Grants For Women - Are There Any?

Are There Grants

For Women?

Are there grants for women ? Are there free grants for women?

Basically the answer is yes but there is a big BUT here! Of course there are grants for women out there and since the definition of a free grant means that you don't have to pay it back then - yes - there are free grants for women that are out there!

However it is going to depend on WHAT you want the grant for! There is no one "free grant program
" for women because it will depend on what you want the grant for.

There are a number of business grants for women
that are out there. For instance there is a "free" grant program for minority women who want to start their own business. This is not a free government grant program but a business grant program that is being provided by an organization. It is a free grant program in that you pay nothing to apply for it and if you win the grant you could receive as much as $20,000 to start your own business. Of course this particular grant program is not just for minority women, it is a grant program for minority people.

There is an investor who is offering a lot of money to those who can come up with a viable business plan. If this investor likes your business plan then he will fund it!

What other kind of grants for women are out there? Many! There are numerous grant and scholarship programs for women who want to return to school. There are even some grant programs that will help pay for daycare for single mothers. There are free grant programs for women writers and artists as well!

If you go to the government's official website you will see that they have grant programs for ALL to apply and of course that includes women as well as individuals and small businesses that are for-profit.

I never quite understood how people could say that the government doesn't have grant programs for for-profit businesses when it says so right on the government website!

Of course the problem seems to be that grant programs for women are hard to find (at least that is what I am hearing) and like I noted above not all grant programs are being offered by the government. There are a number of organizations that have grant programs for women including business grant programs for women. However since they are not government grant programs that may make them a little bit more harder to find. If it was a government grant program you could simply go to the government's official website and look up their government grant programs to find ones that you are eligible for. However the grant programs for women that are not government grant programs are a little bit more harder to find but the majority of them do have websites. It just takes doing some research in order to find them.

Grant Program For Struggling Actors There is an announcement of a new grant program for emerging struggling actors that want to pursue an acting career in the United States. Under the name of a scholarship program this yearly grant program will award $10,000 to an emerging struggling actor who wants to pursue an acting career in the United States. This year's grant awarded the $10,000 grant to an actor who also received a free airline ticket to go to America! Next year's finalists for this scholarship / grant program will be announced in February 2010.

Foundation Provided


Over $100 Million Dollars


In Grant Funding!

The grants were awarded to organizations that serve several categories — elder adults, health and disabilities among them.

One of the non-profit organizations that received a grant actually received 2 grants! One of the grants was for $2 million dollars grant so that they could purchase and renovate two buildings!

The 2nd grant was for just over one million dollars to help the organization preserve its mission of affordable housing for moderate income older adults.

Grant Program For Teachers

This is a local grant program for teachers who want funding to be able to travel to other areas within the United States in order to study and bring back new techniques to help them improve their own classroom studies.

For the 2008 - 2009 season 15 of these grants were awarded to area teachers.

This particular grant program provides grant funding for teachers and administrators, allowing them to explore new ideas that they may not otherwise have had an opportunity to pursue. Last year, grant recipients participated in projects nationwide in an effort to bring new and exciting resources back to their local districts.

Applications for 2010 will be distributed this month to principals at all local area public and nonpublic schools. The grant program offers 19 individual grants for educators worth $500 each.

Other grant awards include:

• 2 $500 administrator grants
  
  
• Five $750 two-educator grants
  
  
• Two $1,000 building-wide or multi-educator grants
  
  
• and one $1,500 district-wide or multi-district grant.

The funding is provided through an endowment and supplemented by the local school districts.

Past grant recipients include:

• a local area public school teacher that attended a workshop at a university in another state. The workshop was designed to assist the implementation of bioinformatics across biology curriculum by incorporating bioinformatics into a variety of courses.
  
  
• a teachers who worked with a local artist to establish curricular offerings appropriate for middle school students. The teacher's goal was to extend student activities in this particular art and to integrate 3-D activities that were already included in her school's curriculum.
  
  
• a school administrator who attended a conference in Utah, where she learned training skills to increase effectiveness when working with school staff to develop appropriate building-based intervention strategies.
  
  
• a high school teacher who attended a six-day event designed to provide biology teachers with an introduction to a specific program as well as to provide teachers with the basic tools to create a successful laboratory program.
  
  
• an occupational therapist who attended an advanced training program in Michigan to help with their school's program that helps students with cognitive impairments maximize their independence and life skills.
  
  
• a kindergarten teacher who traveled to Costa Rica, where she studied the habitat of the rainforest. The teacher will incorporate her experience into her kindergarten curriculum on ecosystems found throughout the world through photos and artifacts from this trip.
  
  
• another elementary school teacher who used the grant to attend a technology conference to acquire expertise in a microsoft program so that she design a program to help engage her students in the use of technology in the classroom to enhance the development of their literacy skills.
  
  
• a Catholic school teacher who attended an event in Washington, D.C. to help increase her understanding of plant and animal biodiversity. The teacher interacted with scientists, curators, and museum educators during specially designed visits to museums, laboratories and the National Zoo.

The Department of Energy is offering a prize to the inventor of an energy-efficient alternative to the 60-watt light bulb!

ANOTHER Local

Grant Program

For Teachers!

Eleven local area teachers were recently surprised when a grant program's employees showed up at their schools with as much as $1,000 each in grant money! The money came from a cooperative grant program which allows teachers to compete for funding outside of their school district's resources.

All classroom educators are eligible to apply if they teach kindergarten through 12th grade in the cooperative’s four-county service area. Teachers were awarded grant money if they could demonstrate in an application that they had an innovative idea for a classroom project.

Each school was eligible to submit more than one application, but individual teachers are limited to one application per school year.

You can visit the grant program's website for the dates when new applications may be submitted.

Pastor Receives A $40,000 Grant! An associate pastor for adult discipleship and outreach at a Presbyterian Church has received a $42,000 grant from a national endowment program! This grant money will allow the pastor to pursue local and international mission projects including traveling to South Africa and volunteering with a school that provides shelter and education for orphaned students, many of whom lost their parents to AIDS. The pastor who openly talks about his own experience living with HIV, applied for the grant with a deep desire to reach out to others in the local and international HIV/AIDS community. The purpose of this grant program is to "support an extended period of intentional reflection and renewal." Pastors from 149 churches across the United States earned grant money, the amount depending on their individual proposal needs. The program rewards select pastors for their hard work, allowing them to travel the world and "see sights they’ve only dreamed about, to learn new languages, take up a new hobby or relearn an old one, and use this time to reengage themselves in their calling." Although he does not yet have a definitive timeline for when he will spend his grant money, the pastor hopes to visit South Africa in the fall of 2011. He will use some of the grant money to thank the friends and family who have supported him through his life. While in South Africa, he hopes not only to learn about the correlation between racism, poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but to share the exotic beauty of the country with those closest to him.

A Grant Program To Study Farming!

There is one state that is offering tuition assistance to young farmers who enroll in a farm business management program in that state.

Four grants of $500 per year are available.

Applications are due:

December 1, 2009

You can visit their website for an application or you can contact their office by phone.

Casting Call For Babies! You can give your baby a chance at a professional photo shoot and a $500 grant for their education! The winners chosen will get a chance to be a featured face for ad campaigns associated with a program that provides every baby born in 2009 in one particular state with a $500 grant to start college fund. The baby photos will be used by the program and others to spread the word about the grants program. The program was started in order to fulfill a dream of a well-known philanthropist. It was started as a gift to the state to give every child a $500 start for college. The founder of the program believed the investment in the state's future leaders would go far to improve that state’s economy and that it would cause individual aspirations to flourish. An event was held a few weeks ago to get the word out about this grant program. There are no income limits and no additional contributions are needed to receive the grant; however, families are encouraged to add to the college savings. The $500 grant will turn into around $2,000 for college if left entirely alone, however, with a contribution of $50 per month, the account could grow to $25,000 in 18 years, according to the program's data. Future casting call events for the babies are scheduled for the rest of the year. Parents who want to sign up for the program at the event will need to bring the baby’s Social Security number and will be given a copy of their baby’s portrait. Those who would like more information on this grant can call the program's toll-free number or visit the website for more details.

Grant Money For Student Entrepreneurs!

One university here in the United States has a grant program for its student entrepreneurs. This is a grant funding program where students apply for money to advance their own business ideas.

So far $50,000 in grant money has been awarded! In addition to the financial awards, grant recipients will receive counsel from leading business experts on business plan development and funding strategies.

According to one spokesperson for the program, "Participating in this competition is a fantastic learning experience for our students. They are forced to evaluate market potential for their ideas, develop a business case and conduct due diligence".

Those who are selected benefit not only from the financing but they also gain access to business experts and venture capital leaders to determine next steps in the development of their business ideas.

So far over 900 students have received these grant money awards for their start-up businesses. Grants are administered at three funding levels:

• business design grants at $500
  
  
• assessment grants at $1,500
  
  
• up to $10,000 for integration grants

Past grant recipients include:

• $5,000 for a designer and manufacturer of light sport aircrafts
  
  
• $1,500 for an online marketplace for booking charter aircraft
  
  
• a business that provides web-based software that offers operational support for solar PV contractors
  
  
• $1,500 for an online business that offers online information and products for urban gardening
  
  
• $500 to a business that provides a web application that alerts patrons to daily specials from local restaurants
  
  
• $500 to a business that provides a debit card for international travelers
  
  
• $500 to a business that offers speed dating through interactive gaming
  
  
• $500 to an Indian senior-living facility in United States

This program benefits students, as well as the local and university community, by stimulating entrepreneurial efforts and starting new businesses.

For more information about this grant program for students you can visit their website by clicking here.

Government

Job Opening

Not only does our government have grant programs they also have many job openings as well! There is currently a job opening in Alaska for someone to work with dogs. The job includes managing a dog kennel and operating and running a dog sled! According to an online article the salary for this job position can be as much as $66,000!

There is even an interview with the person who formally held this position.

You can read the article by clicking here.

Small Businesses

Receive

Grant Money

For Energy Programs

2 small businesses have received grant money to build solar photovoltaic systems to generate electricity at their respective places of business.

Says one of the grant recipients, "I've been thinking about doing solar for a long time, for years actually. It's just been so expensive. I found out about that grant this summer."

Unfortunately one of the down sides to this grant program is that the application for the grant is 150 pages long! But that didn't stop the two businesses (one of which is a farming business) from applying for the grant money.

According to a spokesperson for the grant program, "These funds are a good example of the Obama administration's commitment to helping rural businesses become more energy efficient. In the long run, the funding that is being obligated is good for both the economy and the environment."

One of the grant recipients will use the grant money to install 13,000-watt systems at his farm and the storage facility. He hopes to have his systems operating by the end of the year.

The other grant recipient, who has a small business running a tavern, will install one five-kilowatt system on the roof of his downtown business and he hopes to have it operating by early next year.

Grant Programs For Single Mothers! Single mothers who are living on a low income can now qualify for a number of grant programs. Recently President Obama has started yet another grant program for single mothers who want to go back to school to continue their education. As for other kind of grant programs that single mothers can apply for here is a recent excerpt: There are also lots of others grants out there that mothers who want to go to college can apply for. It would benefit all mothers to apply for as many as they can and not rely on just one. Mothers do not have to repay the grant money because it is a government grant that help mothers with low income to go back to school. The grant money can be used to help mothers tremendously. The money can be used to pay for college expenses such as books, tuition and even daycare while in college. Also available to single moms who decided to go back to school is a tax program which allows mothers an opportunity to use their first $4,000 as tax free money. Mothers can study at their local nearby community college, junior college or even study at home online. Many mothers take this last option of studying at home because it's a lot easier to stay home with the kids and at the same time get their college degree. President Obama has made every effort to help mothers go back to school and get their degree. There's no reason why any mother out there should not take this wonderful opportunity. There is now also an online website where you can enter a drawing to win $10,000 towards your education. Registration is required and the deadline to enter is December 31, 2009

Did You Know That There Is A Beer Competition?

Did you know that there is a beer competition that takes place on a regular basis?


This is an international competition for beer lovers and for those that love to create beer!

This competition is held on a regular basis in celebration of the art and science of brewing by recognizing outstanding brewing achievement around the world. The top three winners in the competition's 70 beer-style categories are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals.

This beer competition has been going on for more than 10 years!. The organization that sponsors this competition was founded in 1978, is a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to the promotion of quality beers and brewing throughout the world.

The competition is intended to create greater consumer awareness about different beer styles and flavor profiles while promoting international brewing excellence.

You can visit their website for more information on the competition.

Are You Interested In Getting A FREE Car? There is a non-profit organization that is giving away free cars! In order to be eligible you first have to go to the organization's website and fill out their application and create a profile. You then have to get 100 people to vote for you! Since these cars that are given away for free are donated by the public you have to wait until one of the vehicles becomes available for being donated. However once you complete all the application requirements the applicant qualifies to have their application reviewed. Once a vehicle becomes available in a particular geographic location, the organization begins reviewing the applications with the most votes / highest page rank who live in that general vicinity. Even if your page rank is lower than someone else's, you may receive a vehicle if your story is inspirational enough, but we must strongly emphasize that your application is more likely to be reviewed if you have a high page rank. Besides providing free cars this charitable organization can also provide financial assistance for tag/title/registration fees, automobile repairs, preventative maintenance items like oil changes, hoses, belts, batteries, brakes, tires, automotive warranty coverage, roadside assistance memberships, and the down-payment for auto insurance or even the down-payment for a new or used vehicle! The organization can assist with just about anything automotive related as long as the applicant has completed the application, qualifies, and has made the effort. For additional questions you can email them for additional information.

$100,000 Poetry Award!

This poetry award is given annually to honor a book of poetry by a mid-career U.S. poet. The winner will spend one week in residence at a university in the United States.

Poets, publishers, agents, or friends may submit five copies of a book of poetry published.

This award is given annually to honor a book of poetry by "a poet of genuine promise."

Poets may submit five copies of a book of poetry that has been published within a certain time period.

To apply for this poetry award you can send a SASE, call, or visit the web site for an entry form and complete guidelines.

Minority Business Competition! So far a total of $85,000 in grant awards were disbursed to six entrepreneuers in a competition for those who are minorities and want to start their own business. The winners were chosen from 29 finalists, determined in a two-round process. In round one, 160 contestants submitted executive summaries of business plans and in round two, 70 of the finalists were invited to submit full business plans. Contestants in the final round were then required to present their business plans to a panel of business professionals from across the region. The awards are as follows: $25,000 Growth Innovation Award awarded to a bakery business that is providing a healthy food alternative for baked goods/whole foods/produce. $25,000 Business Innovation Award - went to a mortgage broker that originates residential and commercial loans. $10,000 Food Retailer Award - went to a marketer of gourmet food products. $10,000 Neighborhood Retailer Award went to a jewelery business that specializes in special and customized jewelry. $10,000 Technology Trailblazer Award went to a company that provides cashless technologies to government agencies and private operators in the transportation market. $5,000 Emerging Fashion Business Award went to a fashion designer who has an urban clothing line that focuses on positive messages to uplift the African-American community.

Childcare Grant Available For College Students!

A grant program is available to help low income students pay for child care while the student attends classes.

To be eligible for this state program:

• you must be a resident of the state and a U.s> citizen or eligible non-citizen
  
  
• have a child 12 years old or younger (or 14 or younger if the child is handicapped)
  
  
• there are family size and income requirements in order to qualify for this program
  
  
• be enrolled for at least six credits per term
  
  
• NOT have completed four years of postsecondary education. Students who have withdrawn for active military service after December 31, 2002 are given an extra term of eligibility.
  
  
• NOT have defaulted on a student loan

Eligible schools that meet the eligibility requirements are all public postsecondary schools and private, baccalaureate degree granting colleges and universities located within the state or nonprofit, two-year vocational schools granting associate degrees.

The amount of child care assistance depends on:

• The number of people in the student's household
  
  
• The number of day care hours necessary to cover education and work obligations
  
  
• Income of the applicant and spouse
  
  
• The availability of funding
  
  
• The student's enrollment status

The maximum available to a full-time student is $2,600 for each eligible child per academic year. Assistance may cover up to 40 hours of child care per week for each eligible child. In some instances, the maximum award may be increased by 10 percent to compensate for higher market costs for infant care.

The student should apply to the financial aid office at his or her school.

For more information you can view their brochure online.

For more information about other kinds of daycare-related grants, just visit my blog Grant Basics 101 - Daycare.

If you are out of work, you may be able to get money to live on as well as money to pay for entrepreneurial training to run your own business! There are both federal and state programs that provide funding for those who are unemployed but are looking for work! These programs are run with federal money and state money. Each state has different rules and the main idea is that they have money for you to train to get a better job along with money to live on while you are training. These programs are run through special offices that are located throughout the United States. For more information about these kinds of programs and whether or not you are eligible to apply, you can visit their website by clicking here.

Could Your Business Use A Loan?

One restaurant owner was struggling to open up his business. He needed money to install the kitchen stove, hood, and grill. Bank of America turned down his loan request. Desperate for an infusion of cash, he took out a $6,000 loan with a 20 percent interest rate. Then he found out about a non-profit organization that provides loans under $25,000 to new businesses shunned by banks. The restaurant owner was able to get a loan at 12% interest without having to offer collateral.

The non-profit organization that offers this funding program looks at more than just credit history and collateral. According to a spokesperson for the program, "We look for people who have a good idea and who have put some sweat equity into the business,".

In the past this non-profit organization has out over loaned $20 million dollars.

Are You A Budding Entrepreneur? This may just be the grant program for you! In order to be eligible to apply for this grant program you must submit a compelling business story which will be posted and rated online. Everyone who submits a story will receive a chance to win a share of grant money. A panel of judges will rate the entries during. 50 finalists will receive a digital camera plus a $5,000 small business grant and a chance to win $25,000 more by submitting a video version of their story. If you would like to participate in this small business grant program you can visit the website and apply. *NOTE: For more information on small business grants, be sure to click here

"I Think You Are A Scam Artist......"

Here is a recent comment that I have gotten:

i just want to say what a scam and rip off artist i think you are..you are one these high class snobs that wants to get rich quick at the exspense of less fortunate honest people..and by reading down thru the page,it sounds to me like you have really got a bad&smart a.... attitude..i am a disabled combat veteran,and i need financial grant help,along with many other veterans,because our fine govt.says they cant help us..then comes along people like you,slivering around like an ole snake scamming people so you can live high on the hog..right now,i dont have $9.25 let alone $925,and i know there is many other people feel the same way..i gave 10 years of my life to help assure your safety and freedom for the soil you walk on.now i think that is worth something........."

It is not only me that thinks that is worth something but our government also believes that it is worth something and that is why there are so many grant and financial programs that are available to veterans like yourself. My own brother is a veteran and he receives quite a few benefits both financial and otherwise from the government and other entities as well.

Please understand that information about government grant programs has to be made accessible to the public which means that you can find information about government grants at your local library and our own government's website as well! As for the other grant programs that are available to veterans from other organizations you need only to start looking and doing some research online - for a start.

If you really need help financially you should start at your local social services agency because that is what they are there for. Our tax dollars are what pays for them to be there.

There are financial grant programs out there that are available for veterans. As a matter of fact there is a grant program that provides a free house to veterans!

Can you tell me anything that you have done to seek any of these programs out? Because they are out there and available for people like you who qualify to apply.

I am glad that you sent me this comment because it further allows me to tell people that there is financial help out there available for those that qualify for it and all they have to do is to start looking for them. Have you started to do that?



Here are just a few of the kinds of programs that are available to eligible veterans:

• A little-known grant program is available for disabled veterans to help them get started in their own business. The grant award amout can be up to $10,000 and can be explored by contacting your local VA office. You can also write to them using a specific address and you can also e-mail them as well as calling their toll-free number! To learn more, visit their website.
  
  
• There is an organization that injured veterans can apply to receive homes free of any mortgage.
  

One area is receiving $100,000 for a rebate program, which provides a rebate to people who purchase Energy Star qualified home appliances like air conditioners and water heaters. The purpose of this rebate program is to help reduce residential utility bills!

Aquarium Gets

A $1 Million Dollar Grant!

One aquarium has been awarded 2 grants totaling over $1 Million Dollars! The grant monies will be used for initiatives about the impact of climate change on the oceans.



The grants are to encourage individual action to the problem of climate change on oceans. One of the grants, worth over $900,000 supports a suite of programs to help with one of the aquarium's upcoming exhibits that is related to climate control education. The 2nd grant worth over $500,000 will support the aquarium's participation in a coalition of aquariums that educate about climate change. The grant will help in efforts to create a virtual reality theater show that incorporates the Google Earth technology. The grant will also be used to give staff and volunteers additional training on how best to motivate people to take action against global climate change.

There is a foundation that helps women who have breast cancer and are undergoing surgery and treatment. This foundation provides $500 grants for services such as child care, housekeeping, yard maintenance, in-home pet care, personal errands, transportation, meals, professional photographs, massage, exercise and yoga. Each woman undergoing treatment is eligible There are no income criteria For more information, visit the foundation's website or you can call the foundation's office using their toll-free phone number.

Government Grant Program Deadline Extended!

It’s not for as long a period as entrepreneurs around the country were hoping, but the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill reauthorizing the deadline date of one of their grant programs to October 31, 2009.

This particular grant program (along with their sister program) provides millions of dollars in grants — with awards reaching upwards of $750,000 to individual businesses meeting specific criteria — to technology start-up companies through a variety of federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services and NASA.

Grant Program Available For Nurses Who Want To Teach! Because there is a shortage of nursing teachers, more of them are sorely needed! Despite the economic downturn, record numbers of well qualified potential nursing students continue to be turned away or placed on long waiting lists, (in some cases several years in length), by traditional campus based nursing schools due to severe shortages of nurse educators. As has been reported for many months now, the nationwide deficit of nursing faculty has reached critical proportions as the current faculty workforce rapidly advances toward retirement and the pool of younger replacement faculty decreases. The shortage of nurse educators poses serious threat to national health care. The number of nursing graduates with bachelor’s and master’s degrees isn’t keeping up with soaring demand. Educators and health planners see the growing demand for nurses not only as a need for additional personnel but also for additional education, with more nurses prepared in baccalaureate programs that emphasize leadership, patient education, case management, and care across a variety of acute care and outpatient settings. For example, at one hospital the shortage of highly qualified nurses who teach is already so bad that it’s had two nurse educator positions open for two years, even at the largest hospital in a state with one of the nation’s worst unemployment rates. According to one spokesperson from the hospital, "It has an impact on care. It really does. It has an impact on how quickly we are able to advance and institute new programs. We absolutely struggle to find nurses with master’s degrees who are educated in teaching.” The looming nursing crisis could mean that the region has thousands fewer nurses than it needs by 2020, according to projections by health officials. Federal estimates have projected the nation will have 29 percent fewer nurses than it needs by 2020. The influx of baby boomers with complex health needs and an aging nursing population are exacerbating the problem. The average age of nurses is 49, while the average age of nursing faculty is 55. In one tri-state area, the more than 60 nursing schools can’t keep up with the demand. So because of this three states are banding together with the help of a $250,000 grant which, joined with grants from others, aims to increase the number of teachers, add training opportunities and provide incentives for nurses to want to pursue advanced degrees. One of the goals of the project is to encourage nurses who are interested in teaching to get their master’s or doctorates with scholarships. The grants can be used for anything related to their education, including child care or transportation, as long as the recipient agrees to a year of teaching for each year of funding. So far over 15 grants of $10,000 each so far have been awarded. If you are considering getting your nursing degree online, online nursing degree programs make it possible for working adults to earn an advanced degree whenever and wherever it`s convenient for them, rather than having to rearrange work and family responsibilities around fixed class schedules. This ability to continue earning while learning through online nursing degree programs is making school accessible to millions of working professionals who would find it impossible to return to school otherwise. With 24/7 access to virtual classrooms, multimedia lessons, and the ability to network with fellow students and professors via message boards, chat rooms, and e-mail, online students enjoy distinct advantages over campus based students! And there are scholarships available for those that want to study and /or earn their degree(s) online.

Grant Program

Available

For Single Dads

As part of our government's new stimulus package there is more opportunities and more funding for education grants. There are several categories of grants available, but a big portion of it is reserved for dads. The newly revised grant system was created in order to cover many of life's expenses and school at the same time so there is less financial burden for these individuals. There are lots of single dads out there who hold down more than one job to try to support their family. This grant will cover some of this, the tuition, the books, amongst other things.

Once you receive this grant, you can receive up to $10,000 a year or $5100 a semester for up to 18 semesters. That will be more than enough to put you through until you graduate. (In the future the government is looking to increase the funds again to cover even more expenses.)

If you want to go to school, but childcare is a problem, then you can find programs online. There are hundreds of degrees that you can complete over the internet. There are so many options for you that there aren't very many reasons not to take the government's stimulas programs up on their offer.

For more information, you can check out the government's website.

There may be government grant money just waiting for you!

Grant Program To Help Family Caregivers

This grant program is intended to give primary caregivers the break they so often need. The grant money must be used to pay for temporary substitute care.

One woman, who is taking care of her elderly mother, applied for and received the grant, which meant her mother could continue to go to the adult day care center while she had time to find another job (which she has). It had been three years since her 86-year-old mother moved in with her and her husband in their home . The mother has Alzheimer’s disease and has trouble moving around, so the woman helps her mother with her shower each day, makes sure she’s fed and takes her on small excursions to the mall in a portable wheelchair. The routine includes occasionally reminding her mother of what day it is and where she’s living. She does all this while also raising her 8-year-old daughter and juggling a full-time job. But money was an issue. For a time, she was out of work, having lost her job last year. Although her husband was still employed, without her salary she found it increasingly difficult to pay $180 a week for the adult day care center that her mother attended regularly. Then through an organization in her town the woman heard about a grant sponsored by one of the larger foundations.

The woman is one of the growing numbers of Americans facing the financial squeeze that can come from caring for elderly parents. About 30 percent of adult children in the United States contribute financially to their parents’ care and pay on average of $2,400 a year on everything from uncovered medical expenses to making sure the refrigerator is stocked each week. The money often goes to parents who diligently saved all their lives, but in the face of longer life spans and chronic illness, the savings just isn’t enough. With all of the overwhelming emotional and medical aspects of caring for elderly parents, it’s natural to ignore the consequences of spending large amounts of money on them. But so often adult children end up ignoring their own savings and retirement accounts or, worse, go into debt, because they’re taking care of their parents says a lawyer who specializes in issues of elderly care.

One way out of this bind? Take full advantage of the hundreds of government and nonprofit programs and services geared to the elderly throughout the country. “There’s lots of help out there, but also lots of reasons why families don’t use it,” said the lawyer. Some people may think their parents have too much money to qualify even though many of the programs are available to elderly people with incomes of more than $100,000. Or the parents may be too proud to accept help. What’s more, these services can be difficult and time-consuming to find. And it can be a challenge to deal with the paperwork and red tape, especially when you’re already overwhelmed by the daily demands of taking care of an older parent.

More information can be found by clicking here.

State Grant Program For Community Groups! One city is offering grants from $500 to $3,000 to grassroots community groups in economically under-resourced neighborhoods to foster community improvements. The grants are available for local volunteer community groups and public school-based student groups working to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods and schools across the city. The deadline for 2009 fall grants is has now passed. However for the spring 2010 grants, the deadline is March 14, 2010. To contact the committee, you can contact them by phone or visit their website.

Another

Grant Program

For

Individual Artists!

Another arts foundation is pleased to announce their next grant cycle. Applications are now available!

The foundation will hold a grants information workshop for interested applicants at the foundation's offices. Reservations are required. Please reserve your space by either calling or email. First time applicants are strongly urged to attend this informational workshop.

This grant program provides cash awards to local artists and cultural organizations that are engaged in projects that help create a strong, stable, and diverse arts and culture industry and contribute positively to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region. Preference is given to specific program initiatives, particularly those enhancing the arts education of learners of all ages, and to collaborative efforts within the arts community.

So far, the foundation has distributed $71,450 in grants to 48 individual artists and cultural organizations in the past 12 months.

Guidelines and application materials are available at the foundation's website or by calling.

The mission of this foundation is to:

• Support, promote, and celebrate the arts and culture of the local community
  
  
• Create a strong, stable and diverse arts and culture industry
  
  
• Contribute to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region