Legal Definitions - private grant

A private grant refers to the transfer of property, rights, or privileges from one private individual or entity to another. Unlike a public grant, which originates from a government body, a private grant is made by a non-governmental source, such as an individual, a corporation, or a private foundation. These transfers are typically voluntary and are often formalized through legal documents like deeds, contracts, or trust agreements.

Here are some examples illustrating a private grant:

• Example 1: Transfer of Real Estate

  A homeowner decides to give a parcel of undeveloped land they own to their adult child as a gift. They execute and record a deed that legally transfers ownership of the land from themselves to their child. This is a private grant because a private individual (the parent) is voluntarily transferring real property to another private individual (the child).

• Example 2: Philanthropic Funding

  The "Evergreen Foundation," a charitable organization established by a wealthy family, awards a sum of money to a local community garden project to help them purchase tools and seeds. This is a private grant because the funding originates from a private entity (the Evergreen Foundation) and is provided to another private entity (the community garden project, which is typically a non-profit organization).

• Example 3: Grant of an Easement

  A farmer owns a large field, and their neighbor needs to cross a corner of that field to access their own landlocked property. The farmer agrees to allow the neighbor permanent access and signs a legal document granting an easement for a private road across their property. This constitutes a private grant because one private landowner is granting a specific right (the easement) over their property to another private landowner.