It can be extremely hard to be a single mother because not only do you have to bring up your children by yourself, but you are also likely to be responsible for all the resources that you will have to provide for them, and also for emotional support apart from material needs without the assistance of a partner. A lot of single moms struggle with dealing with this situation because not only are they usually short on funds, but also because they are likely to work more than one job meaning that the time they have to spend on their children is much lower.
The struggles and the achievements of a single mother cannot be discounted in the society. There are scores of women across the United States of America doing their very Best by themselves to ensure that their children get the best quality of life possible. However, despite the best efforts of a single mom, it often happens that the resources they have and the money they make is not sufficient to sustain an entire family by themselves.
It is for this reason that the government has introduced various grants, schemes, and programs to assist single mothers and make their lives a little bit easier. These grants are usually in the form of financial aid provided by the federal government, the state governments and offices at the County level. Apart from grants provided by governmental and quasi-governmental organizations, hey there are also various types of grants provided by not for profit organizations and charitable agencies. The type of grant provided and the quantum of assistance provided depends upon the particular program in question. For instance, some programs offer emergency cash as a way to assist someone who is having financial troubles.
Another avenue that single mothers usually end up spending a considerable portion of the income is in the education of their children. However, even in this case, there are certain grants provided by the government to help single mothers pay for the education of their children that they do not have to return and for various other purposes, these grants for single moms are really helpful to help single mothers.
Why are grants helpful to single moms?
The life of a single mom can be extremely difficult. They are tasked with the upbringing of their children single-handedly, and usually do not have the resources to lead a comfortable life. Furthermore, emotional support is also denied to single mothers because they have to navigate the tricky process of Parenthood without a partner. This can be extremely tiring and frustrating for single moms who want to give the best life possible to their children. It is for this reason that the government has various subsidy programs and grant programs offered to single moms to ensure that they are protected and that they can bring up their children effectively and without any trouble.
it is important to understand the tough reality that single mothers face and how many struggles they have to overcome to bring their children up well and provide them with the resources that they may need to succeed in the society. It is with this view the government has introduced many schemes and programs to help out single mothers.
Best Available Programs and Grants for Single Mothers
There are various grants and programs available to single mothers. It is, however, important to remember that the eligibility criteria for each of these grants or programs may vary, and it is, therefore, helpful to check as to whether or not you are eligible for a particular program before applying to wait so you are not disappointed in case your application is not approved.
1. The Federal Pell Grant
The federal Pell Grant is provided by the US government to provide educations support to Lu income students. Various costs related to educations, such as the cost of tuition as well as the cost of textbooks is covered under this grant based on certain criteria. Usually, this program grand support in educations so up to 6 years that can be received every academic year. For those single mothers who want to ensure that their children get proper and good educations, this program can be tremendously beneficial. Furthermore, the program is designed in a manner that does not require any repayment of any of the sums granted under this scheme. To apply to this program, an interested party must file the free application as per the instructions provided in the application process, and once such application has been approved, they are likely to receive the grant.
2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Federal Supplemental educational opportunity grant also known as FSEOG is an educational grant specifically designed to provide educational support to undergraduate students. This grant is handled by the financial aid office. A lot of single mothers often are unable to save for the college education of the children. For those who do not have a college fund, or for those who are extremely short on savings, this grant can be tremendously helpful
3. Hardships Grants For Single Moms
As It has been discussed above, single moms go through a variety of hardships to ensure that their children are brought up the right way and have access to the required resources that they may need to be successful in the society. In bringing up the children, single moms often undergo a lot of hardships and sacrifice considerably. It is for this reason that there are hardship grants offered to single mothers for the number of struggles that they undertake to ensure that the lives of their children are not affected.
4. Dental Grants For Single Moms
One of the most ignored aspects of health is your teeth. People take care of the heart, their lungs, etc., but when it comes to their teeth they forget how important it is to take care of them as well. Unfortunately, despite oral hygiene and oral health being extremely important for a healthy life, oral health services can often be expensive and therefore prioritised as not important by families that do not have a high level of disposable income. There are many dental grants available under the Medicaid program for single mothers and those with low levels of income. To apply for this grant, you may be required to visit your dentist and taken oral examination before you are cleared to receive the grant. You can also check various resources online to see what sort of assistance you can receive for your oral health and the health of your children if you are a single mom.
5. Temporary Assistance For Needy Families
Under the TANF program, single moms may be entitled to assistance. The TANF Program or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, as the name suggests is assistance provided to families who need temporary assistance to ensure that their quality of life is not affected and that they remain safe and secure. There are two facets to this grant – namely, the family grant, and the child only grant.
Usually, a sum of $8 per day is granted for a child under this grant for the child only grant. Family grant on the other hand includes expenditures for the whole family, such as food, clothing etc. Usually, the grant is available for 60 months (5 years). Unemployed single mothers with children under the age of 19 are entitled to grants under this scheme.
6. Diversion Cash Assistance
A sum of up to $1000 may be offered as Diversion Cash Assistance to single mothers who are having financial troubles. To know more about the program, one can quickly Google it, and see if they fit its eligibility criteria.
7. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
It is not any sufficient to provide food on the table but it is also important to provide nutritious food especially in the case of growing children. However, hey the problem is that nutritious food can often be extremely expensive and out of the budget of struggling families. It is for this reason that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was introduced to provide nutrition-related assistance for families who cannot afford to buy nutritious food for themselves and their children due to financial limitations. Over 40 million low-income families Across the United States of America are beneficiaries of this program. This program is available to all children below the age of 18. If you are a single mother looking to enrol in this program, you can check out the eligibility criteria and what the process of application is on the website.
8. Women infants and children program
The nutritional requirements of recently pregnant women, women who are lactating, or those who have given birth recently is extremely important. It is for this reason that the Women, Infants, and Children Program was introduced. This hey program is ideal for single moms you have a child under the age of 5. Various types of nutritional assistance such as eggs, vouchers for fruits and vegetables usually up to the sum of $6, and milk are provided. The eligibility criteria for this program is that you have to be under the poverty line.
9. Child Care Assistance Program
One of the things that single mothers trouble the most with is finding somebody to take care of their children while they go to work. They have to go to work because their income is crucial in ensuring a good life for their children. It is for this reason that the childcare assistance program was introduced. Depending on the level of your income, the bar of which varies from state to state, you may be entitled to receive benefits under this program.
10. Child Care Access Means Parents In-School Program
Like it has been stated above, one of the things that most single mom’s struggle with finding somebody to look after their children while they are away at work. It is for this reason that the Child Care Access means Parents in School program was introduced. The program involves providing free childcare to parents who have low levels of income. This program can be of tremendous benefit to single mothers who are looking for a safe and secure location to leave their children when they are working.
11. Section 8 Rental Subsidy
One of the things that single mothers struggle with is finding housing or being able to afford rent every month. The Section 8 program offers rental subsidies to single mothers as well as other vulnerable groups in society. It is important to remember that the eligibility criteria to qualify for this program is that your level of income should be lower hey than the criteria set for the median income of your locality. Up to 70% of your house rent and utilities may be subsidised under this program that you having to bear 30% of the costs only. A lot of single mothers find this program to be extremely helpful.
12. Public Housing Program
If, As a single mom you are unable to afford rent completely, and if you are afraid that you might become homeless, one of the programs you can look into is the public housing program. this program is similarly structured like the Section 8 rental subsidy program but the difference is that the eligibility criteria hey varies based on the level of income that you have. This program is not restricted to single moms alone, but also other vulnerable groups in the society such as the elderly, the homeless, the disabled, and those with low levels of income. applying to the local authority is the first step towards applying for this program.
13. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program offers assistance with utilities where the monthly utility bill is paid directly to the companies charging utility by the federal government under the ambit of this scheme. The first criteria of eligibility under this program is that the level of income of the person applying to this program must not be above 60% of the median income of their locality.
14. Weatherization Assistance Program
if your level of income is 200% below the poverty line, you may be entitled to seek support under this program. Under this program, the USDOE reduces the energy consumption of households, thereby reducing costs by increasing the energy efficiency of the household.
15. Medicaid Health Insurance For The Poor
One of the scariest aspects is having a medical emergency and finding out that you do not have sufficient funds to pay for medical costs and treatment. However, for those extremely low levels of income and for single moms who also have to support their children singlehandedly, it can often be difficult to afford insurance. Therefore, the Medicaid program is helpful for single moms by providing insurance coverage for medical expenses.
16. Children’s Health Insurance Program
Apart from the Medicaid health insurance program, there is also children’s health insurance help provided to single mothers. To be eligible for this program, the child has to be under the age of 18 and must also be uninsured. Furthermore, those applying under this scheme must not be able to afford private insurance coverage. Various costs such as doctor visits, vaccinations, orthodontal, and optical coverage is provided under CHIP.
17. Supplemental Security Income
Single mothers have a single source of income to not just provide for themselves but also for their children. Therefore, to make their lives a little bit easier and to reduce the struggles that they are facing, a Supplemental Security Income scheme has been introduced. One can visit www.ssa.gov to gain more information about this program.
18. Title X: The National Family Planning program
Family Planning services also require money and also require medical assistance in certain cases. it is for this reason that the federal government funds family planning clinics where those low levels of income can enlist help from for lower rates.
19. National School Lunch program
the National School lunch program is specifically designed to help students from low-income households and those who are living below the line of poverty. Under this scheme, students are allowed to purchase nutritious and low-cost meals daily. The criteria to apply for this scheme is that your level of income must be 130% below the line of poverty. This is extremely helpful for children who need access to nutritious food during their formative years.
20. The Emergency Food Assistance Program
This program is a program introduced by the federal government that is designed to provide emergency food assistance to low-income households. To secure help under this program, you might need to be firstly enrolled in the SNAP or TNAF schemes. Secondly, your level of income may also be other eligibility criteria which qualifies you to seek assistance under this scheme.
21. Unemployment Insurance
For those who find themselves unemployed, supporting an entire family can be quite a daunting task. Single moms who do not have access to childcare often have to choose employment even if they do not wish to do so because there is nobody to watch their children. Under this program, a person may qualify for a grant that ranges between 235$ to 795$ weekly. To apply for this program, you will have to approach the state unemployment agency.
22. Paid Family Leave
With working all the time and with taking care of children, a single mom also needs rest and a vacation. This program provides paid family leave to those families eligible under the scheme.
23. Earned Income Tax Credit
Tax credit refers to deductions that are available to the taxpayer under tax law. Tax credit schemes or EITF can help a family save on money by reducing the amount of taxes that they have to pay. If you are a single mom paying taxes, be sure to look into this scheme.
25. Grants for American Indian and Alaska Natives
There are certain grants and program specifically meant for American Indians and Alaskan natives because of the persecution that they faced. You can get more information about such grants on www.nativeonestop.gov.
Some frequently asked questions regarding Grants for single moms
While the previous section covered various grants that are available to single moms, maybe certain questions that may be still pending in the minds of a single mom reading this guide. Here are some of the common questions:
Are there any grants for the purchase of a house?
The Department of Housing or HUD has various programs and assistance schemes provided to those who want to purchase a house. This assistance is not restricted to single moms alone, but also other vulnerable groups in the society such as the elderly, the disabled, and those with low levels of income.
The eligibility criteria for each of these schemes depend upon the scheme itself. Apart from these programs of the government, there are also other not for profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity that provide similar assistance
How can I apply for small business grants for a female-owned business, and by a single mother?
Apart from MNCs and Big Box retails stores, the actual driving forces behind the economy are small businesses. Buying local and from your small businesses is not just an ethical practice, but also ideal from waste and environmental perspective. Various governmental and non-governmental schemes offer at support to single women who are business owners. You can run a search online to find such programs and apply to them based on whether or not you are eligible for it.
How can I, as a single mom get financial help?
One of the most important things to remember is that while there are many schemes and programs available for single moms and single parents to get financial help, the application process must be authentic, correct, and up to date while applying for such assistance. You can look at various programs and schemes that you might be eligible for, and then apply to them with authentic information and with the requisite documentation.
Can I get a grant that helps me with my bills?
Apart from providing housing assistance, rental assistance, and assistance with nutrition and food, there are many programs which also offer help with payment of utilities. Usually, the mode of application to search programs is also similar to getting financial help under any other government scheme or program. First and foremost, check your eligibility, and then apply with correct information and authentic documentation.
Conclusion
While it is true that single mothers often have an extremely difficult life, some various schemes, programs, Grants for single moms are specifically designed in a manner to make their lives easier. Check out various programs and schemes by the government and see if you are eligible for them.
