How to apply for federal grants

My team and I have made this guide to help local nonprofits, governments and other groups apply for federal grants. This is a good starting point, but we are happy to answer questions you have as you work through the process. You can contact us by visiting Moulton.house.gov.

How to best find information for federal grant opportunities:

1. Find out if you are eligible for a grant. Other government websites may be more suitable for personal needs, student loans, small business assistance, or other business opportunities such as government contracting. The website Government Benefits, Grants, and Financial Aid may also be of help.
2. If eligible, search for programs through the Assistance Listings tool. This includes grants, loans, business and non-financial help.
3. Contact the federal office listed in each Assistance Listing program description.
4. Go to federal websites listed in each Assistance Listing program description for more information and for state administering agencies responsible for managing these programs.
5. Check current federal grants opportunities at Grants.gov, obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number, register with System for Award Management (SAM), and apply online (links and instructions are provided on both websites). Additional notices appear at FedConnect.
6. Search foundations for project funding: use the Foundation Center website or Foundation Information Network resources in libraries to identify national, state, and community foundations.
7. Learn how to write grant proposals: Take the free online Foundation Center Proposal Writing Short Course, or see other tips and sample proposals at Grantspace’s How Do I Write a Grant Proposal?

Key Federal Funding Sources:

Assistance Listings at beta.SAM.gov (General Services Administration)

Official descriptions of more than 2,200 federal assistance programs (including grants, loans, and other financial and non-financial assistance) can be found on beta.SAM.gov. The website, produced by the General Services Administration (GSA), is currently in beta, and it houses federal assistance listings previously found on the now-retired Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). Each federal assistance program has a corresponding CFDA program number; these CFDA numbers are still used as numerical program identifiers. Programs are searchable at the “Assistance Listings” domain at beta.SAM.gov; descriptions are updated by departments and agencies, and they cover authorizing legislation, objectives, and eligibility and compliance requirements. The site will eventually be renamed beta.SAM.gov. For current notices of funding availability, see Grants.gov or FedConnect.

Grants.gov (via Dept. of Health and Human Services)

Federal grants website that allows eligible grantseekers (see Who is eligible for a Grant?) to find and apply for current competitive grant opportunities from ALL federal agencies.

Grantseekers can check on notices of funding availability (NOFAs) posted in the last 7 days; access RSS feeds of grant opportunities; and apply for federal grants through a unified process by downloading the application and submitting online.

The website guides grantseekers in obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number, registering with System for Award Management (SAM), and registering with Grants.gov to apply and to track applications. See also website FedConnect for additional grants and contracts opportunities.