Federal, state, and foundation grant programs in the United States span dozens of agencies and thousands of individual opportunities. This page is a map of the major grant programs available in 2026 — what they fund, who is eligible, where to apply, and how to avoid the scams that orbit them. For a deeper dive on any one program, follow the links to the dedicated page.
Federal grant programs by purpose
Most federal "grants for individuals" are concentrated in three buckets: education, housing, and disaster recovery. Federal grants for businesses are narrower than the marketing suggests — most "business funding" comes through SBA loans, not grants. Research, agriculture, and arts grants are funded by specialized agencies.
Education
- Pell Grant — up to $7,580 for the 2026–27 award year for undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. Apply via the FAFSA.
- FSEOG — campus-based supplemental aid, $100–$4,000 per year at participating colleges.
- TEACH Grant — up to $4,000/yr for students who agree to teach a high-need subject at a low-income school after graduation (converts to a loan if the service is not completed).
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant — for students whose parent or guardian died in U.S. military service.
Housing and community development
- Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher — HUD-funded rental subsidy administered by local public housing authorities.
- CDBG and HOME — block grants distributed by states and cities for affordable housing and homebuyer assistance.
- USDA Rural Development — Single Family Housing Repair Grants (Section 504), rural rental assistance, and rural business development grants.
Disaster recovery
- FEMA Individual Assistance — direct aid to households after a presidentially declared disaster.
- SBA disaster loans — low-interest loans (not grants) for homeowners, renters and businesses in declared disaster areas.
Business
- SBA programs — 7(a), 504, microloans up to $50,000, and SBIR/STTR research grants (Phase I ~$314k, Phase II ~$2.1M).
- USDA Rural Business Development Grants — small, competitive grants for rural-area businesses and cooperatives.
Research, arts and humanities
- National Science Foundation (NSF), NIH, NEA, and NEH fund competitive research and arts/humanities awards to institutions and qualifying individuals.
State grant programs
Every state administers its own student-aid agency and channels federal block grants (LIHEAP, TANF, CCDF, CDBG, HOME, WIOA) into state-specific programs. See the state grants hub for guides to each state's portal, including California, Texas, Florida, New York, and all other states.
Foundation and private grant programs
Private foundations, corporate giving programs and donor-advised funds collectively distribute tens of billions of dollars each year. The largest are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations. See foundation grants for an overview of how foundation funding works and how to search Candid (formerly Foundation Center) for opportunities.
How to apply
- Identify the right program. Federal grants are searchable at grants.gov. Student aid programs require the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.
- Get the credentials you need. For business grants on grants.gov you need a SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Individuals applying for FAFSA-based grants only need an FSA ID.
- Read the program's notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) carefully — eligibility, match requirements, allowable costs, and deadlines vary widely.
- Apply through the official portal. Federal programs are on grants.gov, FAFSA on studentaid.gov, SBA on sba.gov, FEMA on disasterassistance.gov. State agencies have their own portals.
- Track and report. Most grants require post-award reporting; build the reporting timeline into your calendar before you accept funds.
Common questions
Are there federal grants to pay off personal debt or monthly bills? No. There is no federal grant program that pays personal credit-card debt, rent, mortgages, or general living expenses. Programs like LIHEAP, SNAP, and Medicaid provide targeted assistance for energy, food, and health costs — see pay monthly bills for an honest mapping.
How long does a federal grant application take? Pell applications via FAFSA are typically processed in 3–5 days. Competitive federal grant programs on grants.gov take 3–6 months or longer from deadline to award.
Do I have to repay a grant? Most grants do not require repayment if you meet the program's terms. The TEACH Grant converts to a loan if the service commitment is not met. Federal Pell Grants must be repaid only if you withdraw from school early or receive an over-award.
Where do I report grant scams? Report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the agency that supposedly issued the grant. The U.S. government never charges a fee to apply for or accept a grant; any "processing fee," "release fee," or "guarantee fee" is a scam.
Use this page as a starting point and then drill into the program-specific pages — each one has the current 2026 figures, the official agency link, and the application steps for that program.