Federal grants and assistance awards provide valuable funding opportunities for eligible organizations, research initiatives, community programs, and other impactful projects.
Federal Grants and Assistance Awards can provide valuable funding for eligible organizations, programs, research and community projects. However, finding an opportunity is only part of the process. Organizations must also have the required Federal Registrations completed and active before they can submit many grant applications.
Preparing early can help prevent registration delays from causing an organization to miss an application deadline. Depending on the opportunity, an applicant may need:
A Unique Entity ID is assigned through completing you SAM Registration. Organizations that obtain only a Unique Entity ID without completing the full registration cannot apply directly for federal awards. An active SAM Registration must also be renewed every 365 days to remain current.
Each federal funding opportunity has its own eligibility requirements. Funding may be available to qualifying nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, state and local governments, tribal organizations, research institutions, healthcare organizations and certain for-profit businesses.
Organizations should review each funding announcement carefully to determine whether they qualify, what the funding may be used for and which Registrations or Certification must be active before applying.
Completing the Registration process correctly is an important first step toward pursuing federal grant opportunities.
Federal Financial Assistance may be provided through Grants, Cooperative Agreements, Loans and Other Award Programs administered by Federal Agencies. These programs are generally designed to support specific public purposes such as economic development, education, infrastructure, scientific research, healthcare, agriculture, environmental programs and community services.
Grants.gov is a centralized federal resource where organizations can search for and apply for many Federal funding opportunities. The system contains information on more than 1,000 federal grant programs offered by federal grant-making agencies.
Most opportunities listed on Grants.gov are intended for organizations rather than individuals. Eligibility varies by program and may be limited according to organization type, business size, location, ownership, industry, project purpose or other requirements.
Grants.gov contains information on more than 1,000 federal grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards.
An organization should confirm each of the following before submitting an application:
Review the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity
Confirm that the organization is an eligible applicant
Verify that the proposed project and use of funds meet program requirements
Confirm that all required registrations are active
Review the application deadline and submission method
Identify required narratives, budgets, forms, and attachments
Determine whether matching funds or cost sharing are required
Complete and submit the application through the designated federal system
Grants.gov generally describes the application process as learning about available programs, checking eligibility, searching for opportunities, registering, completing the application through Workspace and tracking the submission.
Applicants should also understand that federal grant awards are competitive. Completing SAM Registration and Grants.gov Registration allows an eligible organization to pursue opportunities but registration does not guarantee qualification, approval or funding.
Once the required Federal Registrations are active, an organization can search for opportunities that align with its programs, qualifications and goals.
Organizations applying directly for many Federal Assistance Awards must have an active SAM Registration in the System for Award Management.
During registration, the organization receives a 12-character Unique Entity ID. The Unique Entity ID replaced the DUNS Number as the federal identifier used for organizations seeking federal awards.
A complete SAM Registration for Federal Financial Assistance may require information concerning the organization's:
The organization’s information must be complete, accurate and consistent with its official formation, taxpayer and banking records. Differences involving the legal name, physical address, Taxpayer Identification Number or other identifying information may lead to validation issues or requests for supporting documents.
SAM advises applicants to allow at least 10 business days after submission for a registration to become active — longer when information can't be validated or additional documents are required. Once active, the registration must be renewed every 365 days; begin the renewal process before your expiration date to avoid a lapse that could affect your ability to apply for, receive, or manage a federal award.
Once active, the registration must be renewed every 365 days. Organizations should begin the renewal process before the expiration date to avoid a lapse that could affect their ability to apply for, receive or manage a federal award.
After the SAM Registration is active, the organization can establish or complete its Grants.gov applicant profile using its Unique Entity ID. The appropriate applicant roles must then be assigned before an authorized representative can submit an application on behalf of the organization.
United States Business Registration assists organizations with completing all registrations needed to pursue eligible federal grant and assistance opportunities. Establishing the proper registrations before identifying a deadline gives your organization a stronger foundation for moving forward when the right opportunity becomes available.
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