Grants for Single Mothers in Wyoming

Where to start in Wyoming

Start with the need that could harm your family first. Food, shelter, heat, safety, medical care, and child care usually come before long-term school or career plans. Wyoming DFS handles SNAP and POWER; the state health department handles Medicaid and WIC. Housing and many emergency funds are local.

Quick reference: Wyoming help by need

Food and temporary cash help

SNAP food benefits

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps eligible households buy food. Wyoming accepts applications through a local DFS office using the official SNAP application page. Applications and verification can be submitted through the methods listed by DFS.

Tell DFS if your household has very little income, cash, or food and ask for expedited screening. Do not wait for the case to finish before using food pantries, school meals, Tribal programs, or other local food help. ASMOM’s Wyoming SNAP guide explains application, interview, and case-problem steps.

For October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, the state lists a $3,575 monthly income limit before taxes for most four-person households, and a $1,023 maximum monthly SNAP allotment for four people. These are not promises of eligibility or payment. Net-income tests, deductions, and special household rules can change the result. Check the state’s current SNAP income table and ask DFS to review your case. Some families that qualify for expedited service can get benefits within seven days of applying.

SUN Bucks for school-age children

Wyoming SUN Bucks provided $120 per eligible child in summer 2026. Most children who qualified were signed up automatically, while others had to apply. The official SUN Bucks page confirms that the 2026 application deadline was August 31, 2026. New applications for summer 2026 are now closed.

SUN Bucks is separate from regular SNAP and summer meal sites. Families who already received a card can use its food benefits at approved SNAP stores, but unspent money expires 121 days after the card was mailed. Check the mailing date, not just the date you first used the card. Ask the agency if your card never arrived or was lost.

POWER cash assistance

Wyoming’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is called Personal Opportunities With Employment Responsibilities, or POWER. The POWER cash page describes two main paths.

• POWER Work: Temporary cash and intensive case management for some families with children while the adult works toward employment and financial stability.
• Caretaker Relative: Cash assistance for certain relatives caring for children whose parents are not in the home. The child’s income and resources are reviewed differently from the caretaker’s.

POWER is not an unrestricted grant. Work activities, child support cooperation, reporting, interviews, income rules, and time limits may apply. ASMOM’s Wyoming TANF guide provides more detailed next steps.

To start POWER, use the state’s cash-assistance application and contact a local DFS office for an appointment. The state’s POWER eligibility page explains the child-caregiver and income rules. If you are caring for a related child whose parents are not home, ask to be screened for the Caretaker Relative path.

Health coverage, pregnancy help, and WIC

Wyoming Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP

Wyoming Medicaid covers some low-income and medically needy children, pregnant people, parents and caretaker relatives, people with disabilities, and other eligible groups. Kid Care CHIP provides children’s coverage for some families that do not qualify for Medicaid.

Use the official Medicaid application, call 1-855-294-2127, or use a paper application. The state says processing can take up to 45 days, so submit requested documents quickly and continue using clinics or urgent resources when care cannot wait.

A pregnant person approved through Wyoming Medicaid can receive coverage for up to 12 months after the pregnancy ends. Children approved for Medicaid or Kid Care CHIP generally receive 12 months of continuous coverage before renewal. ASMOM’s Wyoming health guide covers clinics, dental care, and application questions.

For tooth pain, a dental bill, or care for a child, ask the Medicaid or Kid Care CHIP program about dental coverage. The Wyoming dental care guide also covers clinics and low-cost care. Coverage can differ for adults and children.

New coverage notice: Wyoming’s Medicaid application page warns of immigration-related eligibility changes effective October 1, 2026. It says affected people will receive a notice by mail. It also says that beginning January 1, 2027, coverage for medical bills from before an application (called retroactive coverage) will be limited to two months for people who qualify. Rules can depend on the person’s status and coverage group. Read any notice, check the appeal date, and ask the health department or qualified legal aid if a change affects you. Wyoming also says new Medicaid work rules do not affect the state.

WIC

Wyoming WIC serves eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum people, infants, and children under age 5. It may provide approved foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition guidance, and referrals. WIC is not a general cash grant.

Use the Wyoming WIC application page to contact a clinic or start through the participant portal. Under the April 2026–March 2027 chart, a household of four may have up to $5,088 in monthly gross income. Families receiving SNAP, TANF, Wyoming Medicaid, or Kid Care CHIP meet the WIC income test automatically; other rules still apply. Ask the clinic what papers or nutrition checks it needs.

Ask the local WIC clinic what to bring and what happens at an appointment. Some services may be available through the participant portal.

For diapers, safe sleep supplies, baby clothing, and feeding needs not covered by WIC, ask your clinic or 211 for nearby programs. The Wyoming baby-items guide describes local referral paths. Ask about availability and safe equipment before traveling.

Child care and early learning

Child care assistance

Wyoming child care assistance can help some families pay approved providers while a parent works, attends school, participates in training, or meets another qualifying activity rule. Parents can use the ECARES portal to check possible eligibility, apply, and search for child care providers.

Approval depends on household income, child age, activity, provider status, and required verification. A subsidy does not guarantee that a provider has room. Ask about waiting lists, schedules, parent fees, provider authorization, and backup care before committing to a job or class.

ASMOM’s Wyoming child care guide covers application and provider steps.

If ECARES will not let you log in or finish an application, the state says to call your local DFS office. Ask whether a provider is approved, what you may owe, and how to report work or schedule changes.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start provide free early learning and family services for eligible children from birth through age 5, including children with disabilities. Local programs may also serve pregnant families. Use the official Head Start locator and contact the program directly about ages, openings, documents, and transportation.

Housing, rent, and utility help

Emergency housing and affordable rentals

Wyoming housing help is local. Call 211 for shelters, coordinated entry, eviction prevention, rental assistance, and county-specific programs. Funding and openings can change quickly.

The Wyoming Community Development Authority maintains a WCDA rental directory with affordable properties and management contacts. Contact each property for current rent, income rules, accessible units, and openings. A listing does not mean a unit is available.

If you already have an eviction notice or court papers, contact legal aid immediately. ASMOM’s Wyoming housing guide explains shelter, affordable housing, vouchers, and renter next steps.

Heating and utility assistance

Wyoming’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) helps eligible households pay part of their main winter heating costs. The official LIEAP page says applications are open October 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. A new application is needed each heating season. Apply through the state’s linked online portal or call 800-246-4221 to ask for application help. Renters and owners may apply; income and household rules apply. The program usually pays your fuel vendor, not you.

Heating emergency rule for 2026–2027: The state says households requesting LIEAP crisis assistance must show a verified payment toward a primary or secondary utility within the prior 60 days. They must also meet the program’s other rules, including approval for seasonal LIEAP help. If you cannot show a payment, ask the LIEAP office what other options exist. Do not wait if service is off or a shutoff is near: call the utility or fuel vendor, ask for a payment plan, and contact 211 for local funds or Energy Share. Crisis funds and payment timing are not guaranteed.

The Weatherization program remains open year-round. It may provide insulation, air sealing, heating-system measures, and safety improvements for eligible renters and homeowners. Weatherization lowers future costs; it does not pay an overdue bill.

ASMOM’s Wyoming utility guide covers shutoff rules, medical protections, and local energy programs.

Work support and real education grants

Workforce Centers

Wyoming Workforce Centers provide free help with job searches, resumes, career planning, training referrals, unemployment questions, and other employment services. Use the Workforce Center finder to contact the office serving your area.

Ask whether a workforce program can approve transportation, tools, uniforms, testing, or another support before you spend money. Support depends on eligibility, an approved plan, and funding.

If travel makes it hard to get to work, training, or medical care, ask the caseworker whether rides, transit fares, gas, or mileage can be covered before you pay. For county services and Medicaid travel questions, use the Wyoming transportation guide, then confirm current rules with the provider.

Climb Wyoming

Climb Wyoming offers free career training, job placement, and support for low-income single mothers. Training fields, communities, schedules, and available seats change. Contact the program for the next information session near you.

Wyoming Works

Wyoming Works provides grants for students enrolled in approved workforce programs at Wyoming community colleges. Apply to the college, complete its enrollment steps, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and confirm that the program is eligible before enrolling.

Wyoming’s Tomorrow Scholarship

The state-funded Wyoming’s Tomorrow scholarship serves eligible Wyoming residents age 24 or older pursuing a degree or certificate. For the 2026–2027 academic year, it can provide up to $1,800 per semester at 12 or more credit hours, for up to four full-time semesters; part-time awards may be prorated. The program has a $7,200 total award cap. It also has Wyoming-residency rules, FAFSA/unmet-need rules, and a state workforce-registration requirement. Ask your college about its application and remaining funds before you enroll.

Federal Pell Grants

A Federal Pell Grant is need-based aid that usually does not need to be repaid. File the FAFSA and ask the school whether your program is eligible for federal student aid. ASMOM’s Wyoming education guide covers scholarships, training, and FAFSA steps.

Federal tax credits and free filing

Wyoming does not collect an individual state income tax, but eligible working parents may still receive valuable federal credits. Tax credits are not same-day emergency assistance and depend on filing status, income, children, residency, and other federal rules.

• The IRS EITC page explains the Earned Income Tax Credit for eligible workers and families.
• The Child Tax Credit page explains the credit for qualifying children and related filing rules.
• IRS Free File provides free federal filing through trusted partners for taxpayers who meet the current income rules.

Use an IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site or another trusted preparer when custody, dependent, or filing-status questions are complicated.

Ask whether you can use the IRS VITA or TCE locator to find a trained volunteer who can help file a tax return for free. Older tax guides can show amounts for a past tax year. Always use the IRS rules for the year of the return you are filing; do not rely on an old credit table. If separated parents both want to claim a child, get qualified tax help before filing.

Child support and legal help

Wyoming Child Support Program

The Wyoming Child Support Program can help establish parentage and support orders, collect and distribute payments, review cases, and work with another state when a parent lives elsewhere. The child support portal allows parents and caregivers to start an application and review case information.

Child support is not guaranteed and can take time. If abuse, stalking, or another safety concern exists, tell the program before sharing contact information. ASMOM’s Wyoming child support guide explains the process and safety questions.

Legal Aid of Wyoming

Legal Aid Wyoming provides free civil legal help to some low-income Wyoming residents. It may handle housing, public benefits, family law, protection orders, consumer problems, and other civil matters. Call 1-877-432-9955 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or apply online.

Service depends on the issue, income, deadlines, location, conflicts, and available staff. ASMOM’s Wyoming legal guide lists more official and low-cost options.

Domestic violence and mental health support

The Wyoming survivor programs directory lists local domestic violence and sexual assault organizations across the state. Advocates may help with safety options, shelter, protection orders, transportation, and referrals. Services and shelter availability vary.

Use a safer device if browsing or calls may be monitored. ASMOM’s Wyoming safety guide provides safety-aware resources without replacing a personal safety plan.

Call or text 988, or use online chat, during a mental health, emotional, or substance-related crisis. The official Wyoming 988 page says support is available 24 hours a day. Call 911 when someone is in immediate danger.

Local help for diapers, furniture, and rides

If food and rent help are not enough, call Wyoming 211 and describe the items you need. Ask about diaper banks, baby clothing, beds, used furniture, household goods, school supplies, and transportation. A local shelter, school worker, public health nurse, or family-support worker may know of donations or a referral-only fund.

Tell them your county and whether you can pick up items. Some services are limited to certain ZIP codes, need a referral, or run out of stock. Do not assume a donated item or ride is available until the program confirms it. A child care worker or case manager may know of options that a public online list does not show.

Documents and information to gather

You usually do not need every paper before you ask for help, but missing proof can delay a decision. Keep applications, photos of papers, case notices, and proof you sent them in one folder. Write down which office got each item, the date, and the case number.

If help is denied, delayed, or closed

Read the notice first. A case may be waiting for one document or interview rather than fully denied. The notice should explain the decision, effective date, and hearing or review rights.

1. Ask exactly what is missing and when it is due.
2. Send the proof again and keep confirmation.
3. Request an informal conference, supervisor review, or hearing when available.
4. Use the deadline printed on the notice. Different programs use different appeal periods.
5. Keep the notice, envelope, screenshots, emails, and call log.
6. Use emergency and local backup help while the case is reviewed.

Wyoming’s SNAP and POWER policy includes informal conferences and administrative hearings. Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP notices also include hearing rights. Child care, housing, education, and local charity programs may use different review processes.

Keep a short list for each case: what the office wants, the due date, the name of the worker, and the proof you sent. If a benefits notice, court date, or safety issue is hard to understand, ask the agency or qualified legal aid for help right away.