Grants for Individuals

I have found this to be a topic of immense interest in today’s world. I have had an unprecedented number of inquiries from individuals just in the past year. Perhaps this is because more people are daring to “dream their dream” and want to find ways to live it. I think that we as a society are beginning to see more avenues for individual expression. There seems to be a feeling that all things are possible and that the sky is the limit. I see this as a very beneficial thing. However, the grant world has not yet caught up with this new trend. Grant opportunities for individuals are very few in number.

On the face of it, this is probably because funding agencies feel that making grants to individuals raises a heightened risk of funds being misappropriated. The lack of financial controls and checks and balances in this type of situation has caused grant makers to become somewhat nervous and leery. I can well understand this.

The vast majority of grants available in this category come in the form of scholarships or fellowships. A significant portion of the remaining grants is given to researchers who often must be affiliated with a university or other research institution in order to qualify for funds. The only way that requirement can be avoided would be if the researcher was of such significant standing that this affiliation was considered unnecessary.

Most of the grants remaining after scholarships, fellowships, and research grants are deducted from the equation are given to support creative projects, primarily in the arts or in writing. It is very difficult to take the time to write or create art while working full time. However, most individuals undertaking this type of work are forced to fit it in around other obligations, which include making a living. Of course, there are the lucky few who are able to support themselves in this fashion once they become established. I once talked to an author who had written a book which was quite popular in certain circles. He was interested in finding a source of income to support him while he was writing the second book, as he was finding it almost impossible to juggle the intense research schedule for the book with another job. Despite an exhaustive search, he was unable to find a grant to help him. This example shows the scarcity of support for talented, creative individuals.

There are two very simple ways to check the available grants for individuals. Grants.gov gives information on grants available to individuals from the federal agencies which participate in this initiative. The Foundation Center provides a reasonably priced subscription to an online database which deals only with grants to individuals. I am unaware of any search mechanism which tracks state grants for individuals. In this case, the applicant would have to go his or her state web site and review the guidelines for every grant which looks as if it would be suitable for the activity in question.

In order to find grants for individuals on Grants.gov, go to the website (www.grants.gov) and click on “Find Grant Opportunities” on the left-hand side of the home page. At that point, click on “Advanced Search” and search by applicant eligibility. One of the choices here is “individual”. The searcher can further narrow the request by specifying either open opportunities, closed opportunities or archived opportunities. One of the reasons to check closed and archived opportunities is to become aware of grant opportunities which may be available in the future. Many programs are only open for applications once a year. It is possible that a very promising program may have just closed the application period, but will become available again. I would recommend that the individual interested in government grants check Grants.gov every two weeks or so. This is due to the fact that funding opportunities may be open for only a short time. The searcher may also specify the funding activity categories or funding type (grant, cooperative agreements, procurement contract, or other).

The individual seeker of grants from foundations may access the Foundation Center’s database by going to http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/fundingsources/gtio.html. The best bet is to purchase a one-month subscription for $19.95. Most people would be able to research and save information on opportunities of interest to them within the thirty- day period. Other options are to purchase a three-month subscription for $36.95 or a one- year subscription for $99.95. Generally, the one-year subscription is most useful to organizations which counsel individuals on a continuous basis, such as university career centers.

This subscription will enable the individual to receive quarterly updates, daily search tips and links to free web resources. There are a variety of search options, including the foundation city and state, the foundation name, the field of interest, geographic areas served, place of support, and a text search. Subscribers to the general database of foundations can also search for grants to individuals.