Are You Looking For Forgiveable Loans?

Some free grants are in the form of loans and are what is called forgiveable loans. Which means if you do not sell your business then the loan is forgiven and over time period and you do not pay anything back!

The whole goal with free grants is to strengthen America and it workforce.

If Convicted Sex Offenders Can Get Federal Aid, Then Why Can't You?

I get a lot of email from people who ask about grant programs and financial aid for going back to school. They tell me that finding information about financial aid for school is too hard to find.

Then you're going to have to explain why there was a recent article about how convicted sex offenders were getting federal financial to take online courses? And to make this story even more newsworthy it turns out that a lot of them spent the money on things like clothing and music! One of Iowa's most dangerous sex offenders has received thousands of dollars in federal aid to take college courses through the mail! (Prison inmates are ineligible for this kind of funding. Students convicted of certain drug offenses are also ineligible.) One of the "loopholes" for applying for this kind of federal financial aid is that the applicant doesn't have to disclose their living arrangements on their application forms - which means that the sex offenders didn't have to disclose where they were "living". In the state of Iowa more than 10 offenders in a Cherokee Mental Health Institute received grants. More than half of them dropped their courses after receiving the grant money.

Recent information about such offenders receiving this grant money came as a result of a newspaper report about 54 offenders at one Florida center getting $200,000 in grants in one year.

Of course there are arguments on both sides about this recent finding. On the one hand some think that being able to take educational courses will help some sex offenders adjust better in society and others think that it is a waste of taxpayer dollars.

But as someone who does grant research I find the fact that those mentioned in the article were able to find out about such information about grants quite intriguing when other people have told me that they couldn't find any information about grants and / or financial assistance for going back to school. Now you even know that there is financial aid available even if you want to take online courses!

Grant Programs Available For Nursing?

There are so many grant programs available for nursing that it is not even funny!

What you have to realize is that there is such a need for nurses that the government (and other organizations as well) are willing to provide financial programs to help those who want a nursing career!

Here are a few examples of the funding programs that are out there that are available to those who are seeking a career in nursing:

• One national nursing association has scholarship information on their website and financial aid for nursing students. They offer a $2,500 nursing scholarship to a deserving student every 60 days. In order to assist worthy applicants who are not selected, they have also expanded their online database which lists hundreds of grants and scholarship opportunities.
  
  
• There is another organization whose purpose is to encourage the research career development of all nurses. To effectively achieve this goal, the program supports research of beginning and experienced nurse researchers. In all award categories, the principal investigator must be a licensed registered nurse who has obtained at least one degree, either a baccalaureate degree or higher, in nursing. Beginning and experienced nurse researchers are encouraged to apply. Grants range from $3,000 to $25,000.
  
  
  Beginning researcher: A nurse who has no more than three research-based publications in referenced journals and has received, as principal investigator, no more than $15,000 in extramural funding in one particular research area. Note: other funds obtained in support of the project submitted for funding consideration will not be considered in the $15,000 limitation.
  
  
  Experienced researcher: A nurse who has more than three research-based journal\publications and has received more than, $15,000 as principal investigator, in research funding since their degree.
  
  
• Another foundation offers financial support to students enrolled in nursing schools and to perioperative nurses pursuing bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees. "With the critical nursing shortage and the cost of higher education, this foundation knows it is of the utmost importance to fund scholarships for students pursuing careers in nursing and for nurses advancing their professional careers."
  
  
  *Educational Grants: Complex patient needs, new advances in technology, and economic pressures are driving the need for more education. Nurses need innovative continuing education programs to maintain competency and to ensure safe and high-quality patient care. This foundation is committed to provide continuing education grant funds to meet these needs.
  
  
• Another grant program offers two annual scholarships of up to $17,500 each for minority students pursuing degrees in nursing and rehabilitation therapy programs.
  
  
• There are also a lot of "smaller" programs meaning that they are offered on a state level but there are many of these state programs available and the chances are good that your state has such a program!

So if you want to have a career in nursing and are looking for financial help in the form of grants (money that you do not have to pay back) and not loans then you should that there are many grant programs out there for those that want to pursue a career in nursing.

If people (so-called "experts") say that there are no such grant programs for nursing then kindly show them this blog post!

Are You Looking For A Grant To Help Start Your Own Business?

Here is yet another state that has a grant program for entrepreneurs!

"In one state another initiative that is gaining popularity is expanding techonology based businesses and biodiesel production. Last month, the state announced that one of their departments is providing $5 million to administer assistance programs. The funding comes from the department's budget.


The programs will help grow good, quality jobs in emerging industries. The state's program wants to do all they can to create a growth environment for high-tech start-up companies and producers and distributors of biodiesel. Providing these financial incentives will make the state more competitive and more attractive in the global marketplace.


The department has been accepting applications since December 2007 for this small business grant program, which will provide grants to eligible tech-based companies in incubator facilities.


Since entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of a state's economy, and technology is a growing sector that is becoming more important each day.

This program will lend financial support to entrepreneurs that are just starting up their operations.

A program initiative that supports both is a worthy investment for the state because there is a belief that fostering innovation will spur economic growth for the entire state.


The department will also offer grants to producers of biodiesel.

The grants will be:

• 30 cents per gallon for the first five million gallons produced
  
  
• 20 cents per gallon for the next five million gallons produced
  
  
• and 10 cents per gallon for the next five million gallons produced.

Capital grants also will be available on equipment, storage and distribution.


The state will also be seeking input from residents around the state with a series of regional forums, providing the public with an opportunity to share their views on the future course of the state's economy.

Students - Are You Looking For Money To Attend College?

Well you may not have to! There is a growing trend of colleges and universities that are elimination student loan packages and replacing them with grant packages - grants meaning money that you do not have to pay back!

There is even one well known university where if your parents make under $50,000 a year, you don't have to pay anything to attend!

The list of colleges and universities that are following this trend is growing. I have a list of these colleges and universities that I give to my clients upon request.

Are You A Woman Who Has A Dream Of Starting Her Own Business?

I have talked many, many times about how there are grant programs out there to help people fulfill their dreams of starting their own business and here is yet another grant program that is for the same thing!

If you are a woman that has a dream of starting her own business then you should know that there is (yet another) grant program that you may be eligible to apply to!

Remember this is an actual grant program where you are awarded grant money that you do not have to pay back!

And like the majority of grant programs out there this one was started (quite some years ago) with the purpose of helping women fulfill their own dreams of starting their own business.

In order to apply for this grant program you have to submit an essay explaining why you think that your business would be successful. You also have to submit a business plan of your business as well.

Another thing about this grant program is that if you are awarded the grant money you also get help from other professionals to help you with starting your business.

The grant award is $50,000

The deadline to apply for this grant program is December 2007

People Want Grants, Not Loans

I can understand the reasoning on why people prefer grants and not loans. Loans you have to pay back and grants you don't.

Grants are given to non-profit organizations who in turn give loans (although they are low-interest loans) to individuals who of course have to pay the loan back.

Depending on the individual's need its probably best if they found some kind of grant program that awards the grant money to the individual. Athough there are many grant programs out there that award individual grants, you can be sure that you have to go through the application procedure to apply for the grant(s).

I have seen individual grant programs for comic book artists, single mothers and for people that want to start their own daycare business. But this grant money is not automatically guarenteed just because you apply for the funding. You have to remember that your application - along with all the other applicants' applications - will be reveiwed and the application that best meets the objectives of the grant program will be the one that stands the best chance of getting the grant money.

Some applications are complicated - like in the case of those grant programs for individual artists where they artist may have to submit some of their work in order to be considered for the grant.

Some applications are simple. There have been one-page requests sent to state boards requesting money. Just a short, handwritten paragraph of what the person needed - for example someone needed money to travel to take part in the final round of some contest. They submitted their request and they got MORE money than they asked for!

So you see no two grant programs are going to be the same. You have to look at each individual grant program and find out what they specifically require of you in order for you to apply for their grant program. And there are quite a few grant programs out there for the individual and not the non-profit organization.

Grants, not Loans

While the name of my grants page is called Grant Basics 101, I also have information about other kinds of "funding" programs on my Grants Related Page

This includes information about loan programs, investors, contests, unclaimed money, scholarships and fellowships.

However my emphasis is on grant programs. Give people the choice between getting a grant and getting a loan - personally I think that most people would want to choose the grant.

There also seems to be a growing debate of the responsibility of the government. When disasters happen - like Katrina - should the government give grants or loans? People who have been faced with calamities don't want the extra burden of having to pay back a loan. A certain amount of our tax dollars go to help those who are low-incomed or who live in areas that have been declared a federal state of emergency.