Grants are money gifts that are mostly given to people who have done something good or who have a need. There are many kinds of grants, and they are all used for the good of society as a whole. Many are given out by the government as aid or to "feed" an economy that isn't doing well, which brings in more tax money for the government. One way to look at both goals is as investments by the government, because the stability or boost given to the person or group will be paid back.
Grants are money gifts that are mostly given to people who have done something good or who have a need. There are many kinds of grants, and they are all used for the good of society as a whole. Many are given out by the government as aid or to "feed" an economy that isn't doing well, which brings in more tax money for the government. Both of these goals can be thought of as investments by the government, since the stability or boost given to the recipient will help them get back on their feet and start working again. This is better for the government than letting that area become a constant drain on the economy.
Grants are given out by more than just the government. Private organisations can give grants to the community where they are located as a kind of charitable gift. The great thing about a grant is that the person who gets it doesn't have to pay it back or "work it off." The only requirements are up front in the form of requirements for eligibility. Most of the time, there is a list of things that people think are good ways to use the money. The money won't be given out unless the person giving it is sure that it will be used in this way. Applications are used to do everything in this process.
People who want to get grants write a grant proposal or fill out an application that explains their eligibility and, in many cases, says what they need. The donor usually has a certain way they want these to be written, and in the absence of that, there are often special jobs at certain types of institutions where the job is to write all of the grants in that area.
Most grants are in the form of student aid. Students who are either very smart or very poor can get these grants to help pay for school. The idea is that the school will only gain from making a small investment in the student's future success. There are also grants for public education, research, developing products and technologies, helping people in need, helping small businesses, and so on. Again, don't think of these as free gifts from the government because they are kind. Instead, this is money that the government hopes will help the person who gets it save or make a lot of money in the long run.
