Free Grants - Don't Take Them For Grant-ed

FREE GRANTS Never Repay, acceptance guaranteed. Government and private sources $500 to $5,000. Education, home repairs, home purchase, business, non-profits. Phone live operators 9am to 9pm. Monday thru Saturday 1-800-123-4567, ext. [xxx]

The ads claim that you will qualify to receive a Free Grant for your education, your home repairs, your home business, or your unpaid bills. They say your application is guaranteed to be accepted, and you never have to repay the money. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, warns that "money for nothing" grant offers often are a scam: the grant isn't free, it isn't guaranteed, and often, it isn't even available to you.

Some scam artists market Free Grants in classified ads, inviting consumers to call a toll free number. If you call, a representative of the company will ask you some basic questions to determine if you qualify to receive a grant: What's your address? How long have you lived at this address? Do you have a bank account or do you have at least $150 in your account at this time? The representative may ask you to hold while your eligibility is determined. After she congratulates you on your eligibility, she will ask you to pay a one time processing fee that can range from $95 to $200. If you question this fee, she will reassure you that the grant is guaranteed, and that if you're not satisfied, you'll get a refund. However, she won't offer to tell you all the conditions for a refund.

The processing fee supposedly covers finding a grant source and sending you the appropriate application package in the mail. But, you won't receive an application or a source. Rather, you will get a list of agencies and foundations to which you must write and request an application. This information is available at no cost at any public library or on the Internet.

Most sources of grant money don't give grants to individuals for personal need. Grants usually are given to serve a social good, such as bringing jobs to an area, training under employed youth, preserving a bit of history, funding soup kitchens or art museums, or researching medical issues. If you ask an agency or foundation for money for personal use, you probably won't get it, even if you are financially needy. And you're not likely to get a refund from the grant broker because the conditions for a refund are nearly impossible to meet: you usually have to apply and be denied by each source on the list within 90 days.

If you're thinking about applying for a grant, remember that the applications are available to you for free and that anyone who guarantees you a grant is likely to be interested in their own financial gain, not yours. If you think you may have been a victim of a grant scam, file a complaint with the FTC.

Herb Williams is webmaster for money-from-grants.com.Everything you want to know about grants, but don't know who to ask.www.money-from-grants.com will open up new channels of information for you.

Hot Topics In Education

    Home Schooling Advantages vs. Disadvantages

    Home schooling is an option that is becoming more attractive to parents as time goes on. Schools have become increasingly unstable over the past couple of decades. Children roam the hallways unchecked...

    Homeschooling With a Packaged Curriculum

    Once the decision is made to homeschool, the next major issue is which curriculum or methodology to use. While there are pros and cons for every option, this article will focus on homeschooling with a...

    Teen Books About Learning Disabilities

    Learning disabled children aren't the only ones with books targeted toward them. A growing number of resources for teens have been made available in recent years as well. The teenage years are often t...

    What Every Parent Needs To Know About Teaching Kids Math

    So you want to help your kids with their math homework? Or try to get them a little bit more interested in this important subject?

    Excellent. Just make sure you don't inadvertently make things worse...

    How To Avoid The Most Common College Scholarship Mistakes

    Every semester college students all across the country are pursuing scholarship money to help pay for their college education. Some are very successful in getting scholarships, and others aren't. So h...

    How Much Does Homeschooling Cost?

    You'll definitely find that homeschooling entails more expense than conventional public schooling, but also that it will cost considerably less than the annual $2,000 to $10,000 per child that private...

    Distance Learning Schools

    If you are seeking a way to improve your financial outlook through higher education, but can't conform to a traditional college class schedule, Distance Learning Schools may be just the ticket you nee...

    Making a Career of Your Love for Children - Foster Care Distance Learning Program

    A foster care distance learning program opens up exciting careers in childcare and foster parenting. If you love children and would like to spend your time with them, your love can become an exciting ...

    Encouraging Your Loved One To Finish Their High School Education

    Regardless of the situation, it is hard to watch a loved one throw their future away.

    When you see a loved one end their high school education, it is a difficult thing to watch. Especially when it i...

    History of Distance Learning

    The history of distance learning can be traced back to the 1890's. Distance education was then known as correspondence course. The University of Wisconsin was the pioneer in this venture supported by ...

    The Changing World Of Online Education

    The way we learn is changing faster than ever before. With the Internet, digital libraries and online encyclopedias it seems as if all the world's information is at our finger tips. This makes learnin...

    Online Master's Degree

    Online masters?degree program courses are available for those students who need the flexibility of a web environment in order to balance family, work and educational responsibilities simultaneously. O...

Most Recent Education Supplements

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Education Blogs:

Releated to Education:

Education Links:

Education Education Rss feeds.