or reading programs, help people find jobs or any number of other helpful services and supports, without money, these organizations cannot do the important work that they do.

Where Do Non-Profit Organizations Get Money?

Technically there are two sources of income for non-profit organizations at the most basic level. First, many non-profits get money from private donors who either give lump sum gifts or provide ongoing monthly support.

The trouble with securing funding from private sources is that how much people give is very much dependent on the state of the economy. In bad times, funding sources quickly dry up.

The other source of income comes in the way of grants for non-profit organizations. The great thing about a grant is that this is essentially free money, given to your organization because it’s deemed to be doing something good, which the grant provider is willing to donate to. Generally, grants come from two sources; Governments and Private Organizations, Foundations or Companies.

Where to Get Grants for Non-Profit Organizations?

Actually locating grant providers seems to be one of the biggest hurdles to securing grant money for non-profits. Too often non-profits, especially smaller ones may not be well connected and don’t have the knowledge or resources to put into finding grants.

Finding grants for a non-profit organization can be a daunting task, and almost a full-time job in some cases, which many non-profits just can’t commit to. They are too busy actually carrying out the great work that they do, that they just don’t have time to look for money.

Government grants for non-profit organizations are one of the best ways for a non-profit organization to find money.

These grants are given out to registered 501(c) 3 organizations, that carry out work in a number of areas including religious, social service, amateur sport or other charitable organizations that support their community in one way or another.

It’s crucial to be registered as a non-profit organization officially to be able to access the funding that the Government providers. If your non-profit is not a registered non-profit, this is going to be your first task; to get registered with the IRS, which can be a fairly large task in itself.

Be sure to check various levels of Governments as well, since money is available on a local, state or national level. Once a government body has allocated money for a grant, they will officially notify the public by issuing a Notice of Funding Availability.

Keep an eye out for these and apply immediately as you can be sure that there may be a lineup for this money. The very best place to look for these new grant opportunities is at this website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

Are There Strings Attached?

The Government is not in the business of giving money away for the sake of spending tax-payer money. Often government grants to non-profits may come with some stipulations as to what you will do with the money.

Sometimes grants will be offered to non-profits to hire new staff, invest in new technology or equipment or to provide a service that their community is in need of. Be sure that when you are filling out the application, you make sure you are aware of the requirements to obtain the funding and be clear about what you intend to do with the money.

Private Non-Profit Funding

Another tremendous source of funding for non-profit organizations is through private grants. These grants are offered sometimes by large corporations that allocate money to support their communities or by foundations that have been set-up to fund charitable activities.

Currently the most famous of these private sources of non-profit funding is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Much like Government grants, they have stipulations as to who they give grants to and for what purpose, but there is plenty of money available.

Private non-profit grants may be harder to locate, but they are out there. One strategy is to visit the website of major corporations in your community or state. Often they will have a section about supporting their community and may even offer an online form to submit to apply for grant money.

Each year companies allocate billions of dollars nationally to give to non-profits who do good work in their community. Your application will need to be top notch in order to receive funding though, so make sure you take your time and fill out the paperwork carefully. After all, you are receiving “free money” so it’s in your best interest to fill out the applications fully and carefully to be taken seriously.

Free Money Is the Best Kind of Money

Finding funding for your non-profit can be a daunting task, but it’s well worth it. It’s always best to search for money with the end in sight. What I mean by that is that you should always think of how much you could benefit your community if you organization had the money to do the good work that you do.

Grants are wonderful because you don’t have to pay them back, which will of course help your cash flow and allow you to focus on your work, rather than stress out about the financial state of your non-profit.

Luckily, a number of financial aid programs are available today to help you finance your educational pursuits and one great option is to apply for Cal Grants.

A Cal Grant is one of the very best ways of pursuing your college education; it helps you get cash and allows you to keep your full attention on your studies.

The best thing about a CAL grant is that you don’t have to repay this money if you have met the requirements to get the grant in the first place. In all, you have to meet certain financial, academic, and eligibility requirements and submit your forms within the Cal Grant deadline.

Eligibility Criteria:

If you are interested in making use of this particular option, you should first start by obtaining information about the eligibility criteria.

You can qualify for this grant if you’re a California resident who is graduating high school as a senior or you just received your GED or you are a recent graduate, however some financial and academic requirements are also in place for you to meet.

To be eligible, you must:

• You need to submit your application within the deadline; it also includes the submission of your Cal Grant GPA (verified) as well as the FAFSA.
• Ensure that you are a permanent United States citizen, or at least fall in the category of eligible non-citizen.
• Live in California at the time of graduating from high school.
• Have a valid Social Security Number.
• Not own a professional or bachelor’s degree.
• Be able to prove that you are from low-income group and your family income is below the pre-established ceiling.

These are some of the major requirements, but you should bear in mind that you also need to meet several other academic, financial and Cal Grant eligibility requirements.

So, don’t forget to do some research in this regard, as this will help you proceed.

How to Apply for your Cal Grant:

When applying for the CAL grant, you may choose one out of four ways.

• You can apply for it within a year of completing your graduation. What it means is that you don’t have let go of the opportunity for a Cal Grant even if you need to go to work before going to college.
• You may also apply for it as a community college transfer student; however you should be less than 28 years old at the time of applying.
• You can also apply if you are a high school senior.
• If you have received your GED less than a year ago, you can still apply for this grant as well.

Once decided if you are eligible to apply based on the above criteria, the next thing is to follow the proper procedures to submit your Cal Grant application.

It starts with the submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid; but that needs to be within the deadline, between Jan 1 and Sep 2.

Then you have to submit your verified Cal Grant GPA. Your application will be reviewed and checked for all above mentioned eligibility criteria.

As a convenience, you can fill out the forms using the internet to save you the time it takes to fill out paper applications. If you meet them all, it is likely you will be approved and the money will be with within reach.

Picking the Right Cal Grant:

With a number of options available, it is important for you to determine the right Cal Grant for you. Here are a few different options for you to consider.

• Cal Grant A: You can use these entitlement awards to cover your tuition fees at private as well as public colleges; it can be used for some private career colleges as well. When attending a private college, you may expect to get $9,708 to cover your tuition and other fees, but you should be going for a 2-year or 4-year degree program.
• Cal Grant B: These entitlement awards help low-income students get a living allowance and some level of assistance with their college tuition fees. First year students can expect to receive an allowance of around $1,551. To be considered eligible for this award, you need to be studying for at least one academic year.
• Cal Grant C: These particular awards are to help you pay for tuition as well as training costs at career technical schools. You need to enroll yourself into a vocational program to qualify for this award; make sure you go for a 4-month program.

In addition to these basic types of grants, you can also find some other competitive awards according to your circumstances and academic record.

It’s Your Future: Go For It!

The fact of the matter is that Cal Grants will help you pay for your college education and you can get $12,192 a year, or even more.

Just be sure that you follow all instructions and check different requirements along with eligibility criteria to qualify for one of these entitlement awards.

The more you research, the higher the chances of you finding a right financial aid grant. A college education is your ticket to a better life, with higher earning potential and more stable employment options.

With a little hard work and the help of Cal grant, you could one day be walking across the stage to accept your diploma, and best of all, you won’t have thousands of dollars in student loans to pay back if you obtain a Cal grant!

Despite the ever-growing demand in the nursing field, it is still largely underrepresented, probably because of the lack of awareness among high school graduates that do not opt for such a promising career.

Nursing: A Viable Post-Secondary Option

The reasons for such low numbers of students opting for this profession might be many. They might not want to go into a health care profession at all, or they might want to be nothing else but a doctor.

For people who have a medical aptitude and who like working in a vibrant, exciting hospital environment, nursing is an ideal option.

There is always a high need of nursing staff at hospitals, private clinics and many other organizations where health care is needed.

If you are one of those who plan to pursue the nursing profession, but are lacking in funds and resources, there are many options available for nursing grants.

Nursing grants can be called monetary gifts from a government or non-government organization for your nursing-education purposes.

The government of the United States has made it clear that “nursing grants” are not benefits or entitlements.

They are awards to financially assist those who want to pursue the nursing profession because it will affect the US economy in a positive way.

Nursing Grants vs. Loans

One thing that needs to be understood is that nursing grants in no way, are loans. They do not need to be paid back to the government or any other private organization once provided.

Another question that arises in every mind is “what’s in it for the Government; Why do they give these grants?” The answer is simple.

If they provide educational grants to people, more people would be able to earn their own bread and would be able to avoid government welfare programs.

Yet another question that you might ask is: What criteria does one need to fulfill to get a nursing grant? Does the government just give it away? Of course not!

Like any other government program, there are some hoops to jump through or be fulfilled to qualify for nursing education grants. The first and foremost thing is a deep wish to pursue the nursing profession.

The second most important thing is a clean record. When you apply for nursing student grants, the givers will certainly do some background checks on you.

Any criminal records or suspicious incidents might deprive you of the opportunity to get the grant.

To apply for a grant you have to write an application to the government. The processing of your application might take weeks up to several months. After that, you will be granted an approval or denial of your application.

Following is a useful account of some nursing grants offered by government and non-government/private organizations:

The HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) has made available the following opportunities for those who are interested in getting nursing scholarships or grants.

Grants/Scholarships for disadvantaged students (Federal): This is a scholarship opportunity for those nurses of students in medical care who are enrolled in a course and are financially unstable. The applications can be submitted and the applicants are short listed for LPN grants (grants for Licensed Practical Nurse).

200 nursing students enrolled in an accredited course are given scholarships in this program. In addition to the scholarship, a monthly stipend is also granted. It is granted on the condition that the student must serve an designated, underserviced institution for 2 years after completion of their nursing education.

Faculty Loan Repayment Program: Many a times, nursing students have to take loans to complete their education. To qualify for this grant, a faculty member must have completed a four year nursing degree program or he must be in his last year of graduated work in a health care field.

Nursing Education Loan Repayment: This program is also federally funded. The students applying for this program must agree to work for a needy organization for no less than 2-3 years. If they agree to work for 3 years, up to 85% of their student fees will be covered.

Pell Grants: These grants are for the students who are employed with a low level of income, and want to go for the nursing education.

Minority Grants: These grants are put aside specially for students belonging to the minority groups. By giving funding for such grants, the government is able to fulfill two purposes. 1) To cover the shortage of registered nurses. 2) To facilitate minority group students in getting a college education.

Nursing Organizations: There are many private nursing organizations which might be able to provide you with nursing grants. You must look out for these organizations and see if you fulfill their criteria for receiving a grant.

Should You Become A Nurse?

If you have determined that you have the interest and skills in nursing, you like working with people in a fast-paced environment, and most of all, you like helping people, a career in nursing just may be the career path for you.

There are many opportunities out there — including nursing grants — if you really want to get into the health-care profession. Lack of funding shouldn’t hold you back from achieving your dream and providing a better life for your family and for those that you work with.

For six years in a row the Georgia HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program was voted number one in the United States by the NASSGAP (National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs).

From 1998 through 2003 Georgia held the top ranked spot. In fact, three years previously President Bill Clinton modeled America’s HOPE Program after Georgia’s highly successful HOPE Program which is an honor in itself.

Not to be confused with Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship, the HOPE Grant is available to any resident of the state regardless of grade point average. While the HOPE Scholarship has stringent requirements with an ever increasing GPA, HOPE Grant requirements are much easier to meet and many students ineligible for the HOPE Scholarship begin with the grant until they meet scholarship eligibility.

What the HOPE Grant Covers

Similar to the HOPE Scholarship, the HOPE Grant covers the cost of tuition and up to $150 per semester or $100 per quarter towards a book allowance. Since each college, university and technical school has different tuition fees, the maximum amounts will vary from school to school.

However, if the cost of tuition is lower than the maximum amount listed on the HOPE Awards Amounts by Institution, the grant will only cover the cost of tuition.

Many students get this confused with other grants like the Pell Grant where anything over the cost of tuition can be utilized in other ways by students. With the HOPE program, only tuition and books are covered.

In addition, the HOPE Grant will only cover the cost of 95 quarter hours or 63 semester hours which is equivalent to the first two years of post-secondary education. If the student received any combination of payment from the Zell Miller, HOPE Scholarship, Accel Program and HOPE Grant with funds paying for 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours, he or she will be inelligible for further grant funds.

How to Apply for a HOPE Grant

Eligible students applying for HOPE Grants have two main ways to go about submitting an application. Of course it is always suggested that students looking for federal or state financial aid submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), but Georgia residents submitting a HOPE grant online application can also complete what is called an electronic GSFAPPS.

Eligible students who choose to apply through the state rather than the federal FAFSA form have their choice of completing an online application or downloading and completing a PDF paper format.

It is suggested that students speak with registrars and the financial aid office of the school they plan to attend to see if any other forms are required along with the HOPE grant application.

Eligibility Requirements

Although a student does not need to meet a specific GPA to be eligible to receive a HOPE grant in the very beginning, there is a new requirement which mandates the student maintain at least a 3.0 GPA commencing with the 2011 school year. There are certain checkpoints at which the student’s GPA will be evaluated and if it falls cumulatively below 3.0 the student will be ineligible for further grant funds until his or her grades are brought back up again.

As mentioned, the only initial eligibility requirement is that the student be a resident of the State of Georgia. This is in direct contrast to the HOPE Scholarship where the student must graduate from high school with a specific GPA. Also, many students who don’t immediately qualify for the scholarship program begin with the grant until such time as they meet HOPE Scholarship eligibility.

Meeting scholarship eligibility is important since the program will pay the entire four years of a degree program whereas the grant program only covers the first two.

Bringing HOPE to Georgia Students

Since the inception of the HOPE Grant Program in 1993, it has been fully funded by the Georgia Lottery and funds are administered in the state by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Having been honored six years in a row by the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, the Georgia HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program has become a model for other states as well as for national grant awards.

The intent is to bring HOPE to Georgia students who would otherwise be unable to afford the high cost of tuition, books and fees.

Whether you are ineligible at college entrance for the HOPE Scholarship or simply intend on achieving a two year technical degree, the HOPE Grant program provides the funds to make it possible to earn a degree or certificate. You can also apply for a Pell Grant which will cover other costs associated with earning that degree such as the cost of room and board, but by all means apply for a HOPE Grant if you are a Georgia resident.

It is money which doesn’t need to be paid back and residency is the strictest eligibility requirement for program entrance.

Unfortunately, the economy has fallen into a state of crisis, which has made it much more difficult for many families to afford sending their children to college – most available funds are now being used for more immediate expenses.

These days, our youth generally delays going to college, in order to first accumulate enough money to cover the high cost of tuition, books, housing and other assorted fees associated with getting a degree.

Statistics show that this could be a major mistake in that, once delayed, many young people simply never enroll once they enter the workforce and start building a life, with or without a family.

Anyone contemplating higher education after high school should know that there are federal grants for college available to cover a good portion of undergraduate tuition to be used at colleges, universities and technical schools.

There are also a number of other ways to qualify for educational financing, some of which are state based grants and scholarships, socioeconomic grants and even corporate grants and awards which you may want to investigate.

The point is, there is no reason to fore go a college education based on finances with so many federal grants for college, state grants and awards and corporate grants available to you.

A Brief Look at Federal Grants for College

Many federal grants for college are needs based grants and the amount awarded varies depending on the student or the student’s family income. However, there are also federal grants for college which are not based on needs but rather on meeting certain criteria or being part of a specific educational degree program.

While Federal Grants for College are available, most require that you submit an application within a specific time frame.

For needs based grants such as the Pell Grant, the starting point is the timely submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is available online or at the college or university you plan to attend.

It is imperative that you know the deadlines for the FAFSA submission because federal grants for college may be delayed if the application is not received on or before the deadline.

Don’t Pass Go – The Pell Grant

As mentioned, many federal grants for college are needs based grants and some of them are based on being able to qualify for the Pell Grant. This particular grant is awarded annually to students who can demonstrate a financial need (low income) and have not yet achieved a Bachelor’s Degree.

This is the most popular federal grant and the first grant you should consider applying for. In fact, the next grant to be discussed, the FSEOG, is only available to Pell Grant recipients.

Extra Help Is on the Way – the FSEOG

For students who can display extreme financial need, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is also available once you qualify for the Pell Grant. Although statistics are not yet in for the 2011 school year, in 2010 the government awarded almost $960 million through this program to more than 1 million students.

The amounts awarded ranged between $100 and $4,000 for that year with the average award being $736. If you are in extreme financial need, don’t forget to apply for the FSEOG.

Recognizing the Shortage of Teachers so TEACH

This may be one of the least publicized federal grants for college and higher education.

TEACH stands for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher education grant.

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) is available to both undergraduate and first two years of graduate students who are willing to make a commitment to teach in schools, public or private, in communities with a largely socioeconomic disadvantaged population.

Recipients must agree to spend a minimum of two years teaching in these less advantaged communities and the grant provides up to $4,000 per academic year.

Federal Grants for College to Provide Nurses

Nursing grants are available through the United States Department of health and Human Services which is a division within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Some grants are available for financially disadvantaged nursing students in the form of scholarships while other federal school grants are awarded to students attending recognized educational institutions in return for a commitment to serve two years in medically under served communities throughout the U.S.

An interesting side note here is that this type of federal grant is also available to med students with their sights set on becoming doctors. It bears looking into if you are a prospective med student.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service College Grant

Of all the federal school grants available, this is the one we wish never needed to be awarded.

In 2010, on July 1, the Higher Education Opportunity Act was amended to include what is known as the Iraq and Afghanistan Service College Grant that is awarded to children who lost parents in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars after September 11, 2001. This award entitles students to receive the maximum Pell Grant dollar amount.

If these students fail to meet the requirements for the Pell Grant they will still receive the maximum amount under the Iraq and Afghanistan Service college grant. It is just one small way in which America honors those who died in the line of duty in those two wars.

State Based Financial Aid and Merit Based Awards

Although there are a number of federal school grants available, many states also have financial aid based on need which is similar to the Pell Grant. Other states, such as Georgia provide merit based grants like the HOPE scholarship which is available to any student who maintains a certain GPA and meets residency requirements.

Merit-based Awards & Grants vary by State & Institution.

California has the CAL Grant program which, at last glance, will provide over $12,000 to students who meet the low income requirements. Texas also has a program where students have both a financial need and the required prerequisites for college enrollment.

This program is aptly entitled TEXAS, Towards EXcellence, Access and Success. Many other states also have similar grants and scholarships so don’t forget to check out what is available in your state.

With the wide range of federal grants for college, no one should fore go a college education based on financial need. The place to start is with the submission of the FAFSA and the next step is to apply for the Pell Grant and the FSEOG.

After that, there are a number of other federal school grants available, state grants and scholarships as well as corporate grants, which we haven’t discussed but are widely available to those students with the willingness to do a bit of investigative work.

If you are intent on a college degree, money should not be a factor. Federal grants for college are available – it’s up to you to find them! Begin with the information provided here and you should be off to a good start.

In addition, if you already have a small business that you are looking to expand but do not have the money to do so, you may be interested in some of the following information.

There are a variety of grants that are available to business owners or individuals looking to start businesses.

A Strong Business Plan is Essential to Getting Grants

Before you even begin to consider applying for small business grants, you need to be aware that a solid plan is going to help you significantly. In order to qualify for things like start up business grants, you will need to furnish a very straight forward plan for that business.

Make sure that you have done your research and that you have a detailed and organized business plan to submit to the agency you are applying for the grant with. People who half scattered business plans or plans that do not show enough information have much more trouble getting small business loans or government grants.

Let us examine some of the different grants that may be available to small business owners or people looking to start up.

Start-up Business Grants

The current state of our economy calls for growth. In order for things to get better for us financially, new businesses are going to be necessary. The government recognizes that free money or grants are needed in order for people lacking the funds to begin a new business.

In fact, the government is under a great deal of pressure right now to give start up business grants to those with a solid plan who meet all of the requirements. There are many start-up business grants that can be obtained from the government so do your homework to determine which one may be best for you.

Acquisition Business Grants

Existing companies often look to expand their businesses by purchasing other companies. This is a very good plan in the eyes of the government as it increases the possibility of job creation and lends further to the economical well being of our country. For this reason a government grant may be given specifically to a business that is looking to acquire another company.

If the government sees a potential in your application for an acquisition grant then you stand a very good chance of getting the financing you need in order to carry out your business plan. You can read more on acquisition grants here http://www.usgs.gov/contracts/.

Business Growth Grants

This term is pretty self explanatory. Businesses need to grow in order to flourish. Usually business growth grants are popular for smaller, family owned operations that are trying to become larger companies. For this reason the government has a variety of grants available to small businesses that have set a plan of growth in place.

A growth grant can also be obtained for things like renovating the building the business is occupied in, hiring additional employees and purchasing supplementary equipment.

Small Business Grants

Each year about $100,000,000 is given to federal programs in order to assist small businesses. This type of grant typically awarded when a plan that shows potential to help a small community grow is submitted. In areas that are considered rural or that are statistically shown to house a larger amount of minorities, small business grants are much easier to obtain.

The goal in mind is to help the economy by creating revenue and jobs in an area that is otherwise lacking. This does not mean small business grants cannot be obtained in larger cities with a higher population.

It simply means that obtaining a small business grant may be less troublesome for those starting or operating small businesses in a slow or diminishing area.

These are only some of the government grants that might be available to business owners across the country. There are many other grants not listed here that could benefit a small business owner or individual looking to go into business. If you are serious about opening a business or expanding your existing company, do look into government grants as a method of funding your project.

It is possible that you could avoid having to get a loan by opting for and being approved for a grant instead.