Writing A Proposal

When many of us hear the phrase “government grants,” free money often pops into mind. Yes, there are legitimate government grants that do translate into money, but there is a lot of misinformation circulating. In rare cases, individuals do qualify for government grants, but they are typically awarded to non-profit organizations, state and local governments, Native Americans, small business owners, and colleges. If you are an individual looking for free grant money, your chances are small, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look. When looking, save your money and avoid common grant scams.
For you to save your money and avoid government grant scams, you must first know what they are. Unfortunately, these scams come in a number of different formats. Luckily, most are easy to spot. What do you need to be on the lookout for?
Someone who emails you. A friend or another non-profit organization who stumbled across a grant you may qualify for will just pass on the information. They are doing this out of the kindness of their heart. What you need to watch for are strangers who email you unexpectedly. These individuals will obtain some of your personal information, like your name, address, and email address online. It sounds legitimate because they know a little bit about you. They claim they were reviewing their records and noticed you qualified for a government grant. For a small processing fee, they will help you submit your application and even write a grant proposal for you.
Some who calls you. As with the above mentioned email scam, be on the lookout for people who call you out of nowhere. They often disguise themselves as a professional individual or a member of a company. They will also claim their records indicated you qualified for a government grant. Once again, they will offer to help you apply for the grant, but for a processing fee.
Unfortunately, people fall victim to these two scams. It is because the frauds usually toss around phrases like “free money.” As previously stated, there really are legitimate grants offered by the federal government. Where the scam comes in is when you give your checking account information. Most scammers tell you that you are qualified to receive this free money but give you no information until giving bank account numbers. Do not do it! Government grants do not come to you; you must find them yourself. Once the scammer has your checking account information, they can withdrawal their “processing fee,” but also wipe your account clean.
There are professionals who will help you find government grants, complete the application, as well as write you a grant proposal. These individuals are grant writers. However, they will not approach you. Grant writers are often professionals who work on a freelance basis. They will help get the process started, but only if you contact them first.
Although not necessarily classified as a scam, more of a waste of money, be on the lookout for paid products. Some membership websites online want you to pay to gain access to their government grants database. There are infomercial products claiming you can get free money from the government. Remember, this can happen, but it is rare for personal individuals. It will not hurt to look, but do not pay for this information. Instead, visit Grants.gov or speak to government officials. These approaches are free.
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Are you an individual looking for free money to assist you with a special project? Are you a non-profit organization member who would like to obtain funds for your organization’s goals? Are you a small town mayor who wants government money to improve your town? If you are one of these or other similar individuals, you may be looking for government grants. Some individuals, state and local governments, school districts, small businesses, and non-profit organization qualify for free money from the government. In fact, billions of dollars are handed out each year. How do you find information on these government grants? Visit Grants.gov.
As nice as it is to hear that you should visit the website Grants.gov, you are likely to have many questions. What is it that sets this government grant website apart from the other hundred you can easily find online?
1 – It Is Free
The Grants.gov website is not a scam. It is not an infomercial product. It is not a paid membership website. It is 100% free to use. You can browse the website, but must register for a free account to apply for grants. This is very quick and easy. Follow the step-by-step directions and you may be on your way to receiving a government grant in no time at all.
2 – The Website is Easy to Navigate
As previously stated, hundreds of websites provide you with information on government grants. Some websites enable you to search grant databases, give you tips on how to choose the right grants, how to fill out applications, how to write a grant proposal and so forth. Unfortunately, many of these websites, even those you must pay to access, are difficult to navigate. With Grants.gov, this is not a problem. On the left-hand side of the page, there is a detailed and expandable menu bar. Whether you want to search for government grants, learn about the process, signup for email alerts, create an account, or apply for grants, you can do it on this website and with ease.
3 – Detailed Information is Provided
What is nice about Grants.gov is the detailed information given. Not only is the entire process of finding, searching for, and applying for a grants outlined in detailed for beginners, but the information is easy to find. As previously stated, you must register for an account to apply for grants. However, you can search for grants, read detailed requirements, and get other important information without registering. This is rare. Many other databases only provide you with generalized information. This may include the type of grant, the grantor, and the funds available. To find out more, you often need to register for a free account or pay a membership fee. Not with Grants.gov, only register if you find what you need.
4 – Representatives Available to Help
Another unique feature of Grants.gov is the customer service representatives available to help. This is another sign that this website is 100% legitimate. In fact, it is operated by government officials, thus the .gov address. By following the “Contact Us,” link at the top of the page, you will get a telephone number, email address, and mailing address. If you have a question or need additional help, ask.
5 – You Have Nothing to Lose
In short, Grants.gov is a well-known and trusted website designed to help you find legitimate government grants. The United States government maintains this website. Do not waste money paying for a website membership or a late night infomercial product. Whether you are a local government official, the superintendent of a school district, a college administrator or professor, the operator of a non-profit organization, or a small business owner, there are government grants available that you may qualify for. Winning funding is not guaranteed, but since it is free to search for and apply for these government grants, you have nothing to lose. Try it and secure the funding you need today.
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In the United States, many Americans are in financial distress. Individuals of all ages are finding it difficult to make their mortgage payments and pay their utility bills. In this instance, many are automatically attracted to free money. After all, who wouldn’t love free money? Unfortunately, many individuals get inaccurate information.
The United States government has many resources to help Americans get out of debt, but these resources rarely come in the form of free money or government grants. There are a few exceptions however. They deal with senior citizens. If you are a senior citizen or know someone is continue reading on for information in which you or your loved one may be eligible for government grants.
The most common types of government grants you will find available for senior citizens focus on housing improvements. For example, there are grants available for rural housing repairs. This grant enables qualifying senior citizens to update, repair, or modernize their rural home to eliminate safety hazards. This specific grant comes with many restrictions. For starters, those under the age of 62 are automatically exempt from grants. Instead, they get a government-funded loan. Next, the location of the home must be a rural area. This is a low-income loan. Senior citizens must fall below the area’s median income. Individuals who do not qualify for this safety improvement grant will be encouraged to seek a loan. In some cases, combination loans and grants may be obtained.
Similar to the above mentioned grant, is a rural housing natural disaster relief grant. As with safety improvements, both grants and loans are available. This government grant is also designed for low-income seniors 62 years of age and up. It is for those unable to repay a loan. This grant is designed to replace or repair property damaged from a natural disaster. These funds can kick in after FEMA assistance has been provided. Grant recipients must show proof of ownership, proof of needed, and must live in an area declared a disaster by the United States President.
The two above grants are a few you will find for individual senior citizens through the federal government. Unfortunately, they are somewhat rare. Most often, government grants for senior citizens are given to non-profit organizations that extend services to seniors. If you are concerned with the affordable activities and services available to senior citizens in your community, don’t sit back and do nothing. Contact local government officials and non-profit organizations. Although you may be unable to receive a government grant to make improvements to your local senior center, others can.
Government grants sound nice because they are free money, but most senior citizens are unable to qualify for and apply for grants on their own. Aside from contacting local non-profit organizations and government officials, make use of other state and federal assistance programs. Many are designed for senior citizens. Medicaid and Medicare can help get seniors much needed medical coverage. Food stamps, food banks, and other similar programs can give seniors access to affordable and healthy foods. Many state and county government organizations have heating assistance programs to make heating a home more affordable. These government assistance programs rarely come in the form of a loan; instead they are designed to provide Americans with moneysaving discounts.
In short, no harm can come from examining grants to find those for senior citizens. However, you are advised against setting your expectations too high. If you find an ideal grant that is only available for non-profit organizations, state or county governments, pass the information on to the appropriate group. Although you do not receive the funds directly, you and other senior citizens can benefit from them.
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