Both scholarships and grants are types of financial aid to pay for college, they’re not the same. Grants are a form of financial aid, based on need, which you do not have to repay. Grants are generally awarded by federal and state governments for students attending colleges, career schools, and universities. Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. There are a variety of grant resources online and and many are outlined below. For scholarships go to Fastweb, which matches students to scholarship and internship opportunities.
Information on Grants
What Should I Know About Education Grants?
Information on how to get and manage a grant from US Department of Education.
Department of Education Overview of Education Grants
Outline of the three types of grants offered by the US Department of Education.
Federal Pell Grants
The Pell Grant is a federally funded grant program that has been around since 1965. The program today is bigger than ever, in dollars awarded and students helped. With the release of the 2025-2026 FAFSA® form in December 2024, the Department of Education has provided the Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts so institutions may inform students and families about their eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant. All 2025-2026 Federal Pell Grant awards must be based on these amounts. Pell Grant eligibility will be linked to family size and the federal poverty level, expanding access to federal student aid. Pell recipients may receive more aid, some will receive the maximum Pell Grant.
Public Law 118-158, the American Relief Act, provides further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes. Under these continuing appropriations, for the 2025-2026 award year, the maximum Pell Grant award remains fixed at $7,395. Find out more about the Pell Grant and all Federal Grants:
- Pell Grants 101: Everything You Need to Know
- 2025-2026 Federal Pell Grant Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts
- Federal Student Grant Programs
Resources for Grants
Sam.Gov (Federal Contractor Registry)
Sam.gov is the official U.S. government website for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. It hosts the CFDA, a searchable directory of federal programs that provide assistance benefits to the American public. Many grant programs are listed.
Funding Information Portal (UNC Chapel Hill, Office of Research Services)
This gopher uses WAIS to provide full-text searching of nearly 10,000 documents from major funding sources. Also provides information about programs sponsored by NSF and NIH and free access to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA).
Government Grants
HHS Grants & Contracts
This gopher provides information about grant opportunities at the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Georgia HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program
The Georgia HOPE Scholarship (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) provides grants for tuition and fees and books for Georgia residents at public and private colleges in Georgia.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Provides information about NIH grants and contracts, among other topics.
Office of the Federal Register (OFR)
This gopher provides access to the daily table of contents of the Federal Register and other OFR information.
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant to college students that agree to serve students from low-income school districts.
Miscellaneous Grant-Related Resources
AHSL Grant Resources Guide
This web page is the online Guide to Funding Information of the Arizona Health Sciences Library. It includes pointers to a few health-related resources.
International and Research Exchange Board (IREX)
IREX promotes scholarly interaction between more than 100 countries.
Grant Focused Publishers
Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Chronicle of Philanthropy covers news about gifts and grants and includes a list of application deadlines. The emphasis is on fundraising and giving for nonprofit organizations, but some scholarship and fellowship programs may be included.
Philanthropy News Digest
An archive of past issues of Philanthropy News Digest, a weekly publication of the Foundation Center.
