The federal government provides billions of dollars in grants every year to college freshmen, according to the Student Aid Alliance website. Some grants available from the government include the Pell Grant, which is offered to students who need financial assistance with their college costs. The Academic Competitiveness Grant is available to students with strong academic, leadership and service records. Students must also qualify for a Pell Grant in order to receive the Academic Competitiveness Grant.
Many states offer grants to college freshmen, usually to students attending state schools. State grants are often classified according to financial need, academic merit and/or subject area. For example, Florida provides grants to disabled students, minority students and those with strong academic records. Contact your school's financial aid office for more information about grants provided by the state in which you live.
There are thousands of grants available to various minority groups, including Hispanic, Asian, African-American, disabled students and women. Find out more information by seeking out minority groups that offer grants to college students, such as the United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute.
Many corporations spend a lot of money providing grants to students who major in a program related to the corporations' industry. These include grants in the fields of science, technology, engineering and health care. To find a corporate grant, look up large companies in a specific field and contact them to determine what (if any) grants they may offer to college students. Your school's financial aid office may have information about corporate grants as well.