Individuals can get grants too: Here’s what you need to know
While most of our work at Professional Grant Writers concentrates on grants for nonprofits, there are circumstances where individuals can pursue grant funding. Artists, researchers, small business owners, and more can apply for grants without being part of a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
That being said, the system for applying for grants as an individual can differ from the processes nonprofits usually go through. And there are usually fewer grant opportunities available to individuals than nonprofits. In fact, most foundations (the most commonly sought source for nonprofit grants) do not give grants to individuals and they expressly forbid individuals from applying for their grants.
Still, there are thousands of opportunities out there for individual grant seekers, and the approach will differ for each type.
Grants for artists
Artist grants are one of the most common types of grants for individuals. Artists can seek grants for artists-in-residence programs, attendance to artists colonies and other training, or for professional development.
Grants for researchers
Research grants are also common, though most are done through a college or university, which makes it easier to obtain grant funding. Nonprofits may also be able to act as fiscal sponsors for individual researchers. Fellowships are also a common source for researcher grants.
Grants for students
Grants and scholarships are readily available for students looking to fund a degree or a special project like study abroad, though there are scams out there you need to watch out for. If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
Grants for personal needs
There’s a long list of “personal needs” that people seek out grants to help with. Unfortunately, there are tons of scams associated with funding personal needs like medical bills and home mortgage payments. Most assistance in these areas will come from charitable organizations in the form of direct service, rather than a cash payment. We do not recommend that individuals spend time and effort seeking out grants for this type of assistance.
How to identify grant opportunities
Nonprofits have the luxury of access to a handful of databases that house nearly all the grant opportunities out there. Individuals will have to look at multiple sources, too many to list here. Professional Grant Writers does provide grant prospect research (the process of identifying grant opportunities) as a service for nonprofits and individuals alike.
If you need help finding a grant, or writing or editing a proposal for an individual grant, reach out to us for a quote. We’re also happy to point you in the right direction if you have questions or need more information about this type of funding.
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