Social Work Grants

Grants for Tuition and Research

Social Work students could have quite abundant grant money available, especially those pursuing work in the public sector.

Social workers may eventually find work in public and private settings: schools, hospitals, clinics, private practice, shelters, psychiatric/mental health facilities, corrections, as well as in rural and urban environments. They may work with families, with battered women, with children, with the elderly, with GLBT and many other often socially distinctive populations.

Graduate Social Work Students and Grants

Students often satisfy requirements for a Bachelors degree then move onto a Masters and sometimes Doctoral degrees in Social Work. Typically you have few professional and clinical opportunities open to you without at least a Masters in Social Work. At these levels of study scholars may require grant money from research coffers to finish dissertations or help defray costs associated with other professional projects.

Best sources for grants for social work students:

  • Government sources
  • Colleges and universities
  • Professional associations

Federal and State Grant Sources for Social Work

Grant money from government sources typically requires students to show demonstrable financial need as well a specific career intentions. Often grants from federal and state sources may be aimed at minorities as well.

  • Morris K. Udall Foundation is a government-sponsored entity that provides a variety of merit-based grants to undergraduate students annually—over 80 of them. Native American students studying in a healthcare field and seeking to pursue health care in the Native American community may qualify for such grants. This could include social work students.

One of your first grant go-to sources should be your state government. Check out the opportunities for free college aid from your state higher education website.

College and University Sources for Grant Money

Schools of Social Work also are well-known for offering various types of grants and scholarships to student majors. Undergrads may qualify for minority or diversity grants. Graduate and doctoral students may qualify for research grants, assistantships and fellowships.

  • Wayne State University’s School of Social Work advertises a smorgasbord of grant and scholarship opps available to eligible students through this department.
  • Boston College Graduate School of Social Work provides lucrative grants for graduate and post-graduate researchers conducting short-term or long-term study on a diverse array of topics. Grants awards may range from a few thousand dollars to $100,000+.

Professional Social Work Associations

Professional associations and societies within a field of study are fertile grounds for funding both for working professionals as well as students. Main requirement: you need to be a member of the organization. Best advice to students: seek out popular and well-funded association for social workers or related professionals that can provide you with sustenance from school through career launch and further.

The National Association of Social Workers and Association of Oncology Social Work are examples of leading organizations in the field with various types of educational and research grant support.