If you’re interested in finding grants to help you as a single parent, the first thing that you need to do is to understand the purpose of a grant, and what it can and can’t do for you.  In general, a grant is defined as money disbursed by one organization for use by another party- but the definition can be misleading.  I would add to this definition that grants are cause-oriented, but are one step removed from the actual process of effecting that cause.

Now, what this means is that typically funders will have a stated funding mission, for instance to increase literacy in public schools in New York; Now, while this is their funding mission, they generally will not give money directly to students to buy books.  They fund church organizations, parent groups, etc, that are active in the community teaching kids to read.  This funding behavior means that it is difficult (though not impossible) to win a grant as a single parent.

If you are interested in winning some grant money, I suggest you begin to think of yourself as part of a larger cause.  For instance, if you need assistance in providing food for your family, there are probably other single parents in your area that are in your situation.

If you can find a way go get together with them and serve the greater good of your neighborhood, you stand a much better chance of winning a grant to help.  Maybe you call up some local restaurants that are willing to donate surplus food.  You can schedule parents to go to the restaurant in the evening, pick up the food, and deliver it to themselves and the other families in need.  If you can get 5 or 10 families involved, the actual time commitment would be minimal, and this would be the type of effort a grantmaker would be very attracted towards, because it addresses a community need- there is even government assistance for single mothers that is geared towards exactly this purpose.

I hope this article gives you some ideas about how to pursue single parent grants most effectively- best of luck in your search.