Guides · Updated 2026-11-02

Grants.gov: how to apply for a federal grant, step by step

Grants.gov how to apply: SAM.gov registration, UEI, roles, Workspace, finding opportunities and submitting on time, based on official guidance.

Grants.gov is the US federal government's central site for finding and applying for federal grants. Most federal grant-making agencies post their opportunities there, and many accept applications through it. The system is reliable but unforgiving: registrations take time, roles must be set up correctly, and late submissions are rarely accepted. This guide walks through the process using official Grants.gov guidance.

Step 1: Check eligibility

Grants.gov has an eligibility page that explains the categories of applicants federal programs fund, such as governments, educational institutions, non-profits, businesses and, in some cases, individuals. Grants.gov notes that most grants are for organizations, though some are open to individuals. Each opportunity lists its eligible applicants, so always confirm eligibility in the specific notice.

A common misconception: federal grants are not generally available to start or grow an ordinary business. The SBA states plainly on its grants page that it does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business. Business-focused federal grants tend to be for research and development, such as SBIR and STTR, or for specific purposes like exporting.

Step 2: Register your organization in SAM.gov

According to Grants.gov's applicant registration page:

• If you are applying as part of an organization, the organization must register as an entity with SAM.gov first.
• The organization chooses a main contact, called the Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC).
• The organization receives a Unique Entity ID (UEI), which appears automatically in applications.
• Registration is free, and it must be renewed every year.
• You cannot start applying in Grants.gov until the organization is registered in SAM.gov.
• Grants.gov advises allowing up to 10 business days for SAM registration to become active, and warns it can take weeks or months if information is not available or verified.

That last point is why you should register as soon as you think you might apply. Our SAM.gov and UEI guide covers the details.

Be careful of fees. SAM.gov registration is free. Third parties sometimes charge for "registration services." You do not need them.

Step 3: Create a Grants.gov account and profile

Once SAM.gov registration is active, Grants.gov says the EBiz POC should create a Grants.gov account using the same email used in SAM.gov, then add an organization applicant profile using the UEI. One Grants.gov account can hold profiles for several organizations.

Step 4: Assign roles

The EBiz POC can give other people permission to work on applications by assigning roles such as:

• Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), who can submit applications on behalf of the organization.
• Workspace Manager.
• Custom roles.

A workspace owner can also invite people to participate. Check your roles under the Manage Profiles tab on the My Account page. Confirm the person who will press submit has the AOR role well before the deadline.

Step 5: Find opportunities

Use Grants.gov search to filter by keyword, agency, eligibility, category and status. Grants.gov also lets account holders sign up for daily emails with new and revised opportunities by agency and grant type through Manage Subscriptions. To understand who funds what, the grant-making agencies page lists federal agencies that award grants.

When you find a promising opportunity, download the full notice of funding opportunity. Read eligibility, evaluation criteria, allowable costs and submission instructions. Our guide to reading a funding notice can help.

Step 6: Prepare the application in Workspace

Grants.gov Workspace lets a team complete forms together online. Typical components include standard federal forms (such as the SF-424 family), a project narrative, a budget and budget justification, and attachments specified in the notice. Follow the notice exactly for file names, formats and page limits.

For budgets, federal cost rules are set out in the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR Part 200. See our posts on grant budgets, indirect cost rates and cost share.

Step 7: Submit early and track it

Submit well before the deadline. Near deadlines, systems can be busy, and submissions may be validated after upload. If an application is rejected for an error, you need time to fix it and resubmit. After submitting, track the status in your account and keep any confirmation emails and tracking numbers.

Some agencies use their own systems in addition to or instead of Grants.gov. Always follow the submission instructions in the specific notice.

Step 8: Get help when you need it

Grants.gov publishes an Online User Guide with registration, search and application instructions, and runs a support center reachable through its support page. For program questions, contact the agency contact named in the notice, not Grants.gov.

A pre-deadline checklist

• SAM.gov registration active and not expiring before the award date.
• Grants.gov profile linked to the correct UEI.
• Submitter has the AOR role.
• All required forms and attachments complete, named and formatted correctly.
• Budget figures match across forms and narrative.
• Submission planned at least a few days before the deadline.

Avoid scams

Grants.gov maintains a grant fraud page. The federal government does not call or email people offering grants in exchange for a fee. If someone does, it is a scam.

Applying through Grants.gov is a process, not a single form. Start registrations early, set roles carefully, follow the notice to the letter and submit with time to spare.

Before you apply: a quick checklist

1. Read the current official program page and applicant guide, not a summary of last year's version.
2. Confirm you are eligible: organization type, size, location and years in operation.
3. Confirm your project is eligible: the activities and costs the program actually funds.
4. Classify the money: grant, repayable contribution, loan, tax credit or service.
5. Work out your share: cost share, matching funds and the cash you need before reimbursement.
6. Note the intake window or deadline and the time zone, and plan to submit days early.
7. Ask the program contact any question you cannot answer from the guide.
8. Do not start spending until you have a signed agreement or written approval.

Mistakes that sink otherwise good applications

• Applying to a program that does not fit, in the hope that reviewers will stretch the rules. They rarely do.
• Copying last year's application without checking what changed in the guide.
• Vague outcomes. Say what will change, for whom, and how you will measure it.
• A budget that does not match the narrative. Every cost should connect to an activity you describe.
• Submitting at the last minute, when portals are busy and there is no time to fix errors.

Keep exploring on GrantSift

• US grants
• Grants by funder type
• Grants by deadline month
• SAM.gov and UEI registration guide

Find the programs that fit you

Official program pages are the source of truth, but finding them is the slow part. GrantSift pulls grants and funders from official sources such as Grants.gov and Government of Canada open data into one searchable database covering the US and Canada across every sector. Each listing links back to the official page, and paid plans unlock funder contacts, deadlines you can track, and filters that match programs to your business or organization. Search grants on GrantSift or see plans and pricing.