GOVERNMENT GRANTS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS

Because the divorce rate in the United States hovers around 50%, there are many mothers raising children alone, trying to make one income cover the needs of many; at times, this income is augmented by child support, but many fathers do not meet their financial obligations.  Only 1 in 6 women in a divorce receive spousal support as part of a court order; out of those women, only 2 out of 3 receive what is due them.  More than half of the women owed child support receive the full amount they are owed. 

After a divorce is finalized, a woman’s standard of living will fall by almost half, while the man’s will grow, on average, by about 15%.  Many of these men lose sight of the fact that their children’s well-being is often at risk when their fathers decide, for petty and emotional reasons, to try and avoid paying child support by any means possible.  Some of these fathers may feel that their ex-wives were at fault in the ending of their marriage, but that is no reason for those fathers to leave their children in destitute conditions.  However, there is no reason for single mothers to wallow in poverty and self-pity.  There are programs out there to assist single mothers in establishing their own independent households, and the primary funding agent in these programs is the government grant.

Any government award used for financial assistance is a grant.  Any program that is permitted by United States law can be funded by a grant.  Generally, grants are set aside for specific individuals or organizations that have qualified for assistance under the relevant law or program.  Grants can be organized by type of recipient institution (non-profit charity, academics) or by type of source (local, state, federal or tribal government).

There are twenty-six agencies in the United States government that offer grants, and they combine to offer 900 programs, and this is just on the federal level.  These 900 programs fall into one of twenty-one general categories, ranging from agriculture and art to community development to employment, labor, and training to legal assistance.

One area that is particularly rife with grants is higher education grants for single mothers.  The financial aid office at the college that you are considering will have paperwork for a number of grants that may make college possible for you.  This aid can come in several forms, including direct assistance or loans from your institution, grants paid for by federal and state government; company-sponsored scholarships; alumni gifts; religious organizations; or even work-study programs.

Any U.S. citizen or resident of a U.S. territory, or any foreign citizen who has lived on U.S. soil for at least three years may apply for a government grant.

Make sure you read your paperwork carefully, because grant applications can be confusing, and those who review grants will often discard applications simply because they are not filled out properly.  Make sure that you are applying for funding that you qualify for.  Government grants for single mothers can be the way from debt to success!