Government Grants for Felons

We could all agree that life is not an easy conquer. Things go disarray, conflicts that always left underhanded which led us are more conflicting problems and situations we cannot unravel from. Mistakes happen and no matter how big, small, or insignificant it is—we are prone to make it.

Some mistakes are bigger than others, some may be more acceptable, but the only thing that matters is how forgiveness, hope, and second chances are always on the table—except if your actions are purely inconsiderable.

Getting Back On Your Feet

Think, for example, you have had your share of grievances and you got penalized for it. After spending your sentence and years in a prison cell, you can finally get out and continue living your life.

Even if you wanted to attain a normal life, get a decent paying job just enough for you or your family’s living expenses, and you hope that you could get back on your feet and start all over again; you might have considerable deep trouble. Felons—like you—tend to be judged by the people and society. With this, it might be hard for you to get a decent job.

Of course, it is quite understandable for people, businesses, enterprises, corporations, or any hiring institutions to be wary of having an ex-convict or felon in their workforce. It could build unsolicited fear in their employees, it could taint the reputation of their company, and it could deteriorate the integrity that they have in their consumer’s or client’s point of view of their company.

Of course, other corporations welcome people who wanted to start anew and change their lives but it is once in a blue moon in every industry—not to mention that there is enough competition for the job openings.

Going Back To Old Ways

Now, consider all of this, you might be thinking that there is no room for felons like you in the corporate world. This mindset is also the main reason why instead of getting their life straight, felons and ex-convicts are ending up in jail for the same reason or either a different illegal venture.

They are thinking that there is no hope left for them inside the legal and decent world because there is no opportunity left for them to grab. Virtue alone cannot feed hungry stomachs, and that is the reason why people are in and out of jail. But let us be honest, it is impossible for a sector or group of people to not have opportunities for them out there.

Substance abusers have free state-funded rehabilitation centers that could help them. They have job openings and charity drives for the homeless.

Even people with no way of helping themselves like disabled and abandoned people have programs on:

They just have to look for it. It is there on the market, and they just have to move their feet and make an extreme effort to seek help for themselves.

Federal Grant

One way to do this is by applying for a Federal Pell Grant. Pell grants are a subsidy of the U.S. government to provide financial education aid for students who could qualify for the requirements they need.

A felon is not an exception to this financial education aid opportunity from the government, most importantly if the felon does not have the means to have a decent education, especially in college.

Important Information Regarding A Pell Grant

1 Pell Grants are usually given to undergraduate students who wanted to continue and have their bachelor’s and professional’s degree.

2 Being that you are a felon and you have been in prison, you may have limited legibility for the student loan, but with proper filing and good statistics, you might be able to land into Pell Grant.

3 You just have to keep in mind that you will have to be good and not land into trouble again, or else you will not further with your grant and you will become illegible for it.

4 Any conviction of offense subjecting to involuntary civil commitment upon completion of a period of incarceration of your offense would disable you to receive Federal Pell Grant.

Earn Extra Income

If you are not interested in a Federal Pell Grant or any grants targeted to aid you with your education, then you must be thinking of finding a job to earn money.

Now, this may be tricky and vigorous to find financial aid grants and services invested with convicted felons and ex-convicts like yourself, but you can always take a look with federal grants and government-approved loans to help you with a small business venture enough for you and your family’s daily expenses since landing on a decent paying job might be tougher than getting a grant; given consideration with the criminal record you have.

Some of the most common jobs for felons include:

Enhancing Skills

Learning a skill of two inside your correctional facility might not hurt. This could even be an opportunity to have your own business. You could also build on the skills you currently have. Some of these would not cost much; with a generous market and enough resources, you might not even need to apply for any grant at all.

Also, local communities could have livelihood programs that would teach you and guide you into your prospective business venture which are commonly distributed and offered by the local government, non-government organizations that aim to give aid to felons and other people who lack capabilities and resources, and even churches and religious groups.

Look into these opportunities not just to score skills but to generate and create a market or support if you are planning to have a business for yourself.

Some of these skills include:

Business Aids

The only problem is that might be difficult for felons to qualify for business grants. However, there are still agencies and organizations that might still be able to lend a hand. Small Business Administration has their SBA Microloan program. This is intended to aid small business ventures to make their business idea into reality. They cater to felons in their program as well.

Of course, you might need to pass certain criteria. You should have a good credit history. Secondly, you need collateral to assure them they will not just give away their money without security. You also need a really solid business plan certain enough to earn adequate profit to pay for the loan.

The only downside of this SBA Microloan program is that they could only offer to lend you $50,000. You will have to use this money to jumpstart your business. This will give you a refreshing new life. There are also other non-profitable organizations with a pure purpose to help felons to start their own business.

You just have to look at the market and you will be able to get in touch with them. Visit websites and surf the internet to know about more loans and grants legible for your current situation.

Conclusion

This, accompanied by courage and effort, may help you turn your life upside down. There are always people out there who would want to help you and be successful in life. You just have to get out in the world and take a shot.