Are there any federal grants for ex-felons other than the standard Pell grant for education?

All grants and loan programs are available to felons.

The normal exclusion would be based on your crime.

If you were convicted of bank robbery then the chances of getting anything related to financial is moot.

Likewise for sex offenders - nothing that involves children, or health care. Exceptions would be in support positions where you would not be in contact with patients. Usually eye-care providers can hire felons to make glasses and even do fittings - as an example.

For small business, most will want a co-signer, and usually a higher than normal investment on your part. This is true of any loans you make.

Education: you might qualify for a number of education grants and loans, but a college could exclude you from campus, or limit you access.

Other gov. grants involve you becoming a legitimate business. That includes licenses, EIN's, and other federal and state requirements for businesses. Usually the sole proprietor is left out. Likewise companies where the number of employees are less than 5.

If you want to improve your chances, get a Dunn & Bradstreet score. That may cost you bucks to get, but if you have stellar credit and a successful business - one that has been around more than one year - then you have a good chance to compete for a number of things.

Most states have vendors that were founded by felons. However, it is always good to have a female as head of your company - or owner - as that will generate more opertunities.

For a sole individual, you can always apply. You never know.

If you have a great idea, you can pass it on to the elected officials and lobby for a grant via the normal pork spending. How do you think we got a Trillion+++ debt now? :-)