Grants for single parents provide peace of mind
December 31, 2012
Taking out loans is not an option for some single parents who are already stretched thin financially. Whether people have a lack of credit or just can't add another payment to monthly bills, scholarships and grants for single parents provide the kind of funding moms need to go back to school without the stipulation of repayment. That's what makes these such desirable options, but grants may have benefits over scholarships for moms in need.
Grants versus scholarships
A scholarship is money that goes right to the school to pay for books, tuition and other school-related expenses. Heading back to the classroom will have than more expenses just that, however. Paying for daycare, more gas usage and less opportunity to work will create even greater difficulties, keeping some moms from heading back to school at all.
Fortunately, as the Single Parent Help Center wrote, there are grants for single parents that provide money to moms without the stipulation of academic use. These funds are meant to be applied to anything and everything associated with getting into college, so paying for transportation, child care, food and other bills are all part of that equation. Some grants are larger than others, but these awards are meant to relieve the overall burden that being in school will create. Plus, since these funds never have to be repaid, moms don't need to feel guilty about accepting these awards.
Where and when it's needed
One such grant program, the Phillips Charitable Organizations (PCO), recently gave away six major grants for single parents. The PCO targets women in extreme financial need as they work to meaningfully improve their situations. The women who received these grants are military moms, women with severe illness and those struggling to overcome personal hardship, all of whom are united by their quest for higher education. Some are even expecting more children in the near future, meaning their need for out-of-pocket expense coverage will be even greater than what it is now.
The PCO and other similar foundations understand that moms will be going through financial difficulties beyond just paying for textbooks. Grants for single parents provide the peace of mind these individuals need in order to validate going back to school for themselves, as well as ensure that there will be enough money for the essentials. Without these kinds of programs, it may be that fewer parents would be able to make it to class every semester.
