Available Unemployment Grants

Public and private institutions offer a variety of grants for the unemployed. Grants are available for finding a new job, going back to school, paying utility bills and buying prescription drugs. States provide temporary weekly payments to people who qualify for unemployment benefits. The payments usually last 26 weeks, but sometimes extensions are possible, allowing for payments for more than a year. Recipients receive unemployment insurance benefits directly, but most other unemployment-related grants are available through voucher programs.

Job Searching

The Modest Needs Foundation helps unemployed people by offering cash grants -- called New Employment Grants -- for finding work. Guidelines allow recipients to use the money as they wish. Some recipients use the money to pay for expenses related to job searches. Grants are available for qualified individuals living in the United States or Canada, and the maximum grant is $1,000 or 7.5 percent of the recipient's verifiable household annual income -- whichever is greater. Visit the ModestNeeds.org website to apply.

Utility Bills

State agencies participate in the Home Energy Assistance Program, which receives funding from the federal government. The program provides one-time grants to unemployed or low-income people struggling to meet home heating bills. The grants are usually made directly to the applicant's utility company in the name of the applicant. Unemployed people needing help with their home heating bill should ask their utility company about qualifying for help under the Home Energy Assistance Program; or contact the United Way or the public library for the proper state agency contact.

Drug Prescriptions

Unemployed persons may also qualify for help under the Partnership for Prescription Assistance program. The program is open to people without prescription drug coverage, including those who lost their health insurance benefits because of unemployment. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance program provides access to 475 public and private programs for obtaining prescription drugs for free or nearly free. People interested in applying for the free help can contact the agency by calling 1-888-477-2669.

School Grants

Unemployed people seeking to return to school may be eligible for education grants from the federal government. The government offers Pell Grants to pay for college tuition and related expenses. As of 2011, applicants are eligible to receive up to $5,500 a year. The grants are an excellent option for unemployed workers seeking to improve their skills or level of education so that they can find work in a new career. People interested in Pell Grants should inquire about the program through the financial aid department of the school they plan to attend; or visit the ED.gov website.