Single Mother Grants

Life as a single mother can be very challenging. In today’s economic condition, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine the plight of single parent household.

Single mothers have to juggle full-time parenting with a full-time job, while struggling to make ends meet. Granted, it is a lot easier if there are two working partners. However, for a single parent to manage all this alone especially with little or no income, it can be quite a struggle.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, out of approximately 20 million single parents in the U.S, 73% are single mothers out of which one-third of them live in poverty with their children¹ – single mother statistics

Help for Single Mothers

To help single moms cope with the challenge of single parenting, there are many sources to get financial help like the government, state, institutions or non-profit organizations. This financial assistance can be in the form of grants, scholarships, federal loans, etc.

Grants are freely awarded to eligible single moms on the basis of financial hardship which unlike loan, do not require any repayment.

There are many ways to avail a grant that meets different types of requirements. A very good source of information is the internet. You can get all types of information online and decide what best suits you. Check your State, Government websites and sites like http://www.grants.gov/ is a good resource to find information about grants available for singe moms.

While there are many types of grants for single mothers, one of the most widely offered types of financial aid are school grants for single mothers – designed for single moms who wish to go back to college.

Grants such as The Pell Grant is a unique grant provided by the US Department of Education that helps lower income single parents who wish to complete their college education. Scholarships for single mothers are also available for low-income women with children on the basis of academic achievement.

And for those who are struggling to meet the escalating cost of higher education, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program has helped many achieve their educational goals and led them to self-sufficiency after they graduate from college.

To find financial aid for your state of residence, check out the listing of State Higher Education Agencies where you’ll find a whole plethora of state’s education programs, financial aid assistance programs, grants, scholarships, continuing education programs, and career opportunities.

Assistance for Single Mothers

More ways of availing cash assistance is to apply for food stamp benefits (SNAP), disability benefits, child care assistance, low-cost healthcare insurance for kids², etc. These state assistance programs are meant mostly for those with children who are finding themselves unable to afford even the basic necessities.

Though these grants are meant for assisting during difficult times, it does not cover expenses for private tuition fees, house rents, social funds repayments or personal debts etc. It is only meant for you to get yourself up and build a foundation to help you become self-sufficient and less dependent of others.

References:

1. Poverty rates are highest for families headed by single women, particularly if they are black or Hispanic. In 2010, 31.6 percent of households headed by single women were poor, while 15.8 percent of households headed by single men and 6.2 percent of married-couple households lived in poverty. Source: http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/ [↩]
2. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides free or low-cost health coverage for children up to age 19. To learn more, make a free call to 1-877 KIDS NOW (1-877-543-7669) [↩]

Being a single mother can be very stressful and challenging. It is definitely not an easy task to manage alone when there are so many bills to pay, children’s education, food, shelter, etc. More often that not, single moms struggle just to make ends meet.

Many opportunities have been made available to assist single mothers in their financial needs and help them get a breakthrough. One way of availing financial aid is to apply for grants which are freely awarded to those who need it most.

Over the years, the Federal & state government as well as non-profit groups have floated many schemes and programs for the benefit of single mothers. These kind of financial aids are available to help women face the challenges of single parenting.

Given below are the different types of government assistance for single mothers that will help them get their life back on track.¹

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

TANF has been designed to provide a small cash amount on a monthly basis for food, clothing, shelter and other essentials. It is meant for those who have children and are finding themselves unable to afford even the basic necessities.

A single mom, with children under the age of 19, is eligible for assistance under TANF. However, this once in a life time assistance is restricted to a period of not more than 60 months.

CHIP Program

The Children’s Health Insurance Program is a government-funded insurance plan available in every state. The program caters to those who cannot afford insurance on their own. It covers children for everything they need – medical, dental, and vision.

The CHIP program in your state is a godsend for those who are struggling to pay the bills and are worried about the health and well-being of their children.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

LIHEAP program is a federally-funded grant program that is implemented at the state levels that helps households meet their immediate home energy expenses.

The LIHEAP is offered in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, 140 Indian Tribes, and five U.S. territories to single mothers with qualifying incomes. Priority is given to low income families with children, disabled and elderly people.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program

The WIC program is one of the most successful government programs for financially-strapped mothers. The program consists of coupons for free items every month. These items are the basics required for pregnant or nursing mothers and children up to the age of five.

The financial limits on WIC are higher than that of other programs, so your odds of acceptance are very good.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Another financial assistance scheme for single mothers is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which was previously known as the Food Stamp Program (FSP).

This SNAP program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with the primary aim of providing healthy food for low income families.

Section 8 Housing Program

Section 8, or the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a federal housing program which provides housing assistance to low-income renters and homeowners. This assistance for single mothers comes in the form of rental subsidies.

To apply, you contact either the local PHA serving your community or the Office of Public Housing within your local HUD office.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

This federally-assisted meal program is essentially a subsidized school lunch program for needy families through subsidies to schools. This means that if you qualify, your children are eligible for free meals (or reduced-price meals) in school.

You can find out more about the program and how to apply for it at www.fns.usda.gov or call the Office of Public Affairs at 703‐305‐228.

The Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grant offers one way for eligible single mothers to finance their education. This federally-provided money does not need to be repaid, making it a more attractive option than a loan.

As a single mother who want to continue your education, a Pell grant for higher education may be just what you need to go back to school and further your career.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

Similar to the Pell Grant, FSEOG is a federal education grant awarded to single mothers with “the absolute highest levels of financial need” who could not otherwise afford college tuition.

Priority is given to the Pell Grant recipients and those with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFC). Awards may be granted in amounts ranging from $100 to $4,000 per year based on the gravity of the applicant’s financial need.

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However, finding the right grant is only the first step in the process. If you elect to apply for any of these grants, you’re required to make a proposal in the form of grant writing and prove that you are the one that should get the money!

Keep in mind that while grants for single mothers can help you tide over difficult times, you should not rely solely on them, rather, you should ensure that you strive to become self-sufficient so that you can provide for your family all on your own.

References:

1. The above list is not meant to be exhaustive. We’ll make every possible effort to maintain & update it. [↩]

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