Get Government Grants: What to Know & How to Apply

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the process of obtaining government grants, particularly for educational purposes. Participants share their experiences, inquire about requirements, and discuss different types of grants available for students and researchers.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants share their personal experiences with obtaining government grants and inquire about the goals of the original poster.
  • There is mention of different agencies having specific requirements and multiple programs aimed at various populations, including graduate students and small businesses.
  • Concerns are raised about the legitimacy of grants.gov and the necessity of registering there before applying for grants.
  • Participants discuss the importance of having a clear plan for how the grant money will be used, emphasizing that simply asking for money is insufficient.
  • One participant highlights the FAFSA as a primary means for obtaining federal grants for education, noting its significance for undergraduate students.
  • There are mentions of age-related factors affecting grant eligibility, with one participant noting that being over 23 years old can lead to more aid.
  • Some participants suggest starting at a community college as a cost-saving measure while pursuing education.
  • There is a suggestion to explore scholarships and grants offered by individual schools or departments, although this may require more effort to find.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of the FAFSA for obtaining federal grants for education, but there are varying opinions on the best approach to securing grants and the specific requirements involved. The discussion contains multiple perspectives on how to navigate the grant application process.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the legitimacy of certain websites and the specific requirements for different types of grants. There is also a lack of clarity regarding the distinctions between grants for educational purposes versus those for research activities.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals seeking government grants for educational purposes, particularly first-time college students or those unfamiliar with the application process.

leroyjenkens
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Anyone have any experience with a government grant? I'd like to get one, but I'd like to talk to someone who has gotten one themselves first. How do I get one? Write a letter? Fill out an online form? I've seen some online forms, but I don't trust them.

Thanks.
 
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I've obtained a few. What's your goal? To what agency will you apply?
 
Andy Resnick said:
I've obtained a few. What's your goal? To what agency will you apply?

Whichever one has the best chance of giving me one. Is there any requirements that you have to meet to get them? How did you do it?
 
leroyjenkens said:
Whichever one has the best chance of giving me one. Is there any requirements that you have to meet to get them? How did you do it?

Ugh-you have a lot of homework to do.

Each agency has it's own set of requirements. In addition, each agency will have multiple programs (mechanisms) aimed at different populations: graduate students, post-docs, faculty, collaborative efforts, small businesses, etc. etc.

You need to register at grants.gov before you can do anything.
 
leroyjenkens said:
Whichever one has the best chance of giving me one. Is there any requirements that you have to meet to get them? How did you do it?
If all you are saying is that you want the government to give you money, it isn't going to happen. What do you plan to do with that money? How will it benefit your nation? (You don't mention which government you mean.)
 
Andy Resnick said:
Ugh-you have a lot of homework to do.

Each agency has it's own set of requirements. In addition, each agency will have multiple programs (mechanisms) aimed at different populations: graduate students, post-docs, faculty, collaborative efforts, small businesses, etc. etc.

You need to register at grants.gov before you can do anything.

I wasn't sure if grants.gov was legitimate. So I need to read that website?
If all you are saying is that you want the government to give you money, it isn't going to happen. What do you plan to do with that money? How will it benefit your nation? (You don't mention which government you mean.)
I posted in academic guidance, so I wanted to go to school with it. I wouldn't expect they would just hand out money to buy X-Boxes.
 
leroyjenkens said:
I wasn't sure if grants.gov was legitimate. So I need to read that website?

I posted in academic guidance, so I wanted to go to school with it. I wouldn't expect they would just hand out money to buy X-Boxes.

You mean you're looking for money to pay school fees? For undergraduate? In which country are you based?

The type of grants this thread has talked about thus-far are for academic research - that is, money from the government to pay academic staff and fund their research activities.
 
Maybe this is obvious, but Ill still say it. To get money for your undergraduate education you need to fill out a FAFSA (free application for federal student aid). That is how the US federal govt. distributes grant money for education. However, from the tone and replies it seems like you may want the money to do some research, either at an undergrad or grad level?
 
I'm American and going to college for the first time. A friend of mine said someone he knew got a grant to go to college, so I was wondering if I could do the same.
Or did I simply just hear something that wasn't true?
I understand they probably don't hand out money to just anyone, so maybe that person qualified for a grant under certain circumstances. I make about 14k a year, so I'm pretty poor, so I was hoping I could qualify.

Thanks for the replies.
 
  • #10
If you don't mind my asking, how old are you? The only reason I ask, is I know that I get grants out the a$$ and I have never even asked for one! The only thing I did was fill out my FAFSA at the fafsa.gov website. The fact that I am >23 years old (actually, >>23 is more appropriate :redface:) gets me *a lot* more aid then if you are less than 23. For some reason, the US government does not consider you to be independent until you are over 23.

I get a couple of grants from the government and a couple from my school. Some are based solely on my income (or lack thereof) like the Pell grant and most of the others are based on my academic performance. All in all they pay for ~60-70% of my tuition, perhaps even more. Between grants, which you keep, and loans, which you have to pay back, my tuition is covered.

Start with your fafsa application. And also consider starting your 1st two years at a community college (do your research though to make sure ALL or almost all of your credits will transfer). I saved about $70k going that route and have no regrets about my community college.
 
  • #11
Saladsamurai said:
If you don't mind my asking, how old are you? The only reason I ask, is I know that I get grants out the a$$ and I have never even asked for one! The only thing I did was fill out my FAFSA at the fafsa.gov website. The fact that I am >23 years old (actually, >>23 is more appropriate :redface:) gets me *a lot* more aid then if you are less than 23. For some reason, the US government does not consider you to be independent until you are over 23.

I get a couple of grants from the government and a couple from my school. Some are based solely on my income (or lack thereof) like the Pell grant and most of the others are based on my academic performance. All in all they pay for ~60-70% of my tuition, perhaps even more. Between grants, which you keep, and loans, which you have to pay back, my tuition is covered.

Start with your fafsa application. And also consider starting your 1st two years at a community college (do your research though to make sure ALL or almost all of your credits will transfer). I saved about $70k going that route and have no regrets about my community college.

I'm turning 27 in September.

So you suggest the FAFSA application? Any others?

Thanks for the reply.
 
  • #12
For your undergraduate education, the FAFSA is the way to go in terms of federal grants. Its how the vast majority of students get their grants and loans. You can also find scholarships and grants within your school or dept., but those take a little more work to find.
 
  • #13

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