What Is a Land Grant? (Part 2): Grants to Individuals for Homesteading and Settlement

This post was originally published in 2016 and updated on January 15, 2020.

A land grant is an award of land to a recipient with the requirement that a public purpose, as defined by legislation, is served through the grant. In Part 1, we covered land grant colleges and universities, which are great examples of land grants achieving lasting benefits in the United States of America.

 

Land Grants for “Homesteading”

The passage of the Homestead Act of 1862 established a land grant program that allowed individuals, both U.S. citizens and intended citizens, to apply for 160-acre plots of land. “Homesteading” was a term referring to the process of moving west onto land in unsettled territories and cultivating the land.

What Is a Land Grant? (Part 1): Land Grant Colleges and Universities

This post was originally published in 2016 and updated on November 19, 2019.

“Land grant” is a term you may have heard before, especially if you grew up near a state college or university that received land or funding as a result of one of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts. Before we begin our grant history lesson, let’s define what a land grant is.

A grant is the transfer of anything of value from the Federal government to a non-federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by U.S. law. So, a “land grant” is an award of land, instead of money, to a recipient with the requirement that a public purpose, as defined by legislation, is served through the grant.

What Is a Research Grant?

This post was originally published on December 6, 2016 and updated on October 7, 2019.

Within the realm of federal government grants, research and development grants are some of the most numerous and diverse. What types of research grants does the Federal government support?

When you search for “research” on Grants.gov, there are currently over 1,600 open grant opportunities! Each of these diverse assistance programs and grant opportunities are legislatively authorized federal assistance programs that federal grant-making agencies use to support research.

What do you mean by “research”?

A simple definition of research is the “careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about something” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). While many of us may picture scientists in white coats performing lab experiments, the range of research grants is far wider.

#FundingFriday: 4 Grant Forecasts to Consider

Grant forecasts are early announcements for potential funding opportunities. Forecasted grants give you and your grant team a chance to get a head start on the grant application planning process. To learn more, read the What Is a Grant Forecast? blog post.

What Is a Grant Manager? (Part 2) Grant Recipients

The grants lifecycle is complicated and requires an array of skills to manage. That is why grant managers are so important. In Part 1 of What Is a Grant Manager? we discussed federal grant managers, and in part 2 we will focus on the staff who manage grants received from federal agencies.

First, the job title “grant manager” is not necessarily the title everyone will have, but to keep it simple we use this term to refer to the grant professionals working to plan, write, implement, and report on federal grants.

Where to Find Federal Grant Applicant Resources on University Websites (Part 2)

In Part 1 of our series, we introduced the idea of seeking out free online applicant resources from federal government agency websites. In this post, we turn our attention to resources published on university websites.

To be sure, your best bet is always to seek out resources from the federal agency that posted the grant for which you are applying. But helpful tips and guidance can also be found elsewhere.

It’s Going Away: The Legacy PDF Application Package Will Be Retired.

The legacy PDF application package will be retired on December 31, 2017.

If you don’t know what that means and missed our previous blog posts here and here, or the Grants.gov Notices page, here’s a quick summary:

In the past, applicants have downloaded and filled out a single, big, stitched PDF application package that contained all the forms (i.e., the “legacy PDF application package”). To work as a team, you had to email the file back-and-forth while making sure all are using the same exact version of Adobe software.

Where to Find Free Online Resources for Federal Grant Applicants (Part 1)

So you have zeroed in on a federal grant opportunity that is aligned with your organization’s mission using Grants.gov Search. You’ve previewed the grant application’s forms. You’ve taken notes on the range of information you will need to provide in the grant application. Now, you think, “If only I had some guidance, or some resources to help me stay on track.”

The federal grant application process can be daunting, but a lot of folks have been in your shoes and have produced helpful – and free – online resources.

#FundingFriday: Top 5 Most Viewed Grants of Last 2 Weeks

These federal funding opportunities have been viewed thousands of times over the last two weeks by prospective grant applicants. Are you ready to apply for these?

What Is a Grant Manager? (Part 1) Federal Agencies

To make sure grants are awarded and implemented effectively, grant managers perform a wide range of duties. As a result, the job title “grant manager” can refer to many different job responsibilities depending on the size and type of an organization as well as the size and type of a grant.

Before distinguishing between specific types of organizations or grants, there is a higher-level distinction to make when answering the question, “What is a grant manager?” These grant professionals, after all, can be found at both grant-making organizations and at grant recipient organizations.