Sunday, February 22, 2009

Single Mother Grants For College

Obtaining educational financial aid is a daunting enough task for the average college student who only has to be responsible for herself. How much more intimidating, then, will accomplishing the same task be for a single mother who, before she can even think about paying for college, must provide for both her own and her child's (or children's) basic needs? Fortunately, there is help to be found in single mother grants for college.
Before you attempt to tackle finding specific government grants, it may help to take a step back from your personal situation for a moment. Look at yourself as simply a current or prospective college student.
Realize that there are government grants for education for anyone who needs them, regardless of her background. For example, any undergraduate can receive Federal pell grants - currently up to $4371 per school year - based on financial need alone. The outlook doesn't seem so bleak now that you realize that any single mother grants for college you obtain will serve as additional assistance to the minimum the federal government will allot you simply as a student with a certain level of financial need.
So, what specific study grants do exist and how do you obtain them? The power of the Internet makes finding financial resources much easier than it used to be. Start with a simple search for "single mother" and "financial assistance", "financial aid", or "college grants", and you'll be well on your way to finding the help you need in providing for you and your children's future. Also try including the name of your state of residence in your search. For example, Arizona offers the Arizona Foundation for Women, which provides empowering opportunities to girls and women through grants that assist them in meeting their personal needs, including higher education.
Specifically, single mother grants for college can be acquired through the Helping Hands for Single Moms program that is funded in part by the Arizona Foundation for Women. Helping Hands for Single Moms not only provides financial aid, but helps single moms find affordable housing and also teaches money management through the guidance of a mentor. The goal is that through a combination of higher education and life skills such as financial literacy, single moms will acquire the lifelong ability to independently support themselves and their children.
Helping Hands for Single Moms is just one example of many programs that make it possible to find single mother grants for college. Plus, positively keep in mind that grants such as these are financial assistance in addition to that which you will receive first from the federal government. Rest assured that with perseverance, you can indeed achieve your dream of obtaining a college education and becoming a financially independent provider for yourself and your children. Louis Zhang, Singlemotherfinancialassistance dot com.