For single parents it is much more difficult to face the challenges of parenting, because they do not have the support of a partner. Single parent families are the result of abandonment, divorce or death. In all these cases, if you, as a single parent have an extended family that is supportive, and whom you can rely on, you are very lucky. There are many who have no such luck, either because they have no extended family or because a rift has been formed between them and their families. The only support that is available to them is from government agencies or private organizations which have been founded for this exact purpose.

Single mothers who owe their status to a divorce but used to be part of a family in which the breadwinner was the man may face even more daunting challenges. If she has no higher education, she will only be able to find employment in non-skilled jobs, which do not provide adequate pay for a single mother to be able to support herself and her child. Thus, she has to find other options.

There is relatively low awareness of the fact that free money for single mothers is available, and little to no knowledge of where to find it and how to access it.

One source of financial aid for single mothers is the US welfare system, but you have to meet certain requirements to be able to qualify. Your eligibility is determined according to your gross and net income, the size of your family and any other special circumstances such as medical conditions, homelessness or unemployment. When you apply for welfare you will be assigned a caseworker, which will analyze your case based on proof of income, ID, utility bills and any other relevant documentation. This analysis will determine the type and amount of aid you are eligible for.

Each state runs its own welfare program using TANF (temporary assistance for needy families) grants supplied by the federal government. These grants require that all recipients of welfare aid must find employment within two years of receiving money. This includes single parents, but they are only required to work 30 hours per week. If you fail to comply with this requirement, without good reason, you may lose any benefits. This regulation was implemented to avoid abuse of the welfare system, as many people would forgo employment, preferring to live on their welfare. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, such as single mothers with infants under 12 months old.

Since welfare programs are distinct to each state, there may be individual requirements and regulations specific to each area. Accessing free money for single mothers is not as difficult as it may seem, since to apply all you have to do is contact your local Family Services Department and they will assign you a caseworker. The caseworker will help you by giving you advice, as well as analyzing your particular situation.

As a single parent you have taken on the great responsibility of raising your children all by yourself; this can be hard enough with two parents, as a single parent it is even harder and sometimes you just need a little help. There are various grants offered through the government to help out any single parent who is in need.

There are, of course, grants that you can apply for that do not come from the federal government but private institutions. If you are a single parent who wants to go back to school, for example, there are a lot of universities and colleges who will offer grants to finance your education.

There are websites online to help you search for the many different grants that are being offered either by the government or through private institutions to help out single parents; you can find exactly what you need with a minimum amount of searching by using these sites. Or you can just do a general search for grants for single parents and see what turns up; you may find grants that nobody else has heard about, and increase the odds of you winning the grant by being the only one to apply for it!