Things You'll Need:
- Internet access on your computer, a friend's computer, or a computer at the public library
- Telephone
- Transportation to government offices
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Step 1
Use your computer, a friend's computer, or a public library computer to log onto the Internet. Type Govbenefits.gov into your search engine. It gives you information on thousands of programs. Click on the "Start Here" button to answer a ten minute questionnaire that will help determine what grants you're eligible for. Review the list of possible grants that pops up in answer to your questions. Looking over the list of agencies you may qualify for can save you a lot of time finding your free money.
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Step 2
Type Grants.gov into your search engine. Agencies that post grants here allow you to find out about the grant, find out if you qualify, and let you download and submit your application.
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Step 3
Go to USA.gov and click on the link to Benefits and Grants to find information on grants, loans and financial aid. Find money to start a business by going to Sba.gov. There are federal, state, county and city grants available to qualified people.
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Step 4
Telephone federal, state, county and city agencies to ask for information about grants. Call HUD for help with rent assistance, help with house payments, or for a down payment when buying your first home. Call the U.S. Department of Education for programs to study in another country. Call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for help with unexpected emergencies with housing, medical care, food and clothing. Call your County Community Action Agency for support and financial assistance. Call the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ask for help with improving your home. Get free food from the Emergency Food Assistance Program. Call your state's Employment Security Commission to collect unemployment if you've lost your job.
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Step 5
Visit your local county Public Assistance office, the Salvation Army, or the Social Security office for assistance with paying bills. You can also get grants to help pay for child care, food, medical care, and utilities for these agencies.
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Step 6
Ask at schools and colleges in your area for grants that you might be eligible for. Sign up your children for the free or reduced lunch program, get grants for college that help pay for tuition, books, fees, and living expenses. Take advantage of their job search and job placement offices.
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Step 1
Read carefully through all the instructions for applying for a grant. Call the agency or foundation you are applying to if you need help finding out if you're qualified or if you have any questions about how to apply. Each agency will have different guidelines and requirements, so contact the agency or foundation who has the grant you want to get specific instructions. Most of them are happy to help.
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Step 2
Write about your unique qualities and goals when filling out your grant application. Be enthusiastic and show passion for the purpose for which you need the grant. Your grant proposal should contain 8 components: a brief proposal summary no longer than 2-3 paragraphs, an introduction of your organization, the needs assessment explaining the purpose who your beneficiaries including hard evidence of the nature of your project, your project objective that states your goals and desired outcome, the project methods that include flow charts or diagrams of the project design showing activities and justifying your course of action while highlighting features that make your proposal different from other proposals, how you will evaluate the project, how you will get future funding, and the project budget explaining how much your project will cost.
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Step 3
Check with a local school, college, or non-profit organization. There will be someone on staff at all of these places that will have experience writing grants, and you can probably convince them to give you some grant-writing tips. Have someone read your grant proposal to check for errors and ask for their honest opinion. If you need more information about how to write grant proposals, go to Nonprofit.about.com. You might want to take a grant-writing workshop or class to be sure your grant package is well-planned, well-prepared, and packaged concisely.
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Step 4
Know exactly when the deadline is so you won't be late applying, and edit your application using the suggestions of those you chose to read your proposal. Be sure it's well-written, then send your application out. Wait patiently to find out if your application is accepted. Some grants take months, but others take only a few weeks. Use your waiting time to find and apply for other grants you may qualify for!
