How to Find Grants for Veterans

Don’t Miss Out On These Incredible College Grants For Veterans

(UnitedReader.com) – Veterans risk their lives to protect the country they call home and the ideals they believe in. Unfortunately, even after giving everything they have, these heroes often return broken people who need time to transition back into civilian life. Veterans sometimes don’t get the attention and respect they deserve or the help they need, but there are ways they can help themselves.

Grants for Veterans

There is no shortage of options when it comes to grants available for veterans. The needs of each individual determine where they can get the best assistance. Grants aren’t a guarantee, as veterans have to compete to get them, but funding exists for help with housing, financial relief, education and more.

Education for Veterans

There are plenty of options for veterans to earn education grants. Federal and state governments offer grant opportunities along with private organizations and foundations. One of the best examples of a federal grant is the Pell Grant, which can offer funding for education, but a veteran’s taxable income can easily disqualify them if it’s higher than the grant allows. Exceptions exist, such as for people in combat zones who qualify for tax exemptions.

State programs, such as the Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) or the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), also provide funding for veteran education. The TVC does so through the Hazelwood Act, providing veterans and their families up to 150 hours of tuition exemptions in higher education providers in Texas. Veterans can apply for the IVG after they’ve filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); the program will pay all tuition for any approved colleges or universities.

Foundations focused on furthering veteran education also offer scholarships, which can function like grants under the right circumstances. Some of these institutions include the Folds of Honor Foundation, Green Beret Foundation Heroes’ Legacy and Navy League. The Military Officers Association of America also offers scholarships, grants and loans.

Note that grants are not the same as loans. The latter requires that the borrower repay the debt over time, while grants don’t require repayment of any kind.

Housing Veterans

Unlike education grants for veterans, there are few options available for housing. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does offer two crucial programs in the Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA) and the Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH), but these are only available to service-related disabled veterans.

State governments are often in charge of other programs. Any veteran can search for available housing programs by visiting their state’s official website. There aren’t many private housing grants available, but emergency-based assistance from the Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society, Navy-Marine Relief Society and similar organizations can often help veterans meet their housing costs.

Financial Assistance

In order for veterans to be eligible for financial assistance from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Unmet Needs Program, they need to fall under the following criteria:

Applicants must suffer financial hardship as a direct result of service-based injuries or illness.
They must provide all up-to-date bills due.
Legal, domestic or civil issues cannot be the reason for financial hardship; the issue must be due to military pay error, medical discharge or current deployment.
Applicants must have been discharged after September 11, 2001.

The Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society and others, while not necessarily grants, can also provide financial relief. The first place veterans should check for financial assistance is with their state and local governments to see if they offer any relief programs.

Military veterans give their lives for their country, so they shouldn’t have to suffer from financial hardships, homelessness and hunger. They deserve higher education and opportunities to live normal lives.