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Parenthood carries many responsibilities which are particularly more challenging for single mothers. Various support mechanisms are in place to help single mothers meet these responsibilities. Ideally, the support programs that single mothers should avail of are those that address parenthood responsibilities for the long term. Most important among them is financial aid for single mothers.

Financial assistance for single mothers is fine. However, many of these programs offer only short-term solutions. The assistance that they extend may only last for one month. Besides, not all single mothers can qualify for financial aid. Sometimes, a single mother will have difficulty proving that she is entitled to federal welfare benefits. She could encounter problems in the rigorous screening process. There are also limitations to the amount of resources that could be obtained from welfare. Such fund limitation extends to both government and private sources. Given the difficulty of these sources, you should expand your search to include other single mother financial help.

There are US government grants for single mothers which constitute a better assistance alternative. Some tasks or service choices will be opened to a grant applicant. This type of financial aid for single moms is easier for some women to pursue because it feels like they are earning the money. There are 26 federal agencies handling the award of grants on 900 programs. There are grants involving art, education and agriculture. Two websites-www.grants.gov and www.neh.gov -provide the facilities for applications to these grants. The single mother can pursue financial independence starting from these two websites.

Another alternative is the outreach programs used as conduits by some lending institutions. These loan conduits can provide a start-up capital which a single mom can use to launch a small business. The government is also doing its share to encourage the enterprising single mothers. The Small Business Administration has increased its assistance to women by 25%.

Looking for scholarships is another option that is better than seeking plain financial assistance for single mothers. Such scholarships for single mothers are offered by many schools. Or a single mother can look for charitable institutions or foundations giving out scholarships.

Single moms, in addition to scholarships, can also apply for soft educational loans available through the FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). A higher education is possible through FAFSA, which provides student financial assistance for single mothers. This is done through the FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program). The education made possible through a scholarship or an FFELP loan will empower single mothers to become financially capable of supporting a family.

During her spare time, a single mother pursuing an education can still earn some extra money. This would be difficult for sure, especially at first. The extra work, however, would eventually become easier. This would become particularly so if it is a job that the single mom enjoys doing.

Blogging is one enjoyable job for a single mother if she has some flair for writing. There are many freelance writing job opportunities for bloggers available online. A single mother can likewise earn some money through her own blog. This would be a truly creative way of turning the challenge of single parenthood into an opportunity.