Federal government grants provided specifically for education consist of Pell Grants, Academic Competitive Grants (ACG), and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). A Pell Grant is the most popular form of assistance available to college students. It doesn't have to be repaid and the grant issued can be from $500 to $5,000, depending on the student's eligibility. In most cases, these grants are offered to students specifically with housing expenses in mind. Academically competitive grants are based on academic performance with a grade-point average (GPA) requirement of 3.0 to 3.5, depending on your year of study. The FSEOG is for applicants who have been awarded a Pell Grant but still have extreme need for more supplemental assistance. Proof of income is a prerequisite.
Grants.gov is a one-stop site for grant inquiries, also providing listings for students. Like Pell Grants, these are provided by the federal government, but few if any require one to be a student for eligibility, and many are need based. Grants can range anywhere from money for medical care assistance to aid for gas money, so the chance of finding a grant for housing is highly likely. Go to the site and search through the database.
Some universities and other institutions provide additional financial aid to students who might need it for housing through government appropriated grants. Davidson College in North Carolina (Limited Housing Grant), Alfred University (Housing Grant), Bridgewater State College (the Massachusetts State College Building Authority Housing Grant), Virginia Tech (Emerging Leader Scholarship), Central Christian College (Junior/Senior Grant), Texas A&M University in Kingsville (ROTC Room & Board Scholarship), Jacksonville University (Room and Board Scholarship) and Chadbourne Residential College located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are just a few that provide students with adequate additional funding through grants for on-campus room and board, some supported by the government. If you are attending a participating university, or are aware of an institution that might provide the state or federal backing to assist you, contact the financial aid department at your school or state or federal government for more information. Also check the Federal Student Aid link in Resources.