Awards of Pell grants aren't state-specific but are likely the most widely sought form of grant money for academic and vocational education purposes. The maximum Pell Grant in 2009 to 2010 is $5,350, depending upon other sources of grants and aid you receive and the cost of the institution you plan to attend. The award also varies with your status as either a full-time or part-time student. Research for more information online to help you determine whether or not you qualify and how to apply.
One path to pursue if you and your family are financially unable to pay for tuition costs, or even part of the cost, is the Sallie Mae Unmet Need Scholarship. The scholarship is solely based on financial need and offers between $1,000 and $3,000 if your family income is less than $30,000 per year. This is another scholarship that isn't limited by the state in which you reside.
These grants are limited to those below the poverty line and are targeted specifically for high school graduates up to the age of 21 who want to become certified CNAs in seven weeks, according to Deborah Lum, executive director of the program. In addition to its requirement that you are eligible for government assistance, you must live in Atlanta. The agency has cobbled together funding for the program from the Georgia Department of Labor, HOPE Grant funding, youth Workforce
Investment Act funds and in-kind contributions come from grant partners, and private donations. The agency offers Atlanta high school students the opportunity to attend the Atlanta Technical College's Certified Nursing Assistant program if the needs test is met and you can attain reading and math scores equivalent to an 8th grade eduction. The intensive 7-week program serves more than 200 students every summer since its inception in 2003, according to Lum. All costs are covered, including transportation and recipients receive a $100 non-academic stipend until graduation.
The Atlanta Workforce Development Program II offers funding for adult CNA program to students up to 21 years old. Funding comes from the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The means test applies as it does for students but even if you're not a high school graduate, if you can test at the 8th grade level for reading and math, you can qualify. Applicants must live in Atlanta. All costs to receive your CNA certificate are covered--books, tuition, transportation and uniforms included. Unlike the intensified program for youth, the adult program takes 9 months to complete.
There are more than 35 nursing care facilities throughout Georgia that will cover all your costs to obtain a CNA certificate if you are an employee. The means tests vary but some of the facilities include numerous Beverly Health Care nursing homes throughout the state, Presbyterian Village in Austell, and Pleasant View Nursing Facility in Metter. Those are but a few institutions that will put their employees through school to receive CNA certificates. A full list can be found online.