Government Grants for Single Mothers
Single mothers who bore children out of wedlock have always been prone to prejudices from the government and from the community particularly in countries with very rigid traditions.
But women who have personally decided to go through single parent adoption may have less complicated experiences in terms of how the society treats them. After all, there are legal laws that protect single parents and their adopted children.
Single women who have successfully adopted are entitled to government grants for single mothers. But there are different government grants available in various countries. One must be diligent in finding out the government and non-government agencies that provide such grants which can help single mothers financially.
Most lone parents opt for scholarship grants either for themselves or for their children. Either way, it is an advantage for single parents. Purposes for applying grants also vary. Aside from scholarship, some apply for grants to buy a house, to put up a business, pay utility bills, etc.
What countries provide such grants? The U.S. is known for providing grants for single moms. One must be a US citizen or a foreign national who has lived in the country for at least 3 years prior to application. Kelly Kennedy provides some more helpful tips in her article, Grants for Single Mothers.
If a single mom is planning to enroll for higher education, it is recommended that she initially contacts the financial aid office in the particular school where she goes.
From here, she can gather information about obtaining direct financial assistance from college, federal and state subsidized grants, work-study programs, support from alumni, local groups or religious groups and corporate-sponsored scholarships for employees or employees’ children. Through these, one is able to study and choose from various options.
In Texas, the Texas Home of Your Own Coalition provides financial assistance for single mothers who want to buy or rent a house. If one wants to go to college, she can apply for a need-based education grant, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants and State Grants for Single Mothers.
One of the programs that can help mothers financially is the meals postage stamp system. This provides low-income moms and their children with cash that can be used particularly for meals. With the increasing prices of food and basic commodities, this program can be lifesavers for single moms.
For single mothers, applying for loans is hard especially during payback time. With all the economic hurdles that they go through while raising their children, paying for loans does not come easy at all. Grants are more recommendable for single moms since they do not need to be paid.
Single mothers just need to send their application and comply with the requirements. They must also be able to prove that their income is really not enough for them to go back to school and enroll for a higher degree of education or for whatever valid purpose. With all the available grants in various states, Americans can very well claim assistance.
It is important to be reminded though that not all countries provide very generous grants. The traditions, economic status and condition of a particular country also play an important part in determining whether the government is capable of providing grants to single moms.
The good news is that there are non-profit organizations which are more than willing to give grants to single parents. Single mothers must ensure that they are well-informed about these organizations so that help can be readily provided to them.
