Unfortunately, FPGAs are expensive and development boards are rarely offered for free.
I would suggest that you contact your local Altera or Xilinx representative. Invite them to visit you and discuss with them the project you want to development. Be prepared to talk about markets and volumes for what you are trying to build. If they believe that your product could generate sales for them, they may be able to get you a loaner board to use for a period of time.
If you do not have a project in mind and just want a board to learn with, then it going to cost you. To reduce your cost, try contacting local universities and see if they are upgrading any hardware. Often, they get special pricing from the manufacturer and replace equipment every couple of years. If the university is upgrading, they may sell the old board at a lower cost. Older starter kits also show up on eBay. However, bidding can be heavy, so prices can often rise above what many can afford.