List Of All Government Assistance Programs

Ways To Get Free Money From The Government

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Whoever said nothing in life comes free didnt take into account government programs that help people pay for things like college, day care and a new home. And during the coronavirus outbreak, there is even more assistance available to you.

Cons Of Student Financial Aid

• Loan repayment required
• Lifetime limits on Pell Grants
• Private loans are more expensive and restrictive
• Defaulting on loans hurts credit

Student loan payments, including principal and interest, on federally held student loans, have been suspended through Dec. 31, 2022 however, the suspension only applies to federal student loans held by the Department of Education.

The Department of Education also created an initiative called “Fresh Start” to help borrowers in default. Defaulted loans will return to repayment status and the record of default will be removed from credit reports.

The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress and signed by President Biden in March 2021 includes a provision that makes all student loan forgiveness from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2025, tax-free.

Advance Child Tax Credit

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CTC was expanded under the American Rescue Plan of 2021. The IRS pre-paid half the total credit amount in monthly payments from July to December 2021. When you file your 2021 tax return, you can claim the other half of the total CTC.

Learn more about the Advance Child Tax Credit.

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Medical Care And Healthcare Coverage

• Covered CaliforniaTMA marketplace for people to find out if they are eligible for financial help and buy health insurance, including Medi-Cal. They help you choose a plan that works best for your health care needs and your budget. You may even be able to get help paying for your health care or qualify for Medi-Cal.
• Covered California for Small BusinessA marketplace where businesses with up to 100 employees can apply for coverage for their workers. Small businesses can offer employees a choice from affordable, top quality, brand-named health insurance within a budget set by the company. Some small businesses could be eligible for federal tax credits.

Federal Grants For Minorities And Minority Businesses

Certainly, the term âminorityâ automatically conjures up the image a small, restricted group of people, but for federal grants, it is actually a fairly broad term. In fact, more than half of United States residents can technically qualify for a number of small business, education, or other grants that are targeted directly towards Americaâs minorities.

With that in mind, new applicants who are just beginning to search through the nearly 3,000 federal grants available shouldnât automatically discount grants that are designated towards minorities, and instead see if these programs can fit in with their qualifications and ultimate needs.

A minority can be defined by ethnicity or race, certainly, including Hispanic Americans, African American, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. However, the term âminorityâ may also apply to women, especially in the realm of scholarships, and small business funding and loans.

Minority applicants who are just starting the process may find that itâs easiest to search for grants by Government Agency, , for a thorough overview of ongoing grants available.

In federal grant terms, the definition of an eligible âminorityâ is clearly extensive, and can range from gender to ethnicity. Applicants who may fit within this realm are advised to explore all options when searching for potential applicable grants, to ensure that no stone is unturned, and no opportunity is overlooked.

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Whats Available How To Qualify And Where To Apply

The COVID-19 pandemic put government assistance programs into overdrive, as many people who never needed them before now had to use them. Heres a descriptive list of major government assistance programs for individuals and businesses, with links to where and how to apply to them and applicable deadlines.

Assistance For American Families And Workers

The COVID-19 public health crisis and resulting economic crisis have created a variety of challenges for families across the country, and changed the way we all live and work. The Treasury Department is providing critical assistance to individuals and their families, ensuring people have the opportunity to keep their families safe and thriving, at work and at home.

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Other Types Of Help If Youre Homeless

Visit Benefits.gov to find out if youre eligible and how to apply for other types of help. This may include financial assistance, transportation, food, counseling, and more.

If you dont have medical insurance, you can use HRSA health centers. They give checkups, treatment when youre sick, pregnancy care, and immunizations for your children.

Where Do Grants Come From

Understanding funding sources will help you navigate and find relevant grants more efficiently. Scholarships.com, CollegeGrant.net, and FastWeb.com are all reliable starting points to finding grants that come from all kinds of sources, and available to students from all walks of life. First, lets break down the different types of grants:

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Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program: Access To Capital

The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program is designed to offer Indigenous entrepreneurs and business owners in Canada access to business opportunities and up to $99,999 in funding. The program is managed through the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association . Funds are distributed through a network of 59 Aboriginal Financial Institutions across Canada. Learn more about how the program works here.

National Adult Day Services Association

The National Adult Day Services Association has centers nationwide that offer numerous services to individuals who want to remain living within the community. These health and social services provide supervised care outside of the home in the daytime to seniors. Additionally, these adult day centers can also be a more cost-effective solution.

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Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Loans

For mortgage loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has extended the foreclosure moratorium on real estate owned evictions until Sept 30, 2021. REO properties are bank-owned properties that were seized as a result of default.

Meanwhile, the Secretaries of USDA, HUD, VA, Treasury, and FHFA Acting Director extended foreclosure moratoriums for those agencies through Sept. 30, 2021.

How Your Snap Benefits Work

• Your state will issue benefits each month on a plastic electronic benefits transfer card. Much like a credit or debit card, you can use your EBT card to buy eligible food items. You must buy them from:

What help is available through Medicaid?

Medicaid provides free or low-cost medical benefits to eligible:

• Adults with a low income
• People who are age 65 or over
• People with disabilities

Am I eligible for Medicaid?

Check with your states Medicaid office to see if you or your family members are eligible for benefits. In general, it depends on at least one or a combination of:

• Number of people in your family
• If you are pregnant or have a disability

How do I apply for Medicaid?

There are two ways to apply for Medicaid:

• Contact your state Medicaid agency. You must be a resident of the state where you are applying for benefits.
• Fill out an application through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

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Minority Business Development Agency

This program by MBDA is a U.S. Department of Commerce agency that assists minorities and women in business in establishing and growing their businesses. This program provides funding to help new business owners and those just starting out.

The MBDA also provides valuable information for grants that you can apply directly to the links provided on their website. The agencies and organizations are great resource that helps to provide more grant opportunities for minorities and women.

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Can I Get Help Paying My Utility Bills

There are a number of government programs available to help defer the costs of utility bills.

The Lifeline program run by the Federal Communications Commission helps low-income individuals and families get discounted landline and cell phone service. Lifeline provides a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on monthly telephone service, broadband Internet access service, or voice-broadband bundled service purchased from participating providers. Subscribers can receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, and you can get one Lifeline service per household.

Lifeline is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, commonwealth, territory, and on Tribal lands. To be eligible, you must have an income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income , Federal Public Housing Assistance , Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, or Tribal programs . You can check online to see what providers offer Lifeline services in your area and see if and what kind of benefits you might qualify for.

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Food Stamps And Meal Programs During The Covid

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be easier for you and your family to get food stamps and take part in meal programs. Contact your state’s social services agency to see if you’re eligible.

During the pandemic:

• Food stamp recipients may receive additional funding. More people may be eligible to receive SNAP during the pandemic than normally.

• Parents whose kids’ schools are closed can pick up school meals for their kids to eat at home.

• People can enroll in food programs remotely rather than in person. This applies to programs for pregnant women, families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Financial Assistance For Families

There are many programs available in your state or territory that provide financial assistance to eligible low-income families to help them pay for necessities such as food, nutrition, and heatjust to name a few. If you need help, take a look at these programs.

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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income families with their home energy costs. LIHEAP provides eligible families with financial assistance and information to help them manage their home energy bills, energy emergencies, weatherproofing, and energy-related minor home repairs. You can apply for help at your local LIHEAP office.

To learn about and find LIHEAP services where you live, select your state or territory from the list on the See Your States Resources page, and then select the Financial Assistance for Families tab.

The National Association For The Self

The National Association for the Self-Employed has awarded close to $1 million in grants to small business members through its Growth Grants program. Eligible small businesses can receive grants worth as much as $4,000 through the programawarded on a quarterly basis.

You must become a member of NASE before you can apply for the Growth Grant program. Once you join, you will have the opportunity to apply for the small business grants on a quarterly basis, according to the schedule below:

The grant committee reviews all applications the month after the quarterly submission deadline ends. Recipients must demonstrate an identifiable business need, explain how they would use the grant to satisfy that need, and show a potential for growth and success should their business receive the funds.

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Government Assistance Programs For Utilities

One of the largest household expenses after food and housing is utilities. Keeping the lights on and heating and cooling your home can take up a huge portion of your monthly income. These programs can help offset those costs and help you save on energy bills.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

A federally-funded program designed to help low-income families with energy costs, LIHEAP provides financial assistance for paying heating and cooling bills.

#LIHEAP helps the most vulnerable American families afford their home energy bills. We urge Congress to #ProtectLIHEAP and our communities. #LIHEAPaction

National Grid US

It can also help with emergency or crisis issues, like having your heat shut off in the winter or weatherizing your home. It doesnt provide assistance for water or sewer bills.

Weatherization Assistance Program

This is a program run by the U.S. Department of Energy that provides grants to help low-income households reduce their energy costs by improving the energy efficiency and safety of their homes. Families must meet eligibility requirements to receive this type of assistance.

You can read more about the program and eligibility requirements by visiting the Weatherization Assistance Programs website.

Who Qualifies For Low

Recipients of these kind of government benefits must prove their income is below a set amount, which is some percentage of the federal poverty level. Most programs also require you to be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen. And many programs have state requirements based on family size and details about combined family income.

Through executive order, the Trump administration has called for the introduction of work requirements to receive some of these welfare benefits. President Trump doubled down on this concept, tying them into the 2020 fiscal budget he introduced. For now, the government agencies and departments that administer these programs are developing ways to introduce work requirements into many of these programs.

And dont forget that welfare programs are not entitlement programs by definition. Entitlement programs, like Social Security and unemployment insurance, determine eligibility based on prior contributions from payroll taxes. Welfare programs, however, are based solely on a familys income level, and thus level of need.

Now lets look at each of these government programs in more detail:

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Role Of Government Contracting Authorities

The Government of Canada contracting authorities solicit bids and award goods and services contracts. Once a contract valued at $1 million or more has been awarded, the contracting authoritys role is to:

• inform the contractor of the FCP requirements and their obligations
• request and obtain a signed Agreement to Implement Employment Equity form or obtain the current and valid AIEE number issued by the Labour Program, and
• forward the organizationâs AIEE information to the Labour Program within 30 days following the contract award date

What Your Loan Servicer Must Do If You Request Forbearance

If you’re having trouble making payments on your federally backed mortgage because of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact your loan servicer. They must:

• Defer or reduce your payments for six months if you contact them to make arrangements.

• You can request an extension if you need it. For most loans, your forbearance can be extended up to 12 months.

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Cons Of Government Food Programs

• Social stigma for recipients
• The consistency and quality of state-run programs vary
• Limitations on what products can be purchased
• Mandated work requirements difficult for adults with children

The table below lists eligibility requirements for federal food programs.

National Physical Science Consortium

This organization does provide scholarships and grants to black women who are planning to purse a doctoral degree in the physical sciences. This field has traditionally been quite underrepresented from inception, especially by black women and other minorities. However, these scholarships have been established to help change that situation, and create more opportunities to black women globally.

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Public Programs And Services

Note: The Department has not evaluated many of the programs listed below. In particular for those programs not affiliated with the State of Missouri, the Department encourages citizens to learn more about the programs on their own prior to participating.

Missouri Service Navigator – Helps you find food pantries, food banks, school meal programs for students, diaper banks, and more. Missouri Resource Guide – Gives you information about meeting your basic needs, getting the support you need and preparing for a career.

Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are paid to people who cannot work for at least one year due to a medical condition or who are expected to die from that condition.

To be eligible, you must:

• Have worked in a job or jobs covered by Social Security
• Meet Social Securitys definition of disability
• Have worked long enough and recently enough to qualify for disability benefits

Additional information about SSDI can be found in the Social Security Disability Benefits brochure. The Social Security Disability Planner helps you determine if you are eligible. If you believe you qualify, you can apply online.

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How A Government Grant Works

Government grants arenât just bestowed: they must be applied for. Getting a government grant is an extremely competitive process. The paperwork is complex and applicants must describe how the awarded funds will benefit the local community or the public at large. Crafting a convincing proposal is so challenging that applicants often hire professional help. Some freelance writers specialize in writing grant proposals.

Grants from the federal government are authorized and appropriated through bills passed by Congress and signed by the president. Grant authority varies among agencies. For example, the Small Business Administration may distribute grants to nonprofit organizations in many of its counseling and training programs.

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