It's a common misconception that travel grants are only available to full-time college students. In fact, winning a grant for travel is one way to raise the necessary funds to take an extended trip no matter what your student status is. Successfully snagging one, however, is both a science and an art, requiring careful research and brilliant proposal-writing.
Travel grants are awarded for a number of reasons: studies abroad, travel-requisite research, humanitarian efforts, volunteering and career advancement among them. Different grants are meant to fund different aspects of the trip (for instance, airfare and living expenses may be covered by one, and the materials for a humanitarian mission may be the only funded aspects of another.)
There are a number of places to begin the research process. When seeking a travel grant, investigate a range of options: foundations (both private and community-based) and corporate giving concerns are all represented in one excellent resource, The Foundation Center. Government grant sources include the Federal Register and Grants.gov.
It's a waste of time to apply for a travel grant without intimately understanding the guidelines of the funder or funding agency. These criteria change frequently, so it's important to keep an eye on grants you're interested in. Expect to see guidelines regarding eligibility, the amount of money on offer, the purpose of the funding agency (to make sure that your stated goals are in alignment), important deadlines and the limitations of the grant.
When you're ready to apply for a grant, you'll need to prepare a grant proposal, of which there are three types. The first is a letter of inquiry, which is a basic summary that clearly outlines the project in a couple of pages. This brief is generally submitted first, and the decision-makers request further information if you attract their interest. The second type is a letter proposal, which is a bit more comprehensive. It's generally three to five pages long and includes a more in-depth statement of purpose along with biographical information on the applicant. Finally, there's the long proposal. It generally is around 10 pages and goes into great detail regarding methods and budget.
Always doublecheck the limitations of the grant you're interested in pursuing. If the limitations state that the grant funds are "committed," that means that the funding agency has already made an agreement with an established organization and the funds are not free for distribution. Also, many grants are geographically specific, which means that they do not distribute money outside a certain city or region.
