Many felons or ex-offenders seek grants and loans for several different reasons. Some may be wanting to go to college or start a small business. You may be thinking that being a felon would keep you from getting a loan or grant but this is not the case.
Grants for felons are specifically set aside by the federal and some state governments in some cases. It is also important to remember that being a felon does not keeping you from obtaining a loan or grant in most cases. All you need to do is know how to grab that free money which we will explain below.
Grants For Felons
What is a grant?
A grant is money that is given to a person that does not have to be repaid. Often grants are issued on a “need” basis. In other words someone that has a full time job making $75,000 dollars a year would not be able to qualify for a grant but someone that makes $10,000 year or nothing a year would qualify because they have a “need” for it. Grants for felons can be issued by the state in which you live or the federal government. Some private institutions also offer grants.
Department of Labor Grants
The Department of Labor; Employment and Training Administration has several grant programs for felons that are pre-release as well as for ex-felons that are out of prison. Most grants are also open to anyone who applies whether they are a felon or not.
These loans cover many different things from housing, transportation, small businesses and community development. You can search or browse all available grants here on Grants.Gov. Simply go to their website, search and then fill out the application package associated with each grant opportunity.
Educational Pell Grants for Felons
Pell Grants are only available for educational purposes and are open to almost all felons. Drug related felonies will bar you from receiving a Pell Grant but this can be overcome if you have or complete an approved drug rehabilitation program and also pass two random drug tests.
Students or aspiring students with criminal convictions have limited eligibility for federal student aid but nearly 100% of cases can be overcome in one way or another. Here is where you can find information on Pell Grants or apply directly.
Pell Grants are available to use at any approved and credentialed college or trade school. Since white collar jobs often discriminate against felons it may be worth investigating blue collar trade schools. Many trade schools offer programs in welding, carpentry, electrical, roofing, drafting/CAD and HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning). Often times we have found that construction and trade type jobs are much more apt to hire a felon than other white collar or office type jobs.
Scholarships for felons
A scholarship is very similar to a grant but the main difference is where the money comes from. Scholarships are generally given by organizations or schools and do not need paid back. It is very possible for a felon to get a scholarship and you should apply for everyone possible. Here is a some scholarships you can apply for. We do not know of any scholarships for felons only but you will be able to apply for 99% of them out there anyway. Often times writing an essay can earn you $1,000 to $5,000 for school or college.
Loans For Felons
What is a loan?
A loan is money that you borrow and then repay under whatever conditions are in your contract. Loan terms can vary greatly so it is advised that you fully read the contract you are signing and/or have a trusted lawyer go over the contract with you. Certain types of loans will have more interest than others, the highest interest loans are short term or “payday loans.” Often times these types of loans have rates from 100% to 2,000%.
Educational Loans for felons
Chances are you will not be able to get enough grant money to pay for all of your education. This will mean that you will have to apply for student loans from the federal government. The good news is that nearly everyone qualifies for student loans since credit scores are not nearly as important as with traditional loans.
Being a felon also does not really hurt your chances of getting a loan either. The criteria for student loans is very straightforward and easy to understand. Student loans can be used for trade schools as well as traditional or online colleges. As with Pell Grants you may have to complete a drug education or drug rehab program if your felony is drug related.
Private Loans for Felons
It is not impossible for a felon/ex-felon to receive a private loan from a bank. The chance is greater if the felony was committed over 10 years ago and you have decent credit. Since the financial crisis of 2008 banks have tightened up dramatically.
There are only three options to get a private loan as a felon.
- You should be able to get credit cards as a felon. Most Credit Card companies do not care if you are a convicted felon or not. They are mostly interested in what your credit score and history looks like. If you have poor credit then you may want to consider repairing it. This can easily be done on your own if you have the right knowledge and instructions. On our books for felons page we have recommended a great book that will give you all the information to clean up your credit and launch disputes.
- If you need a private loan for an invention or small business then you are may have to raise money from private investors. This can be a very difficult task but can be accomplished if you put the time and energy into it.
- Collateral. In other words if you have something of great value then you can put that up for security to the bank or person you are borrowing from. This is high risk for you. If you do not pay the borrowed money back then you will lose whatever you put up for collateral.
Small Business Loans for Felons
The US Small Business Administration has several different loan programs that you may qualify for. Many of the loans and grants that are available are only open to specific types of small business. They have several loan and grant programs and include general small business loans, disaster loans, Microloans and real estate/equipment loans.
Payday Loans For Felons
We hesitate in adding or recommending payday loans for felons or any person. The interest rates are very high and the terms are very heavy in most cases. It is not uncommon for a payday loans to reach very high interest rates. With that being said if used very responsibly you may be able to jump start a small business or avoid a disaster by obtaining a payday loan. If you really need a loan then you should stick with reputable lender like CashAdvance.com.
General advice
Going back to school or going to school for the first time is a big decision, whether it is a trade school or college. Make sure that you can and will be able to secure a job in the field that you want to work in long before you ever start school. This will help make sure that you spend your money on something that will help you. In other words if you have a felony conviction for grand theft please do not go to school for accounting!
Remember that loans for felons are very hard to get but where there is a will there is a way. Keep your head up and try every avenue possible. Remember to to check out grants that are available to felons also.
I’m looking for info for my grandson who is presently incarcerated but should be out in June. Can he get help to become a plumber. That’s what he wants to do. Are there restrictions about plumbers being convicted felons. He is young and us now ready to turn his life around so any information is good.
He needs to talk to small, locally owned plumbers. See if someone will offer him an apprenticeship.
Hello, tell him to contact the WIOA program in your city or state. They offer grant money for felons and other assistance programs that will help him go to school and get bus passes, clothing and counseling if he needs it. The training is also short term, usually under a year. There are no restriction on felons becoming plumbers, what he will need is the certification and training. Once he does that, he will register with state, and he can either go and work for someone else, or what I like to encourage felons to do is WORKING FOR THEMSELVES.
there would be no start up costs for him to do this, he would merely advertise his services on craiglist in the services offered area, get him some free business cards from Vistaprint, print out some flyers and put them on windshields at local grocery stores or walmarts and targets, and get himself a business facebook page and let him send the links to a variety of people. He can get a cellphone and use it as a business line, or go to google voice, set up an email in his business name, and get a local number that will forward to his cellphone and he can use this a business number to put on his business cards. It is free with a google account. As far as getting the tools he will need, depending on the school he attends they will give him tools once he graduates, or you could invest in a nice set for him from a store for less than $500 and let him become a business owner. There are no restrictions on felons being business owners. he can get a tax ID number at IRS.gov, or he can just work under his social security number. make sure you get him a receipt book so he can write receipts for all his clients and keep them for tax purposes. And as he grows, tell him to reach back and hire other felons that are coming out and in the same position as he once was. You sound like you are a great supporter, and i wish you guys the best of luck!
I want to go back to school in 2 or 3 yrs. I do have a felony in which it is fresh on my record as of 1/29/2015. I had 4 grams of pcp on me that my exboyfriend gave me, in which I never knew he had drugs on him. I have never been in trouble before either. I am on 2yrs of probation, in which deferred adjudication and I could get off early sometime next year or 1/29/2017. Do you know of any schools that are willing to take me with a felony on my record? I want to further my education in healthcare administration getting a master degree. I already have a bachelor in healthcare administration and have a certificate in coding specialist. I am planning on getting it expunged off my record once finish my probation.
You are going to have a super hard time finding anything close to the medical field if you have a felony. I would not even attempt going to school for that until after you have 100% successfully had it expunged.
https://helpforfelons.org/felony-expungement-sealing/
God bless everyone that cares to listen and take the right part in getting his or her loan and not fall victim. why am i saying this, i am saying all this because there are many testimonies on the internet which are either true or false but i tell you today, after all i have passed through in the hands of scams i will not fail to announce this God fearing lender who helped me out of my diverstating condition when i lost my Job and couldn’t pay my children’s fees, after been denied loan due to bad credit by loan sharks and other credit unions i visited, my bills where behind and we were about to be throne out of our house but as God will have it i logged on my Facebook to seek for help from friends and family members all to no avail. while still on Facebook i saw a testimony by one Celina wheels who once had similar problems and got her life transformed by this same lender. Immediately i email them at: [email protected] and behold i received my long desired loan within 48hrs of processing and i am grateful to God almighty for bringing such a lender across my way.
would like to take out a loan please reply back asap
We do not issue loans. Please just read over the information on this page.
I am a convicted felon i have been out of prison for about 10 months. I was gone for almost 10 years i am trying so hard to adjust. I really need to go to school and i don’t have anyone to help me. All i need is someone to guide me in the right direction i really do not want to go back to prison
It much harder to not go back to prison than it is to stay out. Attitude is everything and you have to just keep trying and not give up! There is no magic bullet but you can do it.
I have helped a family member and 2 other close friends try to get on their feet right when they get out, and trust me I know its hard , Its not easy and Matt is right attitude is everything because you are going to have some doors closed for you but you have to see past that. As far as going to school ? I’m not sure what area you are in , but what I suggest is going to your nearest community college and speaking to an advisor they will lead you in the right direction, if there is not one around your area then go to a workforce center , they will also be able to tell you what options you have available. My husband was just accepted into a community college and accepted for financial aid as well and is a convicted felon. So trust me its possible , do your research and don’t give up , whatever you do , don’t give up.
Great advice for all, thank you Jessica!
Hey Hodge, I was in same boat as you a year ago. I went on FAFSA applied for school help and now I go to school for free and have extra money from subsidized loan from FAFSA. Just make sure your taxes are up to date..if you owe or did not file in 2014 they will not give you money until you turn in your tax forms..good luck…changed my life! Now i am studying in medical field and also got job at hospital making almost 20 bucks per hour. I will pray for you!
Contact me. We offer mentoring, counseling, job prep, and GED prep classes.
Hello can you help me find a job I have a bachelors degree in business management from Kent state in 2010. I have been unable to find a career or a permanent job. I have been working a few temporary jobs through a temp service but I really want to start working towards some kind of career. What’s holding me back is that I have a felony 5 from 2011 and even when I make a good impression with the company who is hiring I always get an email saying that because of my record they can’t have me work for them I’m even considering if it is possible for me to get into a trade like auto tech r welding because I’m hearing that they will hire felons. I have no clue what I should do and I’m starting to loose confidence in ever having success in a real career. If you had any advice I sure would appreciate it. Or if you are hiring can I please apply… Thank you Ryan
My fiancee is a felon. He is required to register as a violent offender until 2020. 4 years ago when he moved here, he forgot to notify the BCA that he moved. Living in a very small town (where the lone local cop knows everyone) one day they showed up to arrest him for failure to register. I bailed him or that same day. When it was all said and done he avoided prison but was given a felony failure to register, 5 years of probation, random stuff testing (he has never had a drug charge) so as everyone knows this all costs a lot of money. For the past 3 years he has been a stay at home dad because I had a good management job and we decided that it would be better for him to stay home with our son and save us the cost of daycare. Back in March I found out that the store I was managing was being taken over by a different company on April 19th. I was offered the general manager position and that was to come with a salaried pay raise & full benefits with paid vacation. On April 15th I received a text message telling me that they changed their mind and we’re not going to offer me a job. It wasn’t too horrible because I was able to get unemployment while he and I both searched for jobs. I haven’t been able to find work and he has been sent out on random temp jobs through a couple employment agencies but they never put him in anything with the potential to become permanent and now for the last month and a half they haven’t given him anything at all and they tell him that it is because he doesn’t have a drivers license. He has fines, restitution & reinstatement fees that need to be paid for him to be able to get insurance so he can apply for a license. My unemployment ran out at the end of October and we are getting closer and closer to losing everything. I have applied for rental assistance and ask that county assistance stuff and all they will help with is food stamps and medical (but that won’t keep a roof over our heads or hear in our apartment) rental assistance told me that they can’t help unless one of us has income. We have a 3 year old son and are doing everything to find work. Is there anything that helps out with him getting his fines and everything paid off so he can get a license? Or even help us keep our heads above water until we get back on our feet? Sorry for the long story but I am really desperate.
Hi there. I’m in a similar position with my husband. He is a felon from years ago nonviolent non drug related. He bounced around several jobs for years. What was a good option for him was working for a temporary apartment maintenance service, where he had steady work mostly. He wasn’t eligible for some jobs, and almost never eligible for permanent employment. We live in a state where it is damn near impossible to find a place to live as a felon. We need to move soon, so I came here looking for help with that issue… Anyway, he was to get hired at a place but thy kept giving him the runaround and he ended up with no job. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant and about two months after that I lost my job. We used the tiny cushion of unemployment and a garage full of crap to start our business. We have been making a living on eBay full time for over six years. We got a brand new Camry two years ago on a lease. I set up a website to help people learn how to do eBay full time. It’s more focused on what to buy rather than how to list. Part of the site is paid access to a visual database of the stuff we sell but don’t let that throw you. It is Thrifter’s field guide dot com. You can contact me via that site and ask anything about the business. It has saved our lives and sanity and made it possible to live like real people.
I AM a felon thanks for the texts I have lots of stuff and want to start a online e Bay business. [email protected]. thanks for your kindness
i read youre story and would love to work for my self please contact me at 602-386-9103 lawanda thank you for youre testimony.
I was raised in the system most of my childhood. The lack of guidance growing up made me an irresponsible adult. I changed that some years ago but I have the most difficult time overcoming the barriers I made for myself along the road (background check, drivers license reinstatement fees, prior work history). I have also realized that I have a problem working with people directly all day because of my temper. I would like to become a truck driver. I feel that it would help me with keep the proper distance from people so that I can interact better plus I would be employed & doing something I enjoy (driving). My problem is, I’ve racked up over $5,000 in reinstatement fees on my license & I don’t have the first clue on how to pay that. Even when I’m working, I’m not making enough to make any payments towards the fee. I pay $700 a month child support for 3 kids plus taxes. That doesn’t leave a lot left. That’s something else being a truck driver would help with. I could actually make enough money to live on plus fulfill all my financial obligations. Is there any programs out there that help with my fees?
A lot of trucking companies will train you for free!
Wrong, trucking companies will not hire anyone who has a felony conviction, they refused to take the risk. if you can find a trucking company to hire you it will be for low pay long hours, the first time you complain that you’re exiting ticket exclamation
I spent seven years as a truck driver making over $50,000 dollars a year. It depends on the exact conviction someone has, how long it has been and what the insurance requirements are for the trucking company.
Here is a list of which trucking companies MAY hire someone with a conviction and that companies policy.
http://www.cdl101.com/trucking-companies-that-hire-felons/
Hi I am an ex felon (if there is such a thing) anyways not a drug charge its been since 2008 I am caring for my 91 yr old Alzheimer’s mother and my 62 yr old brother who has brain damage. I am 50 and since I was trapped here 24/7 I went back to school online for a bachelor’s in psychology and just finished my freshman year where half the time I’ve had no internet and walked to library to turn in work now we have to move which I wanted to anyway I wash all her clothes and sheets by hand and for a thousand a month rent always paid by my brothers ss check no problem for 6 yrs so I think it could have a washer and dryer and I have no car to look for a place and every one say fill out an app w/ background check and I put in 30 day so have to go in a week lol now what ? I could use a loan til the next stipend ha ha but can’t find assist can I get a loan or a grant for felons in a week ?
my boyfriend was just recently released from jail he lost a child to death and one child he dont know where he is this all happened while he was in jail now he is currently medically hospitalized he just needs 900 dollars to get home so he can find his only child where can he get help or a loan to get home before this stress kills him i dont want to loose him please i need help where can he go for help i dont have no money i am disabled he just wants to put his child to rest and find his other son this has been 11 months he is out of jail now just needs 900 to get things closed so he can go home please any answers please will help