By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-12-17 11:51:21 | Word Count: 664
Paying for senior care can be difficult in these slumping economic times. With so many people out of work, they can often have trouble paying their own bills, let alone coming up with the finances for senior care. That’s where a grant can be extremely helpful. There are many grants for senior care available, and it’s really just a matter of taking the time to find them and apply for them. However, there aren’t too many grants available to an individual. Someone seeking financial assistance through a grant may be more successful going through an agency or an organization.
Federal grants can meet the needs of seniors in a variety of ways – providing assistance with nutrition, housing or education. A few examples of these grants are:
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* The Capital Assistance Program for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities. This grant program helps meet the transportation needs of seniors and people with disabilities in areas where public transit systems aren’t readily available, or are inappropriate.
* The Foster Grandparent Program. This program gets people who are 60 or older volunteering in their communities. The funds help support programs that provide special needs children with personalized services.
* Mortgage Insurance-Rental Housing for the Elderly. This program helps connect seniors in need with quality rental housing. The funds for this program help mortgage lenders be insured against losses, and increase available rentals to seniors.
* Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. This program provides grants to help seniors aged 55 and older get involved and participate in community service.
How to Apply for a Grant
Just about anyone can apply for a grant, and the application process begins with writing a proposal. You proposal needs to explain specifically why you need the grant, and what you would do with the money should you receive it. The elements of a good grant proposal include:
Research: Make sure you do your homework when you apply for a grant. Understand what the grant is for, when the deadlines for application are, who is providing the grant, etc.
Justification: You need to provide ample justification for why you need this grant. Your intentions need to positively impact the community or target audience in some way, and you need to demonstrate exactly how.
Learn: Invest some time in learning to write an effective proposal. Be sure you do everything you can to compose a professional, clear proposal that will grab the granter’s attention and make them understand you are the one who needs that money the most. You will not be the only one applying for those funds, so it’s important to put your best foot forward to make a good impression. There are many books and resources available that can help you write an outstanding proposal letter. The library may be a good place to start.
Don’t Fall into a Trap
There are many scams out there nowadays, and the world of grants is no exception. Some companies offer assistance with finding a grant for the low price of $50 to $100, but don’t really provide any quality assistance with getting a grant. They will simply give you a list of available grants (which you could’ve found online) or out dated information. Be sure to find a company that offers a money back guarantee and easily accessible customer service should you decide you want help applying for a grant. Also, check their rating with the Better Business Bureau, and see if they have any complaints filed against them.
For more information on funding your senior care and applying for grants, visit www.GeriCareFinder.com.
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Click here to read the rest of Grants for Seniors. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about Senior Care.
