Who Can Apply Eligibility Requirements
Most federal grants go to public and private organizations. However, individuals may qualify for some grants in specific categories such as teaching and education. Each grant program has its own list of who is eligible. If an applicant does not meet the criteria for the grant, the agency will reject their application automatically. It is important to review the eligibility guidelines that all government grants publish before you submit an application individually or for your organization. That will save you time and hassle since the agency will reject the application.
Education financial aid grants are often the ones that people think of for individual federal grants. The eligibility criteria for those are different from that the grants geared toward organizations. You apply for those grants through the Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. You can do this individually or through your college’s financial aid office. The FAFSA will ascertain whether you qualify for the various federal education grants available. This application program is completely separate from other federal financial grants.
Free Money From The Government
The federal government does not offer grants or free money to individuals to start a business or cover personal expenses, contrary to what you might see online or in the media. Websites or other publications claiming to offer “free money from the government” are often scams. Report them to the Federal Trade Commission.
Examples Of Eligible Activities
- Organization and promotion of marketing and investment events
- Organizational capacity development
- Participation in trade and investment events
- Post-project analysis and support
- Professional development workshops on business topics
- Promotional materials for new markets and market expansion
- Implementation support
- Leasehold improvements
- Travel costs are limited to the lowest economy airfare, accommodation for a standard room and per diems are not to exceed the posted Yukon government rate.
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Economic Development Grant Opportunities Within The American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides local governments with an unprecedented opportunity to access federal funding to support community priorities. The ARP includes direct funding to state and local governments as well as additional competitive grant programs flowing through various federal agencies.
One component of the ARP is $3 billion allocated to the U.S. Economic Development Administration . This funding will be released through competitive grants to communities for economic development projects and infrastructure needs. EDA expects to publish grant guidelines within the next several weeks that will provide more information on eligibility and how to apply. This funding opportunity will likely be open to all communities nationwide. The types of eligible projects will likely include:
- Preparation of economic development recovery and resiliency plans
- Construction of infrastructure that supports economic development
- Entrepreneurial programs and facilities
- Projects for communities to address pandemic-related economic losses in the tourism sector
Competitive advantage
All communities may be eligible to apply for this competitive funding. Set the stage for success now with the following proactive steps to support community growth and recovery.
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How To Apply For Federal Grants

The process for applying to non-financial aid federal grants requires providing detailed information to the government on why you want the funds and how you intend to spend them. The first step is finding a grant that meets your funding needs. You can do this at the Grants.gov website. You will find hundreds of government grants on that site under many categories. Review the grants and see which, if any, meet your funding needs. This is the time to review the eligibility requirements to make sure you or your organization qualifies for the grant program. If you do not, it is a waste of time for you and the agency.
Once you have a grant program in mind, you need to register your organization with the Central Contractor Registration. This central agency in the government deals with all contractors doing business with the government. That includes anyone awarded federal grants from the different agencies. In order to register with the CCR, you need to obtain a Dun & Bradstreet Number. The Grants.gov website gives detailed instruction on how to do this. That number will allow you to register with the CCR. Once you have the DUNS identifier, you can go through that website and register your organization. If you are grants representative for your organization, you will need to register as an authorized agent through this process as well.
To get more information on these grants you can visit the following websites:
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Recent Published Funding Opportunities:
Funding Opportunity |
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Category: Natural ResourcesFunding Amount: $75,000 |
Category: HealthFunding Amount: $550,000 |
Category: TransportationFunding Amount: Case Dependent |
There are separate federal grants for those who want federal aid to help pay for a college education. The four most common education grants are the Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. Most of these grants have criteria for income and attendance attached to them. Each grant has different award criteria and award amounts. In order to find out if you qualify, you need to go through the FAFSA process first.
What Is A Grant From The Government
A grant is one of the ways the government funds ideas and projects to provide public services and stimulate the economy. Grants support critical recovery initiatives, innovative research, and many other programs. You can find a list of projects supported by grants in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance . You can also learn about the federal grant process and search for government grants at Grants.gov.
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Funding For Small Business Innovation And Community Economic Development
If you are looking for small business loans or small business grants, or seek funding for innovation or scaling up your business, we can help. Our programs fund small business and businesses that are scaling up.
We support innovation and projects that create jobs in communities across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
We seek to diversify the economy by funding entrepreneurship in many sectors. We are helping promising sectors like precision healthcare, digital technology, value-added agriculture and clean technology to lead the new economy.
We also support inclusivity for women entrepreneurs, Indigenous-led businesses, entrepreneurs with disabilities, Black Canadian entrepreneurs, Francophone small businesses and young small business leaders.
Free Grants And Grant Scams
If you receive information stating you qualify for a “free grant,” it’s probably a scam. Get information from the Federal Trade Commission so you can better recognize and avoid grant scams. If you have been a victim of a grant scam, you can file a complaint with the FTC.
Contact your state consumer protection office if you have purchased a book or paid a fee to get grant information and are not satisfied.
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Economic Development Assistance Programs Including Cares Act Funding
Due to a high volume of applications, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact theEDA Regional Office representative to discuss needs and availability of funds.
Contact the appropriate state economic development representative.
Economic Development Assistance funding is provided to rural and urban communities in distressed regions to support the implementation of regional economic development. The goal is to spur job creation, leverage private capital investments, and strengthen America’s ability to compete in a global marketplace.
Past projects have included funding for water and wastewater projects in hospitals and healthcare facilities and road infrastructure projects that would support the expansion of healthcare facilities.
Funding is available for:
- Water and sewer system improvements
- Industrial parks
- Telecommunications infrastructure and development facilities
Economic Development Assistance investment priorities are updated quarterly.
A project must be located in a region that meets one of the following economic distress criteria:
- A 24-month unemployment rate that is at least 1 percentage point greater than the national average
- Per capita income that is not more than 80% of the national average
- “Special Need,” as determined by EDA and as discussed in section C.3 of the application instructions
Entities eligible to apply include:
The Public Works and Economic Development Facilities program offers grants from $200,000 to $3,000,000.
What Are Federal Grants
Federal grants come in the form of economic packages awarded to eligible recipients for a specific activity designed to service a public purpose. Dozens of federal agencies offer grants in dozens of categories. Almost all government agencies have a grant program in some area of their jurisdiction. You can get grants in categories including, but not limited to, agriculture, business, community development, disaster prevention, education, energy, environment, health, housing, law, natural resources, science, technology, and transportation. Some grants are very specific for a type of research or activity. Others offer block grants that meet wider criteria.
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