There has been lots of attention lately paid to the gap in the education of minorities in the population. Only around 50% of people from low income and minority families graduate with a high school diploma. This has been addressed in depth recently through a large number of minority grants available to people from certain groups. Grants available come in two different categories which are grants for ethnic minorities and grants for non-ethnic minorities.
Ethnic minority grants are most widespread and easily available with specific groups through the U.S. Department of education and through specialist agencies for a specific ethnicity such as:
- US Bureau of Indian Affairs that deal with Native American scholarships
- American Indian College Fund
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for post secondary education
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Regional Scholarships
- United Negro College Fund (UNCF) conducts funding through direct provision for African American students
The term Non-ethnic minority includes people with disabilities that can make it difficult to function in the same way as the rest of the students. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA which was signed in 1975 and amended in 2004 made it illegal to segregate students with disabilities. Disabilities relates to more than the physical capabilities of someone. They include people with AAD, ADHD, Autism, blindness, deafness and all types of mental illness. Some organizations that specifically help people with disabilities find funding are:
- The Disability Funders Network which is aimed at networking other agencies with disability specific help to individuals.
- The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) provides funding to institutions to help people with learning difficulties from all ages up to 21. Your local education establishments will have access to funding so that provisions can be made for people with learning impairment.
There are a number of places you can look for grants for school but the most obvious is directly through the place you wish to study at. They will often have direct access to the application procedure for funding. Or you can obtain funding through the federal and government agencies and state education funding initiatives which is the usual route for most people. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step for any type of financing you require.
What should be noted is that many colleges and universities will provide their own scholarships. Often this can be over looked but especially the more expensive places to study. Overlooking these places because of costs is a big mistake as universities and colleges are looking for diversity in their students. They believe that people can learn more by being educated in a diverse environment. With so many initiatives in place to redress the balance in education standards in this country you should have no trouble locating help provided for whichever minority you hail from.