About StateGrantsGuide
StateGrantsGuide maps the government-funded assistance each US state runs for homebuyers, small businesses, households facing energy bills, families with children and people in training.
Most federal assistance money reaches people through state agencies, and each state chooses its own program names, income limits, benefit amounts and application steps. The same help can be called CalWORKs in one state and Family Investment Program in another, with limits that differ by thousands of dollars. We bring those rules together in one consistent format: 6 categories, one guide per state, each naming the actual programs and the official place to apply. We currently publish 300 guides and 50 state hubs.
StateGrantsGuide is an independent publication. We are not a government agency, a lender or a grant-writing service, and we do not take applications or sell access to programs.
How we research
Every guide is written from the agencies that run the programs: their program rules, income limit charts, state plans submitted to federal agencies, and official application portals. We do not rely on third-party summaries or other guides.
- Exact names and figures. Program names, income limits, benefit amounts and credit score minimums are given as the agency publishes them, with the program year they apply to.
- A source for every figure. Each fact a reader might act on is tied to a numbered source listed under “Verified resources” at the end of the guide, with the date we checked it.
- Honest gaps. When a state has no program of a kind, has closed a program or has run out of funds, the guide says so and points to what is available instead.
- Regular re-checks. Every guide is reviewed at least every 180 days and when limits change, for example when new income limits or LIHEAP benefit tables are published.
A guide is a starting point. The agency’s own rules decide eligibility, and they can change between our reviews.
How to avoid grant scams
Government assistance is free to apply for. Anyone who asks for a fee to “unlock” a grant, guarantees approval, or contacts you first by phone or social media offering free government money is not a government agency. Apply only through the official sites listed in each guide, most of which end in .gov. You can report grant scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Corrections
If you find an error or an outdated figure, use the “Report an error” link at the end of any guide or contact us. We check every report against the agency’s source, correct the guide when needed and record the change on the page.
Publisher
The company that publishes StateGrantsGuide is identified in our privacy policy. You can reach us at [email protected].