What are the Different Government Grants for Women?

There are a variety of government grants for women, depending on the needs for the funding. From women's health to business, the arts and education, there is government money available for nearly any situation imaginable. A quick online search reveals a plethora of options that are as different and specialized as the people seeking them out.

Women's health grants are very prominent and applying for one requires a variety of information. Some, such as the ACCION USA Small Business Loans, are open to all residents of the United States and provide a loan of as much as $50,000 US Dollars to a small business that is owned and operated by a female. Others, such as the California: Women's Economic Ventures Small Business Loan Fund, provide financial assistance to female business owners from specific locations who are unable to obtain traditional bank loans. Every grant is awarded separately, so applicants must study the requirements of each.

Another popular source of government grants for women falls within the healthcare field. Unlike women's business grants, most of these grant recipients are not required to be women, because they normally are awarded to organizations and not individuals. Instead, these funds are given to causes that aim to improve women's health and increase awareness of female health threats. One example is the grant called GENERATIONS: Strengthening Women and Families Affected by HIV/AIDS. This grant awards six to eight grants per year to organizations that hold women's interventions aimed at helping stop the spread of AIDS.

The arts also are highly represented in government grants for women. Grants for women range from visual arts to theater, film making, writing and more. The applicant, in most cases, must submit samples of artistic works in addition to the required paperwork. One example is the International Women's Day Grants, a grant that supports female playwrights by funding readings and stage productions.

College scholarships also are common forms of government grants for women. Many times, these grants are not simply for helping women pay for college, they also to encourage the recipients to pursue majors where females are underrepresented. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Grant is one such grant that is awarded to sophomore or junior women who are pursuing a degree in math or science.

There are no shortage of grant opportunities for women. In fact, there are such a wide variety of funding opportunities that a woman must narrow her search to specific criteria. From college to business to health, the arts and more, there are many government grants for women.