Government Grants Go Where Payday Loans Cannot

Payday Loans to Government Grants

Payday loans are imminently useful when consumers run into a temporary budgeting snafu and require a small amount of assistance ($100 to $1,500) to cover a surprise expense, but government grants are more appropriate for slightly higher order expenses.

As Matthew Lesko says, government grants are free money

Also known as federal grants, government grants in the United States are economic aid issued by the government from federal revenue. Financial assistance is given by the relevant federal agency, depending upon the nature of the grant request.

Individuals seeking government grants for such things as Social Security, Medicaid or State Social Services should look here for more information as opposed to standard government grants sites. Those who are pursuing government grants for education should begin their search here. Entrepreneurs in search of government grants to help them begin a business will find the most accurate government grants information to get started at this Web site.

Government grants as defined by the government

Per Wikipedia, government grants are “legal instruments reflecting the relationship between the United States Government and a State, a local government, or other entity.” Government grants are typically single distribution. If the government grants agency involved in distributing the government grants foresees long-term involvement, they must enter a cooperative agreement with the applicant rather than extending government grants.

The following are the major types of government grants:

Project government grants

This is the first type of government grant. Given in project increments of three years, these government grants provide industry research funding.

Formula government grants

These government grants provide funds as dictated by a law. Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Job Training Partnership Act and Work Incentive Program are examples.

Categorical government grants

These government grants may be spent only for a very specific purpose. Some examples include Head Start and Urban Forestry Assistance.

Block government grants

These types of government grants combine categorical program grants. Recipients are given more freedom as to how they use funds when compared with those who receive individual categorical grants. Community Development Block Grant and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Services Block Grant are but two examples.

Earmark government grants

These are the only government grants that are specified in appropriations of Congress.

In what fields can you receive government grants?

Per the government grants Web site Grants.gov, there are over 900 government grants programs offered by the 26 government grants agencies. Another useful source for government grants and related info is this government grants Web site. Additional (”other”) topics and related government grants programs can be found here. All of the programs mentioned extend beyond the capabilities of  payday loans.

How does one go about applying for government grants?

You must write a government grants proposal, of course. What follows is a summation of the government grants-writing advice given at the Web site “Non-Profit Guides: Grant-Writing Tools for Non-Profit Organizations.” In general, planning, organization and detail are the keys to writing effective government grants. This is true during all phases of the government grants application process. Here are the keys to a great government grants proposal:

1. Prove your need for government grants.
2. Deliver an answer to that need.
3. Research government grants benefactors for the best match. You need not limit your government grants request to one source.
4. Understand guidelines for the government grants you pursue
5. Format your government grants proposal clearly and completely.
6. Ensure that your government grants proposal reads well. Spelling, grammar, punctuation and active-voice verbs are essential. Be interesting, persuasive and as unique as possible.
7. You MUST state the following in your government grants proposal: project purpose, feasibility, community need, funds needed, applicant accountability and competence.
8. Tell the government grants administrator who you are, what you want, how you qualify, how you’ll address the problem and how you’ll measure results.
9. Follow-up with your government grants administrators regarding status, evaluation, and outcome of your proposal. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback!

Government grants give a head start

Research your topic, follow guidelines and write well. By doing these things, government grants could be in you or your organization’s future. They fund larger-scale endeavors in ways payday loans cannot.