Grants for Single Mothers in Arkansas
Arkansas is a place full of opportunities but that does not mean they leave out low-income people. Like in the rest of the United States, Arkansas provides a list of programs created for single mothers in need. Including opportunities for these moms to pursue their dreams to continue their studies, Arkansas has several important programs that will guarantee a better future for them and their kids.
Below, you will find a list of programs available for single mothers who qualify as low-income in Arkansas and how to apply to them:
Single Parent Scholarship Fund
This program helps eligible single parents in Arkansas build a new future for their families. Single Parent Scholarship Fund supports both part-time and full-time single parents’ students to pursue a post-secondary education including associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and certificate programs. These scholarships not only help with school costs, but they can be used for daycare costs, housing and commuting expenses, and others, while parents are in school. To apply to the Single Parent Scholarship Fund program, you must meet these criteria:
- You must live in the state of Arkansas or in Bowie County, TX.
- You must meet the following definition of “single parent” (all 3 categories)
- Marital status:
- You are single (never married, widowed, divorced, legally separated*), or
- You are married but living apart and your divorce will be final by the time the scholarship is awarded*
- Parenting Status:
- You are the custodial parent or guardian with physical custody (50% or more) of at least one dependent child. A dependent child is any of these:
- 18 or younger
- older than 18 and still in high school
- a severely disabled adult living with and dependent on you*
- You are the custodial parent or guardian with physical custody (50% or more) of at least one dependent child. A dependent child is any of these:
- Marital status:
- Living status:
- You are the only adult in the home with the child(ren), or
- You live with parents or relative(s), or
- You live with a roommate who is not your partner (significant other) or a co-parent*
- You are a legal resident of the United States (or a resident with DACA status), applying in the county where you live.
For further information about how to apply to this program, please visit this link https://www.aspsf.org/eligibility.
Higher Education Opportunities Grant (GO! Grant)
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) http://scholarships.adhe.edu/ offers the Higher Education Opportunities Grant (GO! Grant) to low-income students including, of course, single parents. The ADHE offers several opportunities and among them you could find the one that adapts best to your needs. They are:
Academic Challenge Scholarship:
This grant is available to students regardless of their academic status, whether just graduating from high school, currently enrolled in college, enrolling in college for the first time, or re-enrolling after a period out of college. The deadline for enrollment is June 1st. To know all the requirements to apply, please visit this link.
Arkansas Future Grant (ArFuture):
This grant applies to students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) or regional high demand areas of study. The grant will cover tuition and fees for qualifying certificate and Associate degree programs at Arkansas’ public institutions for eligible students. The grant is available on a first come, first serve basis. The deadline for enrollment is June 1st. For further information about application and requirements, please visit this link.
Law Enforcement Officers’ Dependents Scholarship (LEO):
LEO provides a waiver for tuition, fees, and room at any public college, university, or technical institute in Arkansas for dependents and spouses of Arkansas law enforcement officers, some Highway and Transportation Department employees, and other public employees, who were killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.
Unemployment Insurance
(UI)
This program is administrated by the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (ADWS) http://www.arkansas.gov/. The Unemployment Insurance (UI) helps unemployed and single mothers in need and facilitates employer compliance with the Arkansas Employment Security Law, collects unemployment insurance contributions from employers, provides unemployment insurance benefits to those eligible, and maintains management information systems for filing unemployment insurance claims and fraud detection. To be eligible, you must be:
- Unemployed,
- Physically and mentally able to perform suitable work,
- Available for suitable work,
- Making a reasonable effort to find work,
- Free of participation or direct interest in a labor dispute, and
- Free of disqualification
To file for a claim, check your eligibility based on these criteria and check the claim status, please visit the ADWS website. You also can call to (501) 907-2590 or (866) 392-7284 for unemployment claim assistance.
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) http://humanservices.arkansas.gov/ has Child Care Assistance programs for single mothers. To receive funds, you must be contacted by a Program Eligibility Specialist. If not, you will be placed on the waiting list.
You can reach the DHS office in Arkansas at (501) 682-1001. You can reach also the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education by phone at (501) 682-8590 or by fax at (501) 682-2317.
Arkids First
This is a health insurance program that provides coverage for more than 70,000 children across the state. It covers well-child checkups, eye exams, dental checkups and more. It’s an insurance service that helps to grow healthy kids in Arkansas and it might be the answer for health coverage for your children. The ARKids program provides a full package of benefits under two coverage options based on family income: There is no charge when you child participates in ARKids A. For ARKids B, there is co-payment required for some services. Your children’s health is important to you and to us, so check out the links for more information. If you have questions, please call the ARKids hotline at 1-888-474-8275 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.