Friday the 13th was a great day for college students looking for free financial aid: Pell Grant increases became a highlight of the economic stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Everyone knows there’s a lot at stake with this legislation, so the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives drove a hard bargain with each other. When all the dust settled, the final bill still had many of its original financial aid provisions, including Pell Grant increases, more work-study jobs, and a larger, simpler tax credit for tuition and related college expenses.

The new tax credit won’t kick in until next year’s tax season (spring 2010), but the increased Pell Grants will be available for college and career training programs after July 1, 2009, to those qualifying students who completed a federal financial aid application. For the upcoming school year (2009-2010), the largest possible Pell Grant will be $5,350; the following year (2010-2011), the maximum Pell increases to $5,550. In addition to providing for Pell Grant amount increases, the new legislation also reserved enough money to make Pell funding available to 800,000 more students, for a total of about 7 million Pell Grant recipients.

The federal work-study program also got a financial infusion, enabling it to offer thousands more jobs to college students. Job training for adults, particularly in the healthcare field, was also robustly financed. Since pursuing either a college degree or in-demand job training (or re-training) is a shrewd strategy in a high-unemployment economy, it makes sense to take advantage of these government-supported opportunities while they’re on offer. Whether you get a degree or a career training certificate, Pell Grant increases may help you pay for more of your education program than ever before. This is the time to go back to school.

Single mothers are hard-working women who manage to provide their children with everything from emotional support to financial support, a difficult feat even for a couple, especially in the current economic climate. More and more adults, including single mothers, are going back to school with the goal of improving their future through higher education. For single moms thinking about getting a college degree, adding such an expense to your budget can feel overwhelming, but there are single mothers’ grants and scholarships out there to help you. The question is how to find them and which ones to trust.

For single mothers, grants are an excellent financial aid option, since grants are generally need-based and, unlike student loans, do not have to be repaid. The federal government, private companies, and nonprofit women’s organizations all offer financially strapped single mothers grants and scholarships for college and career school programs.

Single Mothers’ Grants: U.S. Government

U.S. government grants include the Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and the National SMART Grant. To apply for federal grants, you must file a FAFSA. (See our Grants section for more eligibility details.) Pell Grant eligibility and award amounts may soon increase dramatically due to federal legislation now in negotiation in Washington. Stay tuned.

Single Mothers’ Grants: State & Private

State higher education departments and private institutions such as nonprofit organizations, businesses, and colleges also offer grants for single moms. Individual states have separate financial aid programs with their own set of eligibility requirements, application processes, and award amounts. Find the contact information for your state’s higher education department on the State Higher Education Agencies website. The Internet can also help you find institutions that offer education grants for women, and for working single mothers, grants from your employer are another possibility worth investigating.

So, single mothers, grants are your first stop on your path toward receiving financial aid so that you can achieve your dreams of earning a college degree and improving your quality of life for you and your children!