Free grants for single mothers are traditionally provided by different government and private agencies and these groups are unconditionally helping single mothers because they recognized that these individuals are the ones that are usually deprived of the best opportunities that are open in our societies. Especially the young unmarried women that have not finished their studies and became parents, so many chances are getting lost because rearing children alone is really a great burden that can render them helpless.
Free Grants for Single Moms
Added to that, even owning homes may seem difficult for them to happen mainly because what single mothers earn are only enough to feed their kids, sending them to school, paying for the rent and bills and so on. These left the single mothers unprepared to bring about down payments for buying new homes while virtually impossible to sustain themselves whenever they want to go back to school. However, all is not lost for single mothers. There are always opportunities that are waiting for them to be tapped.
In this article, we would like to discuss the issues to let single mothers realize that there are people out there who are willing to provide grants to them so that they can finish their studies as much as owning their own homes without adding burdens on their shoulders.
What You Need
To start off, free grants for single mothers are not like loans that need to be repaid in a given time except for home grants which we will discuss later. School grants, for example, are mostly provided for free to help single mothers pay their tuitions in school, probably even get housing accommodations or allowances and be able to finish their studies and have successful careers. And unknown to many single mothers, there are number of grant providers that are willing to help and just waiting for them get connected with. There are the federal grants which different government agencies are offering to deserving single mothers, the private organizations that have agendas of improving the lives of women which include single parents and many other groups that we can even find online, on the newspapers and from colleges and university boards.
All grants have their requirements in order to have it because there would be thousands of applicants that would surely vie for the slots and only the most deserving ones will be given the rewards. For school grants, here are the requirements that single mothers should remember when applying.
- You should be a U.S. citizen, a naturalized or a qualified non-citizen.
- Valid Social Security Number.
- Must have a high school diploma or GED as school grants are solely to support college and vocational education.
- If home schooled and was given a certificate which is equivalent to a high school diploma, the single mother can also qualify for school grant.
- For those single mothers that are not high school graduates or don’t have GED, they can take skills test in basic math and reading from the schools the grant providers have connection to. This is to determine if single mothers can be able to cope up with the schools’ curriculum.
- If already enrolled, at least six credit hours or equivalent courses must have been earned.
- Must have completed all other requirements required by the grant providers.
Once all these have been satisfied, you must then fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Having the FAFSA and the requirements, you can now file your application at the schools’ financial aid office.
Some Of the Best Grant and Scholarship Providers
In finding free grants for single mothers, we can name a few here that give out college scholarships and free study grants to mothers who are low-income earners or those living below poverty level.
- The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. This is specifically for single mothers who are residents of Arkansas and provide scholarship opportunities to single moms that cannot bring themselves to school anymore. Single mothers in Arkansas can locate their country map to find its office.
- The Jeanette Rankin Foundation Scholarship Program. It provides scholarships to those who want to attend college and applications are open from November through February every year. This is open to all women but for single moms, they should be at least 35 years old.
- Patsy Takemoto Mind Education Foundation for Low-Income Women and Children. This foundation provides educational access, opportunities and support for low-income women especially single mothers and can also support their children.
- The R.O.S.E. Scholarship. This was established to help women survivors of domestic violence with financial school aid. This is actually for all women who want to finish their college educations with assistance. However, single mothers should have at least earned one full year in college to better qualify with this scholarship.
- W.I.S.P. Change Your World Scholarship. Any woman who is motivated, capable and willing to finish her studies can apply for this scholarship. This is an ideal grant for single moms who want to earn their college degrees.
Free school for single mothers especially school grants are a lot these days. Even colleges and universities, political parties, commercial groups, religious organizations, minority and ethnic organizations are now involving themselves with the grant programs. So if you would like to avail any of the grants that are available, you must make your move right now and inquire.
Tapping Home Grant Agencies
With regards to housing grants for single mothers, there are actually no free grants for housing that are available for single moms. However, the federal government humanitarian sectors are also providing low interest rate loans to single mothers and helping them out in getting their loans from private organizations and other groups that offer monthly mortgage with the lowest interest rates.
On the other hand, because these are loans that must be paid, single mothers should present their employment contract or proof of income to the lenders and federal government offices when applying. All states have their federal government offices that are mandated to provide assistance to single mothers in terms of providing and finding housing grants for them.
For housing grants, the requirements can vary from every state but the grants that can be given to you will always be based on your income level. Here are the programs and grant providers you can check about.
- Habitat for Humanity. The HFH is a non-profit organization that actually builds homes on the national level but it is particularly considerate when it comes to single mothers. However, you should involve yourself with the HFH’s endeavor and that is joining volunteer work when building new homes or restructuring old homes that are for awardship and that includes your future home. Nevertheless, you don’t get a free home with the HFH but have to afford future payments and insurance costs although you don’t have to shell out money for the down payment.
- Federal Housing Administration (FHA). If you are looking for a home to buy while unable to pay down payment, the FHA can help you find lenders where you can borrow money for the down payment requirements. Moreover, you may have a higher insurance rate with a new home so you must have a stable job when you want FHA to assist you find some loans.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This institution is one of the cabinet departments of the Executive branch of the United States federal government and its mission is to provide quality affordable housing for all citizens of America. It has lots of government programs and one of these can be able to grant you loan for rent or mortgage payments. It can also you give counseling on renting or when buying a home.
- The Nehemiah Foundation. This non-profit organization can provide home grants with very low interest rates so it is more suited for single mothers who are low-income earners.
- Rental Assistance Programs – Section 8 Housing. This is also part of the federal housing program that provides housing assistance to low-income earners, single mothers and homeowners in the form of rental subsidies. This is managed by the HUD and other partners dedicated to provide low cost housing and rentals to qualified applicants.
Free grants for single mothers as well as low cost grants are surefire way of motivating single mothers to enhance their lives so they are given the said options to change their destiny and it is either by going back to school and fulfill their education and do ways in getting themselves their own homes. Being a single mother is not the end of the road for those who think their situations are hopeless. With these, hopefully, single mothers must take action in order to ready themselves for brighter future.
In order that we can urge single mothers take steps in improving their lives, we would also like to hear from you what you can share about free grants for single mothers so that they may know further. In this case, we will be very grateful to read your comments and feedbacks here.