You have served your time and now you just want to get on with your life. That is quite understandably but many felons find themselves in a financial situation after they have served their time. Some felons want to go back to school while others want to start a business. Luckily for felons, you can apply for grants for felons which would help you reach your endeavors. Applying for grants should be your first choice rather than applying for loans. This is because loans must be repaid while grants do not.
If you plan on going back to school to get higher education, then you should apply for the Pell grant for felons. You have to fill out the FAFSA in order to get this grant. The grant is given based on your income and assets. The government will calculate your income and assets and determine whether or not you get any money. The amount of money you get also ranges depending on how much money you currently make. There is a question on the FAFSA which asks if you ever been convicted of drug charges. As long as you complete a drug rehabilitation program then you do not have to answer yes to that question.
For felons that wish to start a business, getting capital is a priority. You may want to check out grants.gov to see what types of business grants for felons are available. This database basically has all kinds of federal grants so take your time and find the one for you. Another way of getting grants is by contacting organizations that help felons. The key to getting grants is to apply to as many as you can. In this way you are heightening your chances of getting money.
Finally, if you cannot seem to find money from the government or from organizations, you can always ask your family and friends. Do not discount them just because you know them. They may be more than willing to help.
I served 8 years in federal prison and wanted to go back to school for cosmetology. So I filled out my fafsa and received around $8500. That paid half of my class and I had to take out loans to pay the rest. I am still applying for grants and loans as I find them but so far haven't had any luck. But I still consider it a blessing that I can go to school and not owe the whole $17000!! Don't give up!
ReplyDeletei am going to school for the same thing & as i type, i am searching for a grant to help me also... was ur $8500 what the school help u get or just you on your own?
Deletewere do I go to apply for grants for felons. Is there grants to get on your feet. I have a small income but struggling looking for work. I don't know were to look so though I ask here.
DeleteStart with the source of your interest. What is it that you're looking to do. Start your own business, go back to school etc. In terms of school, your academic advisor should and can direct you to a "Pell Grant" School grants do not need to be paid back. However, student loans are a different story. Getting a grants for starting your own business, the Better Business Bureau has some information available but it is a long process to complete so thinking ahead would help. I can advise you to consider what course of action you would fall back on if your intended business has financial instability. Good luck!
DeleteI am 30 y.o.a. and am a convicted sex offender (offense happened when I was 19 and the victim was 15, non force able- not rape)who spent 7 years and 3 months in prison and am currently going on my 3rd of 6 years probation. That being said, I was able to get pell grant and was also provided with financial help through a federally funded state program here in Florida. All total I think I got assistance for around 20-25,000 total. That is for 2 years of college and I earned my degree in Civil Engineering. Now, be advised that many professions require a certain standard from their professionals. I will never get my P.E. (professional engineering certification- an industry licensing requirement) but that wont stop me from being able to get a good high paying job as an engineer in a firm. That is not all. I have gained so much respect from EVERYONE who knows me and knows about my situation and they all know I am bound for greatness. I can't say I did it on my own, through God all things are possible and to Him be the glory. I had it in me to do this and I went for it and with God's help I made it!!! I know that most can't or won't chose engineering as their profession but there is something out there that you can do and could get a higher education to add to your world experience and give you credentials that separate you from the crowd. I have succeeded to also become a member of the industries finest members only Society- ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers). I know that felons are usually given the worst jobs and considered "ditch diggers" but you can break through that stigma if you are willing to work very hard and set your goals higher than you ever would have thought possible and if you stick with it you can overcome! I am living proof and there are places you can get assistance from but you have to have luck and determination to get what you need to succeed. If you are a praying person and believe in God, I say turn to Him to make your paths straight as he has done for me. I wish all of you the best and I will one day be able to help thousands of ex-felons gain focus and determination to succeed with their lives. Good luck, I hope this story has helped you and encourages you to do more with what you are given. Take action now because only you can make a difference in your life. God Bless!
ReplyDelete~Scott
Thank you is all I can say, if u have not reached or inspired millions you have inspired me, God Bless You.. and Thanks again
Deletemotivation and inspiration I need right now! I've been home from a fed and state bid 4 9 months and the stress is my worst obstacle. everything it seems is a roadblock but I'm determined to succeed in spite of societies views of me. I was really looking 4 grants 2 go back 2 school but while I'm at it where can felons get housing? I work fulltime but am denied a place for me and my family to live because I'm a felon
Deletethanks 4 that motivation. I was really looking 4 help with school but my main obstacle now is housing. i keep getting denied a place 4 me and my family to live because I'm a felon and my p.o won't allow me to stay with my fiance because she's in gov. housing.
DeleteMan, you said it bud. Cause I know that I have felony hindering me from getting a job. Poor choices and not focusing on the Lord have left me where I am at. I can blame nobody but myself for my actions. I got into trouble back in 2008 with drugs. Wasn't much, but enough to get a felony out of it. I have three children, and my wife left me because I can't find a job. It's been a long and hard road, but I'm learning by my mistakes, and focusing on God now. I'm going to apply for a grant so I can go back to school. I need to show my kids, and my wife, that through God, all things are possible. I know that if I put the Lord first, he will help me get on the right track. Please keep me in your prayers! To God be the glory!
DeleteGod bless you Scott! You are an inspiration!
DeleteGreat story Scott,,,God is good
Deletesame situation can you advise me where to look please.
Deletetimes sure have changed. we were all banging girls in high school they could put my whole town in prison. thats what "creating jobs" means
DeleteThank you Scott. I needed that.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to get help to go back to school for over 5 years. I read all these testimonials of felons getting financial help all the time, but after 5 years of trying, I'm thinking I am the rarity. I have filled out FAFSA every year hoping it might work out, but alas, nothing. I have written more letters and papers to people I don't know than I ever did in high school. My felony is not drug related, is not a violent crime, and was over 13 years ago. I did my time and paid my debt, yet I still feel like society judges me and looks down on me.
ReplyDeleteI can't even seem to get into my local tech school. The lady in admissions is really getting tired of seeing my face every enrollment cycle. She really did try to help in the beginning and really got me optimistic about my situation.
Don't get me wrong, I screwed up so many years ago and owe up to it openly. I just wish I could go back to school so I can learn a trade so I don't have to work at McD's for the rest of my life.
I'm sure this will not get me anywhere, but it makes me feel better to vent it out.
Congrats to those that were able to overcome, never give up to those still struggling, and here's to hoping the door will open for me some day.
Hard work and diligence will pay off, or so I'm told.
-Robert-
Robert I am a board member for the organization mind your business we
Deletework with ex convicts transitioning back to society. The ceo is Mel Williams however email me with your email info I will make sure you are contacted. My email is ladyg2u@yahoo.com.
I had to contact my loan servicer & make 9 consecutive payments of 38$ a month, then I was made eligible for financial aid. Although it seems a lot when you hardly have any to spare, look at it as an investment in your future. I am currently in my 2nd year , working towards a psychology degree. Many people will tell you no, keep pursuing the positive and show the world that change is possible. Good luck in your endeavors!
Deletei need help, back in 2006 i was in college by getting help from finacial aid. then i ended up going to prison. well ive tried going back but it seems that the fafsa gave the school more money than i was approved for the school not knowing spent it all. now i have to pay over a 1000$ before i can get help again. only problem is being convicted of manufacturing meth noone really wants to hire an exfelon/addict when someone without a background is also applying. any way to get help paying that back or another way to go back to school?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fortunesociety.org/
ReplyDeleteI do not know if they can help, but they will likely be able to point to an agency where you live. as far as working, unfortunately, especially for those of us with felonies, we must sacrifice even more than most. If you can remove even $10 of expense from your budget and put it towards paying the $1000 loan, do whatever you can. Take on a second job part time doing whatever you can to earn a little more to pay it off. It may seem like a lot when you make minimum wage, but really $1000 is not a huge sum. I have been paying restitution for over 12 years! The only reason I am on probation yet, its been extended numerous times, is because it is not paid off. I have under $15,000 to go and I am EXCITED!! Generally I pay $50 a week, which is painful to do. But it will be paid at some point, and hell its only money, I always make more. (you have to be able to laugh) I have received grants to go to school, the first time I quit because I couldn't keep it up. I am going back and I am going for my bachelor of science in psychology! I know I can do it. I will just be broke for 4 more years. I would be broke anyways, so why not do something for myself for once?
I encourage all of you to research, ask for help, go to the programs, meetings, ANYTHING (legal) to find ways to get grants and even loans, JUST DONT QUIT! I regret it every day. I would be making about $70 -100,000 a year now if I would not have quit! My restitution would be paid and I wouldnt wonder how I am going to pay the rent, electric, water, food.... sigh. Keep trying, YOU CAN DO IT! :)
Congratulations! I am also pursuing my psychology degree. Although I may be limited to certain areas which I can work, nobody can take my degree away!
DeleteYou will also need references. If you currently do not know anyone who is currently able to provide a valid positive reference for you - YOU must change this!
ReplyDeleteFind a program to volunteer and actively and with a willing heart help someone else. Even if it is serving at a soup kitchen, an animal shelter, look in local paper for places you can offer to help. Habitat for humanity. Maybe try to find something in the field you want to work in someday.
If you dont know where to start. Try local library. Spend a couple hours a week on making YOUR life better by making life better for someone else. You do not have to tell every person you meet you are a felon (except those with certain felons & working around children).
If you do not know what you want to do in school yet, test yourself:
http://www.iseek.org/exoffenders/expand-skills/financial-aid-felonies.html
http://www.clarion.edu/55919/
http://www.sokanu.com/
did you know you can get a associate, bachelor and even masters degrees completely online?
search online degree and it is amazing whats available.
Ok,so I've applied for a FAFSA grant and just got my Award Letter today....however I'm to be in court on May 5 for Felony Poss of weed(that wasn't found on my person) felony providing drugs/felony providing tobacco and mis poss parap......and tbe irony....my major is Paralegal. Sooo....this mess has been going on for over 1 1/2 yr and just now going to trial. And my lawyer is no good either......my question is....once conviction falls....what steps should I take next bc I'm due to start school in May and my job is probably going to fire me...if I don't quit first. Any suggestions? My lawyer says they will just give me probation as I have never been in trouble witb the law.
ReplyDeleteI have been out for three years and I am trying to find a way to get a grant to help start up a business and all the stuff I have read so for not onec has a clear and definitive idea has swoed up any help would be cool
ReplyDeleteI am a covicted felon who has been release back into society, and would like to open a sneaker shoe store. However, I do not have the finances to start such a business like because I'm unemployed at the this time, and its very fustrating because no believes that I can do it. So my goal is to see if I can get a grant to accomplish my dream of being a business man. I'm asking that the goverment please allow me the opportunity to bring this dream into fruition. Thank you so much for allowing me to express these feelings to all.
ReplyDeletejust released from prison im trying to find help to get back on my feet.. a lot changes after doing 5 years.. cant find a job do to having a felony the jobs out there that i can find are taken up by illegals.. can some one please point me in the right direction.. thank you
ReplyDeleteI just learned about this government program that federally bonds felons, which is basically insurance to employers for hiring felons. It's free for you and takes the risk away from employers to hire you. Here's a little excerpt from the website that probably explains better than I: The bonds issued by the FBP serve as a job placement tool by guaranteeing to the employer the job honesty of at-risk job seekers. Employers receive the bonds free-of-charge as an incentive to hire hard-to-place job applicants as wage earners. The FBP bond insurance was designed to reimburse the employer for any loss due to employee theft of money or property with no deductible amount to become the employer’s liability (i.e., 100% bond insurance coverage). The USDOL experiment has proved to be a great success, with over 42,000 job placements made for at-risk job seekers who were automatically made bondable. Since approximately 460 proved to be dishonest workers, bonding services as a job placement tool can be considered to have a 99% success rate.
ReplyDeleteFidelity Bonding service delivery has been streamlined to take only a few minutes time, and efficiently serve the operational needs of local staffs who are already burdened by other paperwork and processing delays. The “user friendly” character of the FBP is reflected in its key operating features as follows:
NO special application form for job seeker to complete NO bond approval processing – local staff instantly issue bonds to employers NO papers for employer to submit or sign to obtain free bond incentive for job hire NO follow-up and NO termination actions required by bond issued NO deductible in bond insurance amount if employee dishonesty occurs NO age requirements for bondee (other than legal working age in State) NO other U.S. program provides Fidelity Bonding services NO Federal regulations covering bonds issued
Bond issuance can apply to any job at any employer in any State, and covers any employee dishonesty committed on or away from the employer’s work facility. Any full or part-time employee paid wages (with Federal taxes automatically deducted from pay) can be bonded, including persons hired by “temp. agencies.” However, self-employed persons cannot be covered by these Fidelity Bonds. While assisting job seekers in securing employment is the main goal of the FBP, bonds are also issued to cover already employed workers who need bonding to prevent being laid off or to secure transfer or promotion to a different job at their company. Service delivery efficiency is inherent to bonding because its cost occurs only when a job placement is generated or maintained for an individual whose background is a significant barrier to securing or retaining employment.
Whn your 19 u should know...that being said...no one should give you money
ReplyDeleteI am a felony just getting on my feet trying to find any kind of grant to help 3 kids and disabled anyone help me please aprigliano1@outlook.com im in pa
ReplyDeleteI just got out may 20th from state I am now labeled as a felon I am trying to get back on my feet after being doing for 1.5 I am on ssd but that can only do so much if anyone can help me out with finding a grant or even a loan that would be great I am in pa vaughn62115@gmail.com
ReplyDelete