The qualifications for grant money for college are usually very strict. Unlike loans or scholarships where money is awarded based on your credit standing or merit, typically grant money for college is based almost solely on your financial need.FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Program, a Department of Education program, even has a specially designed formula to determine whether or not the student qualifies for financial assistance from the Federal Government for his or her education. You will have to prove that you and your parents do not have the means to fully pay for your college education – and not everyone qualifies for grant money for college.

Grant money for college is always on a first-come, first-serve basis and some government grant funds are very limited – late applicants often lose out on a grant from government, so it is very important to apply early for financial aid!

Here are the most common types of grant money for college:

Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (Federal)

The grant money for college you receive from one grant will rarely be enough to support all your college and living expenses, so the government also offers the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant Program. This grant program is reserved for the neediest of students and may supplement your grant money for college with amounts ranging from $100 to $4,000. You can apply for this grant through your college financial aid office.

Pell Grants (Federal)

Pell grants is probably the largest grant money for college program. The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2008-09 award year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) is $4,731. For the 2009-10 award year (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010), the maximum award is $5,350. The maximum amount can change each award year and depends on program funding, but the actual amount awarded will depend not only on your financial need, but also on costs to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

As with most grant programs for college, if you want to win a Pell grant for college, then apply for aid early.

State Grants
Many states have a variety of grant programs available for education, usually based on need and to some degree, academic qualifications, especially in certain areas, such as medicine or teaching. 

For example, the State of California offers the Cal Grants for future teachers which come with certain obligations, ie: the grant money for college must be repaid if the student doesn’t end up teaching in low-income area for at least one year for every $2,000 received.

Originally posted 2009-03-05 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

So, the question is – how do you find scholarships for nursing school?

Nursing programs at community colleges and state sponsored four year schools are in heavy demand and that means that even many qualified students are actually being rejected and end up turning to the very expensive private schools and training programs.

it’s also important to note that nursing school has more expenses associated with it than getting your degree in business, for example: you need to purchase the required uniforms for your clinicals, you are required to carry malpractice insurance, you need reliable transportation between the school and the hospital site, and you are required to have extra immunizations

The first step, even before applying for admission, will be to contact your chosen school to determine what kind of aid package might be available for you. In most cases, this will be a combination of scholarships, grants, work study and loans. At most of the ‘for-profit’ nursing schools, your financial package will be comprised mostly of loans, as very few of these schools offer scholarships for nursing school.

If you are planning to get a four year Bachelor of Science of Nursing with a RN, you may qualify for a military nursing scholarship. When you graduate, you will be commissioned into a branch of the military as an officer, but these scholarships cover all expenses, including your tuition and books, and provide a small living stipend as well.

For example, with the Air Force nursing scholarship program, all students who meet the minimum qualifications get the award – there is no further selection process. In most cases, students will have an eight year commitment to the military, three of which must be active duty.

The sponsored ladder is another possibility for a nursing scholarship: a hospital will pay for your first year of school to become a practical or vocational nurse. In exchange, you commit to work for the hospital for two or three years following graduation. You draw a full salary once you get started working.

But the best part of this arrangement is that the organization will pay for your part time studies toward a Registered Nursing (RN) degree during your employment commitment. In this way, you have your tuition paid for and, after the first year, you earn while you learn.

If you are considering majoring in nursing, you should take advantage of a free online scholarship database that will let you search nationwide nursing scholarship opportunities.

Originally posted 2009-03-04 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

McDonalds, Taco Bell, Clairol – these are just a few companies that have different types of corporate sponsored foundations that offer scholarships and grants for education.

If you haven’t heard of these corporate scholarship programs before – you aren’t the only one! Corporations and private foundations do very little to advertise their college funding programs. In most cases, unless you or someone in your family works for one of these companies – you will never hear about these corporate scholarships.

Because these programs are so difficult to find – many go unclaimed every year! Sometimes it may be because there were no qualified applicants, but in most cases, it is simply because so few people even know about these private or corporate scholarships and grants. But – for those that do apply, the chances can be better of being accepted because there is less competition!

Finding private corporate scholarships and grants takes a lot of work and diligence. Your local library is often a better resource than the internet!

Another good alternative is enlisting the services of a good professional scholarship database. There are many that are free or very low cost, which can save you literally hundreds of hours of search time.

Originally posted 2009-03-28 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

But many of these students then have to look at the bottom line cost for their dream schools and wonder how their family is going to be able to pay for the expenses.

Today, the total cost of college is enormous – and it’s not just the tuition, fees, and books. It’s also the housing and food and other expenses. If your chosen school is quite a ways from your family’s home, then you also have the cost of transportation between the school and home during the school year, and then you have to factor in the occasional ‘extras’ – sporting events, a movie, pizza, clothing. It all adds up!

Colleges know that there are expenses beyond tuition – they call this the Total Cost of Attendance and it supposedly covers all of these variables. For Harvard, that TCA is $52,650, MIT, it is $50,100, USC runs $65,000. And yes, these figures are more than most families make in a year.

So, the question is whether you can afford to go to the expensive college you want, or you should choose a less expensive state school that is closer to home.

Surprisingly, many students find that after they complete all the paperwork and really compare the costs – the ‘expensive’ school and the local school may cost their family the same amount. Once you complete the FAFSA, and you get your expected family contribution (EFC)you will find the number is the same whether you are attending a school that costs $15,000 or $50,000.

But – if you qualify for one of the many programs available at major schools – such as Harvard, MIT, and USC – these schools will guarantee to meet demonstrated need. That means, they will find the money in terms of scholarships, grants, work study, and loans, to make sure you can attend.

Harvard goes a step farther and charges no fees (including fees for room and board) for students whose families make less than $80,000 a year.

There are, of course, schools that cannot meet the financial need of their accepted students, but these tend to be private schools with more limited endowments. These colleges may be need-blind in admissions, but meet the full demonstrated need of only a portion of their students. That means that you may have to take out private loans to fill the gap.

The only way you will know whether a dream school is accessable to you financially is to apply for admission and then fill out the FAFSA. These two actions put the financial aid process into motion. After you have been accepted, the school will do the things it can to get you to come to their school. That includes putting together the most attractive financial aid package.

Ironically, you have the best bet of getting a good financial aid package at the big name, expensive schools.

Originally posted 2009-04-10 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

In the case of government grants, the rules are very, very strict – every year, Congress allocates almost $100 million in the form of grants to be distributed to a wide variety of agencies under the Federal Government.But these grants are usually awarded to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations who have some community-based project in mind, such as community centers, playgrounds and the like. Rarely will you find a government grant awarded to help you set up your own for profit business, and that’s why you should rarely attempt to find a grant for small business on your own – it’s an almost impossible task!

You should know by now that there are hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding available free to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Yes, believe it or not, money for small business grants are available – just difficult to locate for the novice! All those ads about free Small Business Grant Money are not lying – but they are fibbing a bit! The truth is – small business grant money is not easy to come by, but you will find it true that small business grant money is indeed available and if you’re lucky and very diligent, you could even be facing six-digit figures for your funding.

These small business grant moneys come from the government, non-governmental organizations, and private institutions, and since we already discussed how difficult it is to get government funding for starting a business, it’s probably obvious that you want to be looking at the non-governmental sector, such as private institutions and foundations.

Most non-governmental or private funding grants amount range from $5,000 up to some in the six figures. Like all grants, there is no payback, which certainly makes them preferable to loans – but also makes it difficult to find because of the tough competition you’ll be facing.

There are actually quite a few grant resources that provide small business grant money directly to individuals. Finding these Small Business Grant Money resources on your own can be time consuming, fortunately there are many good research resources available that are well worth the small investment that they usually require, and can save you literally hundreds of hours of time and effort.

Originally posted 2009-03-03 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

Unfortunately, the less well funded sports, especially women’s sports, even at major schools rarely have scouting teams. Additionally, Division II and III schools usually rely on high school coaches and the student athletes themselves, to bring their performances to their attention.  

Coaches are generally aware of the high school athletes in their local area,  but that is about it. If you are a student athlete looking for an athletic scholarship – you need to start promoting yourself to coaches at schools you want to attend as  early as your sophomore year in high school.  

Every year, there are thousands of student athletes that attend college on athletic scholarships, and if you have excelled in your sport in high school – there is a good chance that you may qualify for a full or partial athletic scholarship.

Getting an athletic scholarship for a Division 1 school is not easy, but there are many more athletic scholarships available at the many excellent Division 2 and 3 schools, as well as the many smaller divisions around the country. Your high school coaches and guidance counsellors should be able to help you find some appropriate schools, but for the most comprehensive search, it’s usually best to use an athletic scholarship service or database.

1) First – pick the schools that you would want to attend even if you were not going to play sports. Remember – this is where you are going to spend at least 4 years of your life. You want to be happy there, and make sure they offer the classes you need for your major.

2) Look at the COMPLETE financial aid package. Smaller schools rarely give out full athletic scholarships, and usually augment with other types of scholarships and grants, but the tuition at smaller private colleges is often significantly higher than at a state college or university, so the portion that you may be required to pay may be higher than you would pay at a state school with even a partial or no athletic scholarship.

3) Pick a team and coach that you admire – one that you can envision yourself playing with, and spending a great deal of your life with 4 or more years and  whose attitude is most like your own.

If you are serious about getting a scholarship, contact both the admissions offices at the schools you are interested in as well as the coaches and the recruiters for the various athletic depts. Start early – if you really excel and think you have a shot at a Division 1 athletic scholarship – you can start in your sophomore year.

Make sure that any videos, news clippings and other relevant data are sent with a personalized letter – not form letters! It is okay to make the initial contact by email, and many services will even create a web site to help promote the student athlete.

Playing college level sports is an amazing adventure – one that will open doors for the rest of your life.

Originally posted 2009-03-19 11:28:53. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

A major factor in this growth growth is because the government is making more minority grant money available to small businesses owned by minorities.

Minority grant money is funding given to qualified individuals or business entities belonging to a minority. These funds may be used for many purposes: fostering minority education, benefiting a community where the majority of the population is composed of minorities, and generally facilitating development of minorities in business and community.

Minority grant money may awarded for projects, research, scholarships, or seed money. In general, grantors want to fund new, creative and innovative programs that have a specific goal, and broad reaching effects.

If you feel that your idea is not innovative enough, there is still hope for minority grant money for your project. There are instances where minority grant money is used to fund programs that have already been implemented. The only criteria, usually, is that the previous programs similar to yours have been successful.

Annually, minority grant money is allocated by the United States Congress federal budget process. Ultimately, it is Congress that makes the decision as to how much minority grant money goes to which agency, and the criteria for awarding grants to minority projects or businesses.

Once these federal budgets are approved, minority grant money are made available and made known to the public in the Federal Register. Minority grant money for the projects will be listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) at CFDA.gov.

Currently, the CFDA website offers several programs for minority grant money, such as the Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC). The minority grant money is intended to not only aid in increasing minority opportunities but to also strengthen existing minority owned businesses.
It is run by the Minority Business Development Agency under the Department of Commerce.
Applications eligible for this minority grant money program are Federal, State or local government entities or quasi governmental entities, American Indian Tribes, colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and for project organizations.

Competitive awards for the MBOC minority grant money are determined by a panel evaluation of the applications, and includes such criteria as capability and experience of staff assigned to the project; techniques and methodology, creativity and innovation, resources and costs. Competitive applications are normally sought every three years, upon availability of funds and depending on the Agency’s priorities.

Originally posted 2009-03-24 10:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

This is actually a recurring monthly membership, which you can easily cancel at any time. Most member usually stay on the service for 6 to 9 months to take full advantage of the updates on the service. And that is the best part of getting a service rather than a printed book or ebook if you are looking for a variety of different grants – a monthly service means that the database will be updated with fresh programs, as opposed to a printed guide. With a one time fee – what you get at purchase time is all you will get!

Overall, it’s a good choice if you have limited financial resources for your search, and want to be able to research a wide variety of grants and funding programs.

Click here for more federal grants information

Originally posted 2009-03-01 19:48:15. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

In some cases, the college may have decided to specialize in a particular art, such as theater or dance, and has created a special fund to attract the best students in the discipline. While many of these scholarships are funded directly by the colleges, you will also find that many are funded by the school’s own Alumni groups.

To find out more about these artistic scholarships, contact the school’s admissions department as well as the chair of the department you are interested in. You should also ask for the contact details of the professors in your area of the arts and try to schedule an appointment with each of them.

The reason for this is that it helps to have as many people as possible on your side when you are trying to get an institutional arts scholarship! Be sure to send a personalized thank you note after you meet with each professor. Be sure to bring with you any news clippings or information about your artistic endeavors.

If you want to have a good chance at getting a college scholarship for artistic purposes, letting the department and the admissions committee know that you are serious about pursuing art at their school is very important!

Art scholarships are also available that are not restricted to specific schools: Young Arts awards 20 scholarships of up to $10,000 each year to students in creative writing, dance, theater, instrumental music, and vocal music, while the Scholastic Art Awards, students compete for recognition and scholarship money in the fields of painting, sculpture, new media, and more.

WorldStudio Foundation Scholarships are open to students pursuing a degree in studio arts, commercial art, or architecture and the Jazz Performance Awards give up to $2000 for students who demonstrate unusual skill in Jazz performance.

There are so many different scholarships available in the Arts endeavors, that it is impossible to cover them all here, and chances are that your high school guidance counsellor does not have the time or the resources to provide you with a comprehensive list. This is an area where a good scholarship or grant service is extremely helpful. This will allow you to find artistic scholarships being offered throughout the country for students who excel in dance, theater, music, or visual arts, or in the areas of painting, pottery and crafts, etc.

Originally posted 2009-03-16 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.

1) Ask for your recommendation letters at least six weeks in advance. Your teachers are busy – and this gives them the time to really write the letter that they want to write and that you need for them to write!

2) Make your request in writing and deliver it in person. If you need something special emphasized in the letter, let them know at this time.

3) Follow up: Two weeks after your request, remind them with a note in their mailboxes, and then 7 days after that, make a visit to their classroom. Remind them in person that your deadline is approaching, and that you will come by in a few days to pick it up. Thank him or her again for their effort.

4) Stop by a few days later – just poke your head in and ask when you can come by and pick up your letter. Get a commitment at this point!

5) Ask for more letters than you really think you need. (awards may vary in the number of letters needed). If you think you need two – ask for letters from 4 people.

6) If you are applying for several scholarship awards ask your teacher or whoever, if they could put their letter on a CD, so that you can print out the letters and bring them back for their signature.

7) Who to ask for a recommendation letter? Obviously, an instructor in a topic that relates to the scholarship you are applying for is important – if you are applying for an art scholarship, then your art instructor s recommendation is very important! But, other letters can be from teachers in unrelated classes, as most scholarship funders look for well-rounded students to make the awards to.

Use your high school letterhead, when possible.

Originally posted 2009-04-15 20:03:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter.