Financial Assistance for Single Mothers in Idaho

Raising children in face of a very tough economic situation can be very challenging especially for single mothers. Since resources are limited, they always have to make ends meet.

Unless the individual has overflowing resources, being a single mother entails much needed help. The State of Idaho offers several financial assistance programs and similar initiatives to help single women within the area. (See also support programs for single mothers in Illinois.)

Childcare Support

Single mothers always need to get the assurance that their children are happy and secure while they work and earn money for the family. Having additional help in terms of childcare expenses can significantly reduce the time for work and provide more time to monitor the child's welfare.

For single moms that come from a low income household or earns minimally, they can consider availing the Idaho Child Care Program (ICCP).

The Idaho Child Care Program is a program under the Department of Health and Welfare that seeks to provide subsidies or financial support covering childcare expenses. The applicants only need to prove that they come from low income families to qualify and get the necessary assistance.

Healthcare Assistance

The primary health care assistance for single available in Idaho is the Medicaid program specific to the area. The program offers health care coverage for women and children. Further, those who are diagnosed with cervical cancer, breast cancer, disabled, blind or expecting another child can get additional medical coverage.

Single mothers who may fail to qualify for such program can get another coverage but for a smaller financial assistance through the Children Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). For more information refer to http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/.

Food and Supplies

Single mothers always need to provide food to their tables and they often do it alone. For single female parents having a hard time fulfilling this responsibility, they can get help from the Idaho's Food Stamp Program. This program allows them to acquire food supplies free of charge for a certain period of time.

For single mothers who cannot quality for the food stamp they can always apply for the WIC program. They can also get their food and supplies at a cheaper price through Idaho's local food bank. For details, refer to http://www.idahofoodbank.org/.

Single parenting is one of the toughest things to do. The state of Idaho is well aware of this kind of situation thus the countless other programs are made available by the state government. Single moms can also search for transportation and housing assistance because there are programs helping these women manage their finances in other aspects.

Help for Single Moms in Need [Video]

For more information about financial help for single mothers, visit our website: http://singlemothergrant.net/ and educate yourself of what you may be entitled to.

Single Mother Grants Versus Scholarships

When it comes to financial assistance for school, there are a wide variety of terms thrown around, including grants, scholarships, and FAFSA.

Single mothers who want to further their education should know that they may be eligible for financial aid. This takes some worry off the mind of the prospective student because working to support a family often stretches finances very thin.

Neither a scholarship nor a grant needs to be repaid. This makes both options great for single mothers and other cash-strapped individuals.

What makes most scholarships differ from grants is the criteria used to determine who receives the money. In most cases, a grant has financial need at its core, while a scholarship is an award based on merit.

A scholarship is usually offered by a higher education institution or by a scholarship foundation. In addition, some companies offer scholarships to employees or other qualified individuals. Grants like the Pell Grant are offered by the federal government. Private grants like the $10,000 scholarship for mothers can be found online.

To apply for a federal government grant, single moms must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form. This document can be completed online or in paper format within about 20 minutes. When filling out the form, the single mother designates which schools should receive the resulting financial summary information. From there, the school determines how much grant money will be afforded to the eligible applicant.

In the case of scholarships, the applications often must be completed individually. The single mom should apply for as many scholarships as she can because this can increase the total amount of financial assistance. The State of Michigan also offers several financial help programs to help single mothers can get by.

There are books and online resources i.e Grants.gov that assist people with finding and applying for scholarships. An investment in one of these may save time and result in a more positive financial outcome.

Newcombe Educational Scholarships for Single Mothers

The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation offers Scholarships for Mature Women Students.

Website: www.newcombefoundation.org

This money can make a college education feasible for single mothers. It even enables them to reduce their work hours so they can focus on their education and family obligations. And more importantly, help them achieve their goal of obtaining a college degree.

The grant money is not provided directly to the student. Instead, it is awarded to participating colleges and universities who then issue it to eligible students.

Grants are freely awarded to eligible single moms on the basis of financial hardship which unlike federal student loans, do not require any repayment.

The recipient must be over age 25 and have earned a minimum of 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree. This makes this scholarship ideal for those who interrupted their schooling to start a family and now find themselves doing so alone.

Each educational institution that receives funding must administer the scholarship according to guidelines established by the Foundation. The programs benefit women returning to school or changing careers who usually do not qualify for adequate amounts of financial aid other than loans.

During the 2010-11 academic year, 29 institutions were awarded a total of $679,500 in grant money to use for these scholarships. An additional $219,000 was spread amongst 19 of these institutions to serve as matching challenges for the establishment of Newcombe-endowed scholarship funds. American University and Fordham University were among the schools that received grants.

A typical Newcombe Scholarship recipient is 36 years old and has a GPA of 3.4. Prior to attending their current institution, 65 percent of the recipients attended a community college. More recipients were enrolled on a full-time basis and the majority also worked at least part time and did community volunteer work. In 2009-10, the scholarship amounts ranged from $300 to $10,000 per semester.

For more information about financial aids and grants for single mothers, please refer to the "Single Mother Grants" official website: http://singlemothergrant.net/.