How do I find out how grant money has come into my state?
Asked by an anonymous Tumblr user.
According to USASpending.gov, federal agencies spent 408.3 billion dollars on grants in fiscal year 2012. This money is transferred from the federal government to states for programs such as Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and local education agencies.
Checking out something I received in the mail. It’s from Home Information Center, Dallas Tx 75380-9664. It said that the U.S. Congress has made available up to $20,000 for you to improve your home through the Federal Home Improvement Loan Program. This program is made available for energy conservation with home improvements. Improvements may include lifetime vinyl siding, energy-efficiant windows ,doors, and insulation. Is this for real or a scam?
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has information about federal loan programs for home improvements and repairs. If you’re interested specifically in financial assistance for energy efficiency, there are federal tax credits available. You might want to review this information to see if it matches the details in the letter.
You may be still be eligible for federal student aid for the ‘11-‘12 school year. Find out.
How Do You Apply for a Government Grant or Loan?
Video description
We challenged you to create videos that answer common questions about government benefits and services. Here’s one of the winners of the contest. View all of the winning videos, submissions and contest rules at faq.challenge.gov.
Video transcript
Actor 1: So you’re an individual and you’re looking for a government grant or loan. You might be wondering where do I look? How do I start? Who do I ask? Well there’s a few websites you might want to check out.
Actor 2: Benefits.gov is the official government benefits website, with more than 400 federal and 600 state programs. All you have to do is fill out a confidential form and you’ll receive a list of programs that may work for you.
Actor 3: You dream of starting a small business. SBA.gov is the Small Business Administration, designed to help you the entrepreneur start or grow your small business.
Actor 4: GovLoans.gov is another helpful source for finding the loan you need, ranging from agriculture to business, disaster relief, education, housing, or even military veteran.
Actor 5: If you have a disability, Disability.gov is a resource for individuals seeking more information and further opportunities. If you happen to be working with an organization, check out Grants.gov for all your loan needs.
Actor 1:Lastly, the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a huge, valuable directory that lists over 15 types of grants and loans among their 1500 total programs.
The government does award grants, but most go to state and local governments or nonprofit organizations. The federal government rarely gives personal grants directly to individuals.