In the United States, all levels of government make funds available to individuals and companies who meet certain qualifications. Some of these funds are easily accessible, while others may take some research and preparation in order for you to claim them. Such government money comes from various sources, and it usually comes either as a means of helping those in need or as a way to provide incentives for specific behaviors and actions that the government wants to encourage.
Instructions
Government Benefits
1. Consider your life situation to see if you could possibly qualify for government benefits due to your age, health or economic conditions. Federal programs such as those offered by the Social Security Administration offers benefits for aged, disabled and unemployed individuals, and state and local governments do so as well.
2. Research government websites such as SSA.gov and state unemployment websites to see if you are eligible for benefits. Look for benefits that apply to the specific social, physical and economic conditions that you are in.
3. Apply for government benefits. Applications to such programs, such as SSD and SSI, may take years to process. Other programs such as state unemployment benefits may only take a week or two. If you have problems collecting on benefits that you feel you qualify for, some law firms specialize in helping people collect on such benefits, and they usually only charge you for their services if they actually help you to get those benefits.
Government Grants
4. Research government grants that exist and the types of programs that they give money to. Government grants may exist for companies that implement strategies that are particularly environmentally or socially responsible, for non-profit organizations that perform charitable services and for individuals who do socially beneficial things that earn them little or no direct profit. If you are engaged in any such acts, you may be eligible for government grants.
5. Start any organization that you need to start in order to claim the money. For instance, if you are trying to get a grant that will go toward paying for solar panels at your place of business, go through the necessary steps to establish your business as a legal entity.
6. Write a grant proposal. In this proposal, detail your need for this grant and exactly how you plan to use the money. If you are not confident with your writing skills, hire a professional grant writer. Send this grant proposal along with any other necessary application materials to the government agency that sponsors the grant. An example of such an organization would be the National Endowment for the Arts, which provides funds for aspiring artists.
Student Financial Aid
7. Enroll in an accredited educational institution that qualifies to accept funds through federal student financial aid. Such institutions may be conventional universities, online universities, community colleges and trade schools.
8. Gather all of your financial information. Such information will include money that you and your spouse made last year, as well as the value of your total assets. It may also include your parents' income and asset information. If you have children, you will need their personal information as well.
9. Apply for financial aid. You may do this by filling out the FAFSA form on the Federal Student Aid website. If you exhibit significant financial need, you may qualify for a Pell Grant or Stafford Loan from the federal government. If you qualify for these, you may also qualify for other types of financial aid, such as a SMART Grant.
