Searching for Free Grants Can Pay Dividends

Search for free grants can be an exercise in futility ifonline resources are: Grantsnet, Non-profit Gateway
you are not willing to go through the rigors of seeingand The Foundation Center.
your application through.For students, who would like to look for scholarship
One of the most obvious places to look for theseor research grants, the Free Application for Federal
types of funds will be the government agencies thatStudent Aid (FAFSA) website ( is available for you.
would most likely handle your program. If you are aFAFSA contains information on grants, available loans
student looking for scholarships then the Departmentand campus-based student aid programs.
of Education website is a good place to start lookingFor individuals and organizations that have an idea on
for educational grants. If you are a victim of a naturalthe intricacies of grant application processes then the
disaster, surfing through the Federal EmergencyCatalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) is
Management Agency's (FEMA) free grant searchthe place to begin your search. CFDA contains entries
could be of help.about each program which could sound foreign to
There are a lot of government agencies that offersomeone who is new to free grant terminologies.
availability of free grants. Likely government agenciesThe CFDA website is The CFDA entry usually
that might have grants available are: Department ofcontains information on how the grant money should
Education Grants and Contracts Information,be used, how to apply complete with contact
Department of Housing and Urban Developmentinformation, how they review and award the
(HUD), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department ofapplications and what is expected from the
Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protectionsuccessful grant applicants.
Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency ManagementRecently, President George Bush's e-government
Administration (FEMA), National Institutes of Healthinitiative has launched a new free grant search
(NIH), Stopping Violence Against Women andwebsite called is an online tool that allows everyone
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Theto access and consequently avail themselves of
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hasgovernment benefit programs that are designed to
over 300 programs run by several agencies whichhelp them. This online tool is aimed at providing more
should be checked out.focus on the citizens by our government. This free
If you cannot find the grant information you areservice intends to lessen bureaucracy and provide
searching for, there are other online federal resourcesefficient service to the people by doing away with
that could aid you in your free grant search. Thesepaper work.