For years now, educational federal funding has been experiencing an accelerated reduction trend that seems set to wipe it out for good. Yet money for school is still out there, and, despite levels of attainment, you’ll find that with few exceptions education continues to be respected and well-regarded across the entire socio-economic spectrum. Politicians seeking to fix the city or state budget, an unmarried father with three children seeking scholarships for single parents, and your average voter continue to back up funding for education through Bill writing, ballot casting, and ever-increasingly critical support to scholarship funds.

Single fathers, of course, have their counterpart: single mothers. Scholarships for single mothers are widely announced and have been noticeably prevalent recently. This is good news because it means more people are paying attention to their needs for education and training. Single parents and all students face intense competition for the available funds. And although it might sound a bit too Horatio Alger, with consistency and a lot of determination you’re more than likely to find yourself with at least one scholarship.

More than ever, non-traditional students of all stripes are today seeking, and finding, opportunities for scholarships and grants for going back to school. Cast a wide enough net with multiple applications and you’re likely to find a scholarship for which you not only qualify, but for whose requirements your particular talents, achievements, and circumstances afford you a competitive advantage. Also, keep a close and watchful eye on all the web listings.

Older students returning to college comprise another group whose particular circumstances are often taken into account when government leaders and scholarship and grant organizations arrange the distribution of their resources. Moreover, discouraged is the last thing a current or soon-to-be student should be when contemplating his or her application’s prospects. Even if your application is not chosen, remember to reapply the following year; the pool of applicants, and your odds for selection, are always changing.

Scholarships come in all shapes and sizes. The seemingly most unlikely source may just be the one who’ll provide you with some support. Remember that depending on the funding organization you apply to, both solicited and unsolicited proposals for grants and scholarships can be available, so don’t be shy. Come up with a good idea and presentation, make your plan for its achievement sound, and get your information to the right pair of eyes.

Sam Walters is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Her writing appears in print and online.