If You REALLY Need Financial Help.......

If you really need financial help then there are avenues available to you. Although one may get skeptical by seeing the term "free money" - did you know that such a thing really does exist!

I have been doing grant research for quite some time now and I have found a number of interesting (to say the least) programs out there that are providing financial assistance for those that need it! For example lets take a look at some of the more unusual financial help that is available.

Did you know that there is actually a website on the Internet where you can request money! That's right! You post your request for how much money you need and what you need the money for and your post is submitted. You don't have to worry about others seeing your request because your request is submitted privately! Individual people have received as much as $500 from this website and all they had to do was request the money!

Did you know that there are programs outside the government grant programs that offer financial help to those that need it? For instance there is a religious organization that provides over $5,000 of financial help to those that need it? The funding is provided for emergency financial need! However you will not find this program on the government grant website because it is not a government grant program. This program is being provided by a religious organization that simply wants to help people that need money for a financial emergency! They don't even have a website! In order to apply for the money you will have to reach them by phone or by regular snail mail. Unfortunately their phone number is not a toll-free number so long distance charges will apply when you contact them by phone.


Have you ever heard of "unclaimed money"? Quite simply that is money that goes unclaimed. Each state should have a listing of unclaimed money and who it belongs to. So you should check the lists to see if you or someone you know is on this list! I have seen unclaimed amounts as high as $32,000!

If you really financial assistance then there are programs out there that may be able to help you! Remember what they say - "where there is a will there is a way"!

And I am quite sure that this is just the "tip" of the iceberg! I'm sure that there are many, many more programs out there that will help to provide financial assistance! I just haven't found them all yet - LOL! There are probably so many of them out there that no one person could ever be able to find them all!

Grants For Playing Tennis....

There is an organization that provides funding to competitive junior players aspiring to achieve national and/or international rankings. Funding will be based on the success level of the player in the previous year. Must be training and competing in tournaments year-round. Have a history of strong national tournament results.

The grant award is a maximum of $10,000!

For more information you can contact them either by phone or by email for more information.

What Should You Do If You Get A Shut-Off Notice? What should you do if you receive a shut off notice? The first piece of advice that I can give to you would be for you to call your utility company and see if there is a way that you can make some kind of payment arrangement with them. I know that in my own area the utility company will send you information about programs that they may have to help you with your utility bill(s). While this may not be considered as free money exactly, it is a way to be able to get your utility bill balance lowered. You should also know that - at least in my area - the utility company has someone that they have to answer to and if you feel that you are not being treated fairly by your utility company then you can report them! There are also grant programs out there that may be able to help you as well. Here is a link to a blog post from someone who managed to get 2 government grants to help get their heating turned back on! There may also be an organization or charity that may be able to provide financial assistance to help you with your bills. I know of one local organization in my area that will provide a payment to your utility company to help you with your bill if you receive a shut off notice. All you have to do is send or fax them a copy of your shut off notice to prove that you really did get a shut-off notice. I am also starting to notice that there are quite a few websites out there that will let you request money. Some of these sites require you to submit documentation as proof but I know of at least one website where you can request up to $1000 and sometimes even more if your reason is compelling enough. All you have to do is submit your request of how much money you would like to have and what you need that money for. As I stated in a previous here on this blog, I have seen people receive as much as $500!

*Another source of money that you may not be aware of is unclaimed money. You can find out more about unclaimed money by visiting my blog - The Unclaimed Money Blog.

Free Grants For Dental Care! Many people are unaware of the services in their own home town. The ones that do know about it think it's only for helping handicapped citizens. Wrong. This program is in a position to help with free surgery, dental work and much, much more. If you are employed, but a health problem may prevent you from continuing to work, your local office can help. Especially convenient for those who need a major operation, but have no insurance, This organization will pay for the doctors' visits, medication, actual surgery, recuperative equipment and physical therapy, as well as major dental work, too. Please look in your area to see if you are eligible to apply for this program!

Do You Have An Emergency Financial Need?

Are you facing a financial emergency?

There is one organization that has helped more than 80 individuals/families in need of financial assistance. In 2009 one of the organization's funding programs - which provide emergency funding assistance has given out nearly 300 percent more in assistance than it did in all of 2008.

The purpose of this grant program is to help individuals and families who have chronic financial challenges.

People who qualify for assistance from this fund include those who have lost their jobs, have been out of work for months and months and have exhausted all their savings and resources. According to a spokesperson, "If they fit the criteria, they are able to access this fund for months at a time.”

This grant program was created as a way to help people who don’t qualify for one of the organization's other grant programs.

This funding program has been around for the last 20 years!

The grant program only makes one-time, emergency disbursements. Last year, 32 individuals or families received financial assistance through this funding program. So far over 75 individuals and/or families have received $75,000 in 2009!

This funding program is good for people who tend to struggle with something every year.

Since some of these funding programs are both relatively new, not many people know about them!

What's more the organization itself receives grant money itself to help fund their own grant programs!

One of the organizations funding programs is intended to help with large, one-time emergencies. It was established in a few years ago through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Grants have helped a couple with funeral expenses. Another time it helped a man repair his home after a fire. He had let his home owner’s insurance lapse.

The first step in obtaining assistance is leaving a message on the organization's helpline. The message will usually be returned by a caseworker within 24 hours. A spokesperson for the funding program said the initial phone call between the organization and the applicant takes between five and 10 minutes. Once the exact problem has been determined, the applicant is matched with a social worker, who meets with the client to make a fuller assessment of the situation. Thereafter, the social worker presents the case to the case-management team to decide whether the applicant qualifies for funds. Each application is evaluated on an individual basis. There are clear guidelines, but no set formula to receive assistance.

“If somebody needs financial assistance then we make sure they are taking advantage of other government programs. We have a whole checklist of programs to make sure that they are taking advantage of all the things they can” says the program's spokesperson. Applicants who need emergency funds may also qualify for other programs that the organization has to offer.

It is recommended that applicants apply as early as possible because the number of people seeking assistance has increased so much over the past year and because of that it can now take several weeks to actually receive assistance.

In 2008, 40 people, on average, called the organization for assistance each month. Last year more than 200 people called for help. While not all of these phone calls are for emergency needs, this shows that there has been a marked increase in the need for all of our services, including emergency financial assistanceemergency assistance.

According to the program's spokesperson, “If somebody comes to us and says ‘I’m being evicted tomorrow it’s very hard to help. If someone comes in and says ‘I’m being evicted in three weeks,’ we can help”.

A Children's Foundation is accepting grant applications for families who have children with critical health care treatment, services, or equipment not covered or not fully covered by their parents' health benefit plans. There is NO deadline date to apply for this program. To get an application for this program, just click here. This same organization is also accepting grant applications for families who need help paying for their child’s health care services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy sessions, prescriptions, and medical equipment such as wheel chairs, orthotics, and eyeglasses.

Here is a reply to a post from someone who was asking about grant programs to help start a business.

As a person that does grant research for a living I can tell you that the sites that you are talking about are "third-party" sites where you are paying them for the work that they did to find the information. There is nothing wrong with that BUT if you have your doubts about them then just do a check of them and their business - especially with the BBB to see if there are any complaints about them.

If you are a minority then there are grant programs that are available to help you start a business of your own. One grant program in particular offers a $20,000 grant award to successful applicants who want to start a business of their own. In order to apply you are going to have to submit a business plan to show that you are serious about what it is that you want to do.

Also I have seen grant programs that quite are amazing! One rich individual is offering to fund a person who wants to start a business of their own but their business idea must be viable!

I should also tell you that 90% of the information that I have found about grant programs has been online which means that a lot of these programs have websites. If you go directly to the grant program's website then you don't have to pay a thing because you have found the information yourself and didn't have to hire a grant writer to find the information for you.

Artists Are Using Their Grant Money To Pay For Various Things! I mentioned before about the interest in finding grant programs to help pay off credit card bills and I have mentioned that while I haven't specifically found any grant programs that help pay credit card debt, I have found grant programs where you can use the grant money to pay for whatever you want and here is such an example of that kind of grant program: Recipients of one particular artists grants have gotten creative with how they are spending their grant money! The nonprofit organization will be giving its annual unrestrictive grants to artists in many different disciplines. Usually the winners of these artist grants use their grant money for their work. But since there are no strings are attached to these $50,000 grant awards some artists use part of their newfound wealth to travel, pay off their mortgage, buy life insurance, get new glasses or have their teeth fixed. Others become philanthropists, pitching in on colleagues' projects. Here is what one past grant recipient has said regarding this grant program for artists. "That's the beauty of the grants", says the artist, a maker of massive, abstract collages who was tapped in the first round, in 2006, and has become actively engaged as a board member. "When you get the call, you think, 'Wow, somebody is going to give me money to continue to do what I do. They are not going to ask me to do anything. They are just going to invest in it.' That level of trust, he says, is a validation of past accomplishments and a vote of confidence in the artist's future." The nonprofit organization chooses over 25 annually from the fields of architecture and design, crafts and traditional arts, dance, literature, media, music, theater and visual arts. Grant awards presented this year will total $10 million and will have been given to 213 individuals, partnerships and collectives who live and work all across the country! Applicants must be at least 21 years old and citizens or legal residents of the U.S. About 400 nominees are invited to apply for the grants. Past grant recipients include: architect novelist singer/songwriter filmmaker ceramist dancer puppeteer photographer However this grant program for artists is far from the only organization to put large amounts of money in artists' hands! There is a museum that has its own $50,000 program and a foundation just announced its $100,000 grant program for artists! But many programs offering large cash awards fund specific projects or honor one artist every year or two. With a mission of "supporting America's finest artists working across diverse disciplines" and a practice of doling out 50 unrestricted grants annually, this grant program has created an unusually broad niche for itself. This grant program was started as a response to the demise of a nationally known grant program for artists. Concerned that artists would be forced to leave the field, leaders of several institutions approached large foundations with a message about the need to help artists. Despite the commercial success of many artists a study determined that significant numbers of their peers needed employment, health insurance, places to live and work, materials and equipment and access to professional development and support systems. For more information about this grant program, just click here.

Are There Any Government Grant Programs To Help Pay Off Debt?

Government Grant Programs To Help Pay Off Your Debt

Grant Programs To Help Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt


Are there any government grant programs to help pay off a person's debt? Well I saw an online article that said that there were indeed government grant programs out there to help pay off a person's debt - including help to pay off one's credit card debt.

The article went on to say that all you had to do to find these government grant programs was to go to our government's official website where you could go through the list of the currently available government grant programs to find the current government grant programs that will help you pay off your credit card (and other) debt.

I have been to the official government grant website
many, many times and I have still not yet found such a government grant program specifically for those that want to pay off their credit card debt.

So, Are there any government grant programs to help pay off credit card (and other) debts? The answer is MAYBE!

While I have not found any government grant programs (yet) to help one pay off their credit card debt, I HAVE found grant programs where you can use the grant money to help pay your bills! For instance:

• there is a grant program to help one start their own business. One of the requirements is that you have to be a minority and you also have to submit a business plan in order to be eligible to apply. What is the grant award for this grant program? $20,000! And since this grant is for you to help start your own business some of this grant money can be used to help pay some of your bills.
  
  
• Did you know that there is a grant program that awards over $250,000 in grant money and you can use that grant money for anything you want! and that includes paying your bills, buying a car, etc. All you have to do is to be eligible to apply for this grant and meet their eligibility requirements. However please bear in mind that this is NOT a government grant program. This is a grant program that is being provided by a foundation that is in the United States but is not part of the government. You can find out more information about this particular grant program by clicking here.

So, are there are government grant programs to help pay off credit card debt? I haven't found any government grant programs (yet) that do this but I have found other grant programs where you can use your grant money to pay off your bills. These are not government grant programs but they are grant programs that are being offered by other organizations outside of the government grant programs.

Grant Program For Art Students Artists' Grants program announced! Next year this grant program expects to award more than $65,000 in individual artist grants next year, with the maximum award of $2,000. The upcoming grant round will focus on 2-D and 3-D art in all media, crafts, folk arts, photography and artists with disabilities. The grants are designed to help artists advance their careers through the purchase of special equipment or materials, for career development efforts, such as marketing or classes, or to support special projects. All grant-related activities need to correspond to the grant period dates of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. The application deadline for Individual Artist Grants is February 1 2010 and grant forms are available on the commission's website. For more information, you can contact them by e-mail, or you can contact them by phone. (Please be advised that this is not a toll-free number and long distance charges may apply!).

$25,000 Creative Writing Grant!

The deadline to apply for this grant program for writers is early March 2010!

This grant program provides fellowships in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) or poetry writing and is available to published creative writers. These kinds of programs enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement.

You can find out more about this program by going to their website.

There Is Finacial Assistance Available For Victims Of Domestic Abuse!

If you are a survivor of domestic abuse you may be able to apply for grants!

Here is a quote from an online article:

"Survivors can also apply for grants from one foundation that provides grants to shelters and individual survivors. The program has also created a curriculum to teach survivors how to do everything from opening a checking account to repairing bad credit. So far this year the foundation will give out 10 $50,000 in grant monies and in November will begin awarding individual $1,000 Education and Job Training Assistance grants directly to survivors.

If you are a victim of domestic violence here is some information that may help you:

If you're in a dangerous situation and need to flee with nothing but the clothes you're wearing -- do it. Advocates at local shelters will help you (and your kids) get what you need, from prescription refills to birth certificates. But if you can put a plan in place, it is suggested that you call the National Domestic Violence Hotline or look in the blue and white government pages at the front of your phone book for the number of a local shelter. An advocate there will help you decide what to bring.

Most often you'll want your birth certificate, passport, Social Security card, bank or credit card statements, and prescriptions or medical supplies. Your advocate will also explain the intake process (it's different for every shelter), how long you can stay at the shelter, and what programs that particular facility offers (child care, legal advocacy, etc.). If you're able to stockpile extra cash, try to anticipate your financial needs for a month and save for that goal. A shelter will cover basic needs such as food, clothes, hygiene, and a place to sleep.

In 2005, the government reauthorized the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which funds the investigation and prosecution of crimes against women such as domestic violence and sexual assault. The reauthorization includes increased funding for free legal assistance to victims, stronger federal laws against abusers, new protection and confidentiality laws for women in shelters, and a pledge to spend $3.9 billion protecting women (up from $1.6 billion). State governments are also strengthening laws that protect women and offering services to victims of abuse and sexual assault.

In 1999, California made it illegal for employers to fire an employee for being a victim of domestic violence or for missing work to testify in criminal court -- and other states (like Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, and North Carolina) have passed similar laws. California also pays unemployment to victims who must quit work when relocating to escape abuse. In New York, children can no longer be removed from their abused mother's care simply because she's a victim or because the child witnessed domestic violence.

Did you know that there is an organization that raises money for women with breast cancer? This financial assistance program is for women who often don't have insurance, who are too ill to work and / or don't have money for basic necessities such as food and housing. The organization provides cash grants to survivors through an emergency fund. A number of women have said that the grants were lifesavers at a time when they had nowhere else to turn. This organization also funds breast cancer organizations that provide food, clothing, transportation, homeopathic care and other services.

Government Grant Website

As you know our government has an official government grants website. There is access to over 20 federal grant-making agencies through an E-Government initiative - which basically means that the government is trying to make it easier for you to find out information about their grant program by using the internet and by having the information about their grant programs available online. Today, the site is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion dollars in annual awards!

The government website states that it is still the one place to find all available federal grant opportunities. All opportunities posted on the site will include specific application instructions and there are instructions for submitting applications outside of the website as well. The site is full of information from steps to applying for a grant, grant eligibility, downloading a grant application packages, grant search, and program status, grant email alerts and tracking of a grant application.


However there seems to be a "glitch" in the system! This week it was announced that a “systemic weaknesses” that requires attention. A study found that the system performance and service of applicants caused late grant submissions. In addition, the study also found that grant-making agencies whose donations support the site didn’t pay in a timely manner, negatively affecting system performance. Steps have been taken to alleviate the system strain and quickly increase the system's capacity. However, because of this, select programs may use alternate systems to process grant applications.

According to an online article:

Grants can be for any use or purpose one chooses and there are 26 federal grant-making agencies to choose from on the website. A user does not have to register with the government's office grant program website to search for government grant programs but will need to register to apply. The registration process takes 3-5 business days and now may take longer due to submissions issues with the technology.

Does Your Home Have Flood Damage?

Then here is some information that you should know.

If you own a house in an area where federal assistance has been approved you may want to contact FEMA to see if you can qualify for grants to help repair the damage in your home.

You will need to provide specific information such as addresses, insurance policies, bank account numbers, phone numbers and Social Security numbers. Have this information ready when you contact FEMA. You can visit their website and register online or you can call their toll-free 1-800 number as well. Their phone lines are open from 6am - to midnight. If you apply by phone, an intake officer will interview you. That will take about 20 minutes.

After registering, FEMA inspectors should come to your property within about a week. You don’t have to wait to start repairs, but document any work done and make sure it’s properly permitted. Take photos and keep receipts.

Keep in mind that while FEMA can grant as much as $30,300 for repair work, the average covered is less – $6,000 to $7,000. Grants will just pay for what’s needed to make a building safe and livable. Also, if insurance covers it, FEMA won’t. Money for repairs should arrive a week or so after inspection.

There may be other grant programs that one may also be eligible for including grant money to replace personal property, clothing, vehicles and medical needs.

Grant Programs For Minorities! Here is an excerpt from another online site: There are a multitude of grants for minorities to start a business or a non-profit organization. These grants for minorities are funded by the federal government as the government realizes that it had can be hard to get ahead in life, especially if you are a minority. Minority groups are not often given the chances required to make the most of their talents and skills, until now, when hundreds of thousands of dollars are available in grants for minorities. Do you have a great business idea but are unable to come with the capitol required to build the business? Perhaps you are part of a minority group that can make a difference in the community. There are grants available to start a business and even a non-for-profit organization to better the community. Taking the time to craft the grant letter and the business plan that is associated with the grant application can make all the difference in the approval. The grant committee is seeking business ideas and non-for-profit organizations that can make a substantial income for the grant applicant and allowing the individual to create an organization that can increase the viability of a community. There is one major benefit to grants for minorities. There are multiple grants for minorities available and very few minority groups that apply for the grants. Therefore, the chances of being approved for the grant that is being applied for is significantly improved with a minority grant.

Did you know that some community colleges offer a discount or free college tuition for seniors?

A for-profit business has been awarded a $5 million grant from one state’s funding program which helps the state with economic recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs. Through the use of this Fund, more than 30,000 jobs and $4.5 billion in investment have been created since 2001!

Financial Grants For Sailors And Marines?

There is a non-profit organization that helps support Sailors and Marines and their family members in times of need! This support ranges from support for injury or death, household needs and car repairs. In addition to its financial services, this organization offers food lockers, layettes for newborns, classes and more.

Here is just a sampling of the kind of support that this organization has provided:

• A service couple was married in 2003. The spouse had had a kidney transplant in 1991, but the procedure had failed and the spouse was on dialysis now and had incurred over $4,000.00 in medical bills since the marriage, and had credit card debt totaling over $15,000.00 due to prescriptions and medical expenses. Subsequently the husband joined the Navy and the medical costs were covered! The service couple requested assistance from this organization for the earlier bills and the organization authorized assistance as a grant for the medical bills, and authorized an interest free loan for the credit card debt, to be repaid over a 24-month period.
  
  
• Another couple had difficulty adjusting to living within their income and started using payday lenders. The husband who was a petty officer got behind in his rent and also borrowed funds from loans which compounded their financial problems. The service member requested assistance from the organization for one month's rent, food and gasoline and funds to pay off six payday loans. The organization authorized the assistance as an interest-free loan. Repayment was deferred for 3 months and a repayment plan was set up for 10 months to minimize the impact on the family.
  
  
• A Lance Corporal, who was seriously injured in Iraq, was experiencing a lot of pain and having difficulty sleeping on his regular mattress at home. The Naval Medical Center conducted a sleep study and determined that the service member was able to sleep through the night on the TEMPUR-PEDIC mattress and foundation beds they have at the medical center. This organization granted funds for the purchase of a new orthopedic mattress.
  
  
• A service couple purchased a home 2 years ago, and they financed it with an interest only loan. The mortgage payments started out low, but soon escalated to $1,200.00 more than the original payment. The family started falling behind in payment of their bills. They needed help with car payments, medical bills, childcare, and also asked for help with food and gas. They lost their house to foreclosure and asked for assistance. The organization assisted with a loan for two car payments and grants of nearly $2,500.00 for their rent, food, childcare, gas and the family's cost share for medical and dental bills.
  
  
• Another service couple living in Navy housing had a fire destroy all of their household possessions. The cause was determined to be a defective air conditioner. The family requested help and were provided with an interest-free loan of over $3,600.00 for a new bedroom set for their young son, a mattress and box spring for the service couple, bed linens, blankets, pillows, towels, cooking and eating utensils, a chest of drawers, a dinette set, a couch, lamps and a microwave.
  
  (The service member had initiated legal action against the manufacturer of the air conditioner, and if a settlement was received the service member was going to repay the loan, but if his claim was denied then the entire assistance was going to be given as a grant.)

India - Startup Business Funding! There is an Entrepreneurial Program that has been put in place in such a way that the entrepreneur can find access to money and mentors in the same place. Given the limited pool of mentors, the candidates are filtered and selected, but on ventures that are very promising, there are individual angels within the chapter who have funded them. * There is yet another funding program that has been put together for entrepreneurs looking for seed money up to INR 50,00,000. The chartered members of this program and the likes have pooled in money and do invest on personal capacities on ventures they find to be of interest. This is applicable only to startups based out of Chennai, as of now.

Real Estate Company Gets Federal Money!

This $1 BILLION Dollar a year real estate company has built military housing for the U.S. armed forces in at least 18 states and has a backlog of more than $6 billion in future construction work. This is a fee-based real estate developement which brings a full range of services that include property management, construction, development and long-term maintenance and they collects fees for all of that work. They also put a small amount of equity into each of their projects. There are multiple income streams. It gives us a lot of diversity. The firm, which handles planning, construction and property management for military housing areas, is a leader in energy-efficient construction, too. This company has the ability to win government projects and grants while other real estate developers cope with tighter financing requirements and slower national home sales! The owner has been part of various developer teams working on military real estate projects and redeveloping closed bases. The company has also won another military project in Alaska!

Here's a little secret:

"On the day that we close on a project, we typically receive ownership to all the buildings and utilities and structures in the family housing area on the military installation."

*As I have said many times before, grant programs have been put in force to help with a compelling need - which in this case is about upgrading military housing. And this is something that is widely supported by the American public. Rose

Are You Seeking Emergency Financial Assistance?

Many charities provide services and items that you would otherwise spend money on, freeing up some dollars to apply to your most pressing needs. Among
the most common of these are food banks and open-dining opportunities, help or waiver of utility costs, and clothing and other household essentials.

Are You An Artist That Was Effected By Hurricane Katrina?

There have been a number of artists who have been able to continue their work with the help of some financial grant programs available for those artists who have been affected by hurrincane Katrina.

For instance one artist whose home was destroyed because of Katrina was able to escape the wreckage and continue to work because an art organization offered him a two-month residency that included a stipend, room and board, and studio space.

There is another arts organization that has established a fund to help artists living in the hurricane-damaged area, and the one university in Baton Rouge, collected art supplies for artist-evacuees. A New York City-based foundation has paid at least $450,000 in grants to more than 80 artists affected by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Every time a disaster happens, the process of creating or reviving relief funds starts again. One Recovery Fund, created by a New York Foundation has distributed $4,635,000 to organizations and individuals in New York City after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. There is a Washington, DC-based organization that has established an emergency relief fund which has given over $100,000 to different art organizations located in the Gulf Coast region. Over $400,000 has been provided to individual artists!

There is also an emergency relief fund for "Crafters" which has spearheaded the coalition, distributed between $200,000 and $300,000 to Gulf Coast craftspeople after Katrina. Additionally, the organization brokered free and discounted supplies and equipment, free booth space at craft shows, and free workshops for artisans in the region.

State unemployment insurance agencies provide disaster unemployment aid to the self-employed but only when future income is predictable.

Do You Need Financial Assistance To Help Take Care Of Your Pet?

When an unexpected personal disaster affects a family, there is an organization that can supply grants which can provide for financial assistance to help families provide for their pets' immediate needs.

Personal disasters may include:

• House fire
  
  
  
• Domestic violence situation
  
  
• Unexpected death of a family member.
  
  
• Large-scale disasters such as hurricanes or wildfires

Grants may be provided for the following needs:

• Transportation of the animal to safety
  
  
• Veterinary care to treat injury or illness caused by the disaster
  
  
  
• Temporary boarding

Grants usually range between $100 and $400. Funding decisions are based upon several factors, including:

1. urgency
   
2. financial need
   
3. available funding
   
4. eligibility

Eligibility Guidelines


The applicant (person/family applying for a grant) must:

• Live in the United States.
  
  
  
• Submit an application within one week of the disaster giving rise to the need for aid.
  
  
  
• Have a plan for how the animal's needs can be met. For example, provide the name of a specific boarding kennel, a veterinary estimate for the cost of treatment, and/or an estimate for the cost of food and medications.

If approved, the applicant must provide photos and updates.


The animal(s) must:

• Be spayed/neutered (grant may include spay/neuter costs).
  
  
  
• Be a companion animal who was directly injured or displaced by personal, natural or manmade disaster
  
  
  OR
  
  
  Be any animal involved in the rescue and recovery efforts during a natural or manmade disaster (e.g, search and rescue dogs).

The vendor or clinic must:

• Be aware of the disaster affecting the client and the client's financial need.
  
  
  
• Provide us with a written estimate at our request.
  
  
  
• Accept a check from our organization

Unfortunately our organization cannot help if any of the following apply:

• The animal's care needs are not a direct result of a personal or large-scale disaster.
  
  
  (For assistance with non-disaster-related emergency veterinary care, please see our other Grant Programs.)
  
  
  
• The treatment, boarding or other care has already been completed and you need assistance paying the bill.

How To Apply

You must read the statement and eligibility requirements carefully before applying.


New applications will be accepted starting January 2, 2008.

You can view other assistance programs and fundraising suggestions at our website!

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This organization is happy to have issued $300 to $2,500 grants to deserving grassroots animal welfare organizations who have jumped in to assist with an animal emergency involving a group of animals.


Examples of recent grant recipients are described briefly below.

• Transport of two tiger cubs saved from a corrupted "sanctuary" to their new home at a sanctuary.
  
  
  
• Relocation of 250 feral goats from an overpopulated island.
  
  
  
• Veterinary treatment for thirty-seven parrots seized in an animal cruelty case.
  
  
  
• Airfare for a veterinarian who volunteered to assist with neutering 130 rescued pot bellied pigs.
  
  
• Veterinary medical assistance for 90 dogs abandoned in the desert.
  
  
  
• Veterinary medical assistance for 105 cats taken in from an animal hoarding case.

While this organization recognizes the importance and immediacy of all work with animals, please carefully review your situation to determine if it falls within their guidelines.


Purpose - The grants are intended to serve a specific, known group of animals (more than one animal) in an emergency situation , where immediate intervention is necessary. The grants enable grassroots or rescue groups to access money they need to act quickly and ensure safe and loving lifetime care for the animals involved.

Grants are offered nationwide!

The ideal project will also receive funding from other sources (e.g., grant will be combined with funding from other organizations or individuals to make the project successful). Grants range from $300 to $2,500, with an average grant of $1,000.


Organization Eligibility. - Applicants must be recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) organizations. The IRS determination letter must be sent with an application for funding. If your organization does not have 501(c)(3) status, please encourage a 501(c)(3) group in your area to collaborate with you on the project.


If your organization operates an animal sanctuary, you must provide proof of accreditation from the right association organization.

Organizations must have an annual budget of $500,000 or less.


Grants are given to projects that are one-time in nature. Grants will not be issued to cover routine operating costs or ongoing efforts. Funds cannot be used to purchase animals. We do not fund spay/neuter projects. (However there are other grant programs that do pay for this)


Approval Process - The organization may request an invoice for payment if the grant is to pay for medical care or a vendor other than the applicant organization. The organization will mail a check for the approved amount within a week of approval, assuming invoices have been received and reviewed. Successful applicants are required to submit clear, high-quality photographs of impacted animals and may be asked to write about their project for the organization's publication.


Grants will not be awarded for

• ongoing programs/efforts
  
• general operating costs
  
• capital costs
  
• salaries
  
• lobbying efforts
  
• scholarships
  
• facility improvements

There are no deadlines for proposals; they are reviewed as they are received, but funding is limited each quarter. Every attempt is made to respond to funding requests within two weeks of receiving a completed application.


If you think your project may be eligible and you are a 501(c)(3) organization, please download the application (PDF) from our website and submit with the requested materials via the organization's fax # or via e-mail.

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We need your help to find eligible applicants who need this kind of grant funding for their animals and pets. When you hear of an unsolved situation that could be eligible, please spread the word!

Grant Program For Hispanic and Latino Artists

Hispanic and Latino artists will receive an

unrestricted grant

What is that? An unrestrictive grant means that the artist can use their grant award for anything!

Artists at any stage of career development may be nominated. To be considered for fellowships, artists must be:

• 21 years of age or older
  
  
• U.S. citizens or legal residents in any U.S. state.

Artists must have the following:

• Expert artistic skills
  
  
• Received artistic education or training (formal or informal
  
  
• Attempted to derive income from those skills
  
  
• Been actively engaged in creating artwork and presenting it to the public

This grant program supports artists in all career stages, including emerging and mid-career artists, as well as individuals who have achieved master artist status. The grants will be awarded across a broad array of disciplines:

• Architecture and Design
  
  
• Crafts and Traditional Arts
  
  
• Dance
  
  
• Literature (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry)
  
  
• Media (film, media, and radio)
  
  
• Music
  
  
• Theater Arts
  
  
• Visual Arts

Artist Applications

Nominated artists are notified of their nominations and encouraged to apply. Artists are required to fill out a simple online application.

What is the grant award amount of this

unrestrictive

grant award?

$50,000.00!

Seed Money / Emergency Finances?

hi Im r~. I have a judgement debt form a car that got reposeesed of $2,200 debt I was wondering if I get a get seed money from various c(h)arit(a)ble foundations just to help me with assistence. Not nessesarily the whole amoount but some. Please e-mail me back. I need help.

__________________________________________________

There is a little bit of confusion here. "Seed Money" is generally provided as money to help someone start a business or other project.

But if you are talking about providing financial assistance to an individual / assistance to those that need the money for "emergency needs" then there are many organizations that do this. But again you have to apply for these funds. They are not "automatically" given.

You have to state what you need the financial assistance for specifically.

Need Some Help Paying Your Heating Bill?

I just got finished faxing a copy of a client's heating bill to a local organization that helps people with paying their heating bills. They can't provide much but they do provide what they have in the way of finacial assistance to those that are having trouble paying their heating bill.

I have dealt with this organization before on the behalf of other clients who have had trouble paying their heating bill and need a little financial assistance to help them out. The woman on the phone was very nice and she told me that she was expecting some financial funds to help provide others with financial help to help pay their heating bills (which will be most helpful now because the weather is starting to get colder!).

The first time that I dealt with this organization all I needed to do was send in a copy of the heating bill. That was a few years ago. Now the procedure for getting financial assistance to help pay a person's heating bill seems to be the same.

This is a small organization and a local one. I suspect that one of the reasons why they do not advertise is because if a lot of people knew about the financial assistance that they provide they would get an over-whelming number of calls from people needing help to pay their heating bills. They do not even have a website.

So while this is a local organization, you should check within your own area to see if you can find a similar organization that helps by providing financial assistance to those that need help to pay their heating bills.

"I Have No Time To Apply For A Government Grant"

I realize that there are some emergency situations where the time that it takes to get a grant will not be enough time to solve the problem.

But again this goes back to the reason WHY you want the grant.

For instance a lot of people have posted that they are going through problems such as their electricity is going to be shut off and they need a grant right away. First of all the utility companies can't just shut off your power without written warnings to you. Some of them will give you extensions to give you more time to pay your bill. One of the things that you should do is get in contact with your utility company to see what kind of payment arrangements can be worked out to help pay your bill. Some utility companies will also provide you with information about different grant programs that may be able to help you.

You should also get in contact with your nearest social service agency. They help people all the time by providing them with information about grant programs that may be able to help them so this would be the place to go.

There are even grant programs for your pets!

We all love our pets! And if we don't then there is probably something wrong with us!

Many times I have talked about there being grants to help people who need emergency funding and you can now add pets to that list!

While animal shelters and individual pet owners sometimes have trouble paying for the cost of animal care, there are organizations out there dedicated to helping care for one's pet. It's not just our own medical emergencies that can come up there is also the emergencies that come up when our pets get sick. (And I include myself because I am a pet owner)

Some of these organizations even provide financial help to those who help to rescue and/or take care of stray animals! Many of these same organizations work in conjunction with area veterinarians and local animal clinics. So if your pet gets sick or needs emergency medical care you should find out from these animal clinics and animal hospitals whether or not they are aware of any of the programs that help provide financial assistance to those pet owners who need it.

Loopholes?

Because of the kind of work that I do I am privy to a lot of information.

While living life can be a constant struggle to some there are some things that can help a person when they are being bogged down with bills.

For instance there are a lot of people who will be receiving utility shut-off notices in the mail. But did you know that there is a way that you can avoid having your utilities shut off - at least temporarily for a few months? Of course you are still liable for any back balances that you owe BUT you can avoid getting your utilities shut off for a while. At least this gives you some time to either get the money together to help pay off the balance due or to get a grant to help you pay off some of that back balance.

Like I said before this is only a temporary fix because you are still liable for the amount that you owe. But at least it will give you some time to get some money together.

Why don't more people know about it? Well the people that do know aren't telling. While this method isn't illegal it could also be considered unethical - of course to the people faced with a shut-off they don't consider it like that - they are just looking for some help.

What is ironic is that this information has to be made accessible to you by your utility company. I have seen the information on my own utility bill so I know that they have to provide the information.

Another thing that is ironic is that the agency that handles this is courtesy of our own government - the same government that has grant programs.

So if you are facing getting a shut-off notice and are looking for some temporary relief to give you time to get the money together to pay your bill you will have to decide whether or not this is something that you want to do.

Deadline - June 26, 2007

If you're located in the New Hampshire area and your home was damaged by the Patriot's Day storm then you have until June 26th to call the FEMA Hotline. The regular FEMA office in that area has already been closed down but you still have until June 26th to reach them through their hotline number.

Over 2 million dollars has been allocated to the area for direct assistance which includes grants. Over 1500 people have already applied for the grant and the average grant award has been $2700 and on the average the money is received within 4 days!

Public assistance grants are also being made available.

Emergency Financial Need?

As one charitable organization puts it "can make sure that no hard-working person is ever forced to choose between taking a child to the doctor and putting food on the table...."

The majority of us have those emergency financial situations that pop up from time to time! An unexpected car expense, a costly repair or even just having enough money for food.......these kind of emergency financial crisis situations come up all the time and there are more than a few charitable organizations that want to help and they do help people by providing emergency financial funding for things like car repairs and medical bills. Last year one charitable organization provided emergency financial assistance to over 3000 individuals and families!

So maybe the next time that I tell you that there are charitable organizations that have emergency financial assistance programs available to those that have an emergency financial need - maybe you'll listen to me!

Grants For An Emergency Financial Need

Believe it or not there are actual grant programs for those that have an emergency financial need. These kind of emergency financial needs can include receiving money to pay a car repair bill, paying a rent or mortgage payment and even an emergency medical bill.

But please keep in mind that you have to be able to prove your financial emergency. Usually this will require you showing proof - such as a bill or statement - of your emergency financial need. You may also have to submit an application as well. But if your need is genuine then you should have no problem with this. I have seen payments made to landlords, mortgage companies, heating bill companies, car repair places and even payment made to a moving company. However please remember that you will have to apply to these programs and unfortunately just applying to them does not mean that you will automatically get the money. Your request for money has to be submitted and reviewed just like all the other applications that have been submitted. You don't automatically get the money just because you apply.