General eligibility factors
Most federal programs require you to meet specific criteria tied to the program purpose — not a generic "anyone can apply" rule.
- U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status (program-specific)
- Valid identification and Social Security number where required
- Income or household size within program limits
- Enrollment, business registration, or disaster location for specialized programs
Category-specific checklists
Review the guide for your area of interest — education, housing, veterans, small business, and more — for detailed eligibility bullets.
- Education & Student Aid: see related guides in that category
- Small Business: see related guides in that category
- Housing & Community: see related guides in that category
- Health & Human Services: see related guides in that category
Red flags
Legitimate grants never require upfront fees. If someone promises guaranteed approval with no eligibility review, it is likely a scam.
- You never need to pay a fee to apply for or receive a legitimate federal grant.
- The government will not call, text, or DM you to offer a grant you did not apply for.
- Be wary of social media ads and websites that mimic .gov branding but use .com or .org URLs.
Official government sources
Verify program details, deadlines, and eligibility on these authoritative websites: