Grants are based off of the financial need of an individual and their capacity to afford higher education, said Steven Sirot, co-founder of College Benefits Research Group (CBRG) in Roseland. “There are several types of grants that are sponsored by the federal government, state government, the school in which you are applying and/or private or nonprofit organizations,” Sirot said. The first step to receiving possible financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal and Student Aid (FAFSA), said David Slater, also a co-founder of CBRG. READ MORE.