The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Their main purpose is to provide leadership and financial support to programs that improve health and help save lives.

Periodically, the NIH will offer grants to programs that support the agency's mission. Weight loss programs would fall under this category. The agency will offer several types of grants. Once you find the appropriate grant, you can apply for the grant online.

Things You Will Need

  • Weight Loss Program Business Plan

  • Grant proposal

  • Internet

How to apply for grants for weight loss programs

Go to the official site for government grants. Never pay for this information. This information is provided to you free of charge by visiting www.grants.gov.

Search for grant opportunities. Located on the far left is a tab called “Find Grant Opportunities”. Click this tab and select “browse by agency”. When searching for grants for weight loss programs, you want to select the Department of Health and Human Services.

Select a grant. Grants.gov is a database with hundreds of grants. You can narrow your search by selecting appropriate key words. Each grant will offer a grant description and the eligibility requirements.

Get registered. Registration is a one-time free process. Once registered you can apply online.

Download the grant application package. Make sure your Abobe software is compatible with the grants.gov website. Instructions on how to use the forms and what to submit with your application will be on the downloaded application cover sheet.

Complete your grant application offline. You cannot save changes to your application through grants.gov, so save your changes on your computer as you go along.

Submit your grant application. Login to your grants.gov account and follow the instructions to submit your grant application. If you are using Abobe Reader, you can click "save and submit" at the bottom of the page. Your application will be automatically uploaded to the grants.gov site.

Track your grant application. From your account, go to “track my application.” Be prepared to enter grant identification numbers. You will be given these numbers when you submit your application.

Tip

Before you apply, make sure you are eligible to receive the grant. Most grant applications are rejected due to applicants not meeting the qualification for receiving the award.