This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the federal grant application process in the United States. It examines how federal grants are defined, funded, and announced, with particular attention to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) and the Grants.gov portal. The paper walks through the steps required for both organizational and individual applicants, including DUNS number acquisition, Central Contractor Registration, and application package submission. It also details the standard federal forms — including SF-424 and SF-424A — covering budget categories such as personnel, travel, equipment, supplies, and indirect costs, as well as agency-specific requirements such as those for NIH research grants.
According to Grants.gov, a federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient "to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States." The grant process is detailed and specific, with rules that must be closely adhered to.
Although a few individuals receive federal grants, most federal grants are awarded to organizations, institutions, and state and local governments planning major projects that will benefit specific sectors of the population or the community as a whole. Organizations that receive government grants are subject to strict government oversight. They must meet detailed government performance standards during the duration of the project and the funding period of the grant. Failure on the part of the grant recipient to perform under the requirements of the grant can result in penalties ranging from economic sanctions to prison in cases of improper use or theft of public funds. Most government grants are applied for and awarded to other federal agencies, states, cities, colleges and universities, and research organizations.
Funding for the grant process begins with federal budget approval, with Congress deciding which programs receive which amounts of money. Once the federal budget is approved, funds for grant projects become available. Grant projects that have been announced appear in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), a listing of grant and assistance programs — currently over 2,100 — administered by federal agencies. Organizations or individuals seeking grants can also consult the Weekly Federal Funding Report, where newly available grant programs are announced, as well as the Federal Register. Federal agencies themselves are also valuable sources of grant availability information.
The CFDA lists which organizations or individuals are eligible to apply for grants. It also explains the following:
After obtaining a basic understanding of what grant applications entail, the next step in the process is finding grants to apply for and then submitting the application. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services manages an online grant application tool at Grants.gov. Grants.gov was established as a governmental resource and is today a central storehouse for information on more than 1,000 grant programs offered by 26 federal grant-making agencies, providing access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards.
The first step to finding grant opportunities in the Grants.gov database is searching the database to identify a suitable grant. One can browse using a number of different criteria:
While browsing for opportunities, it is important to note eligibility requirements, including whether a grant is available to an organization or an individual. Once a suitable opportunity is found, the next step is submitting an online application — a process that can take anywhere from three to five business days up to four weeks. Given that there are deadlines for each grant application, it is important to allow sufficient time for each step in the grant-seeking process.
There is a different registration process depending on whether one applies as an individual or as an organization. Organizations must request a DUNS number, a unique nine-digit number used for tracking purposes and obtained from Dun & Bradstreet. Organizations also need to complete their Central Contractor Registration (CCR), which requires a Tax Identification Number or Employer Identification Number and can take up to two weeks to obtain. The information required for CCR is similar to what one submits in an annual IRS tax return. The applicant is also asked to supply the organization's bank routing and account numbers to facilitate electronic banking. Following this, the applicant completes an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) profile, which must then be confirmed by the organization's E-Business Point of Contact.
Individual registration requires that the applicant have a Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for the specific grant application being sought. The applicant also completes a profile that includes an email address to which all correspondence with Grants.gov will be sent, including confirmation that the registration process is complete.
Once registration is complete, the applicant can download a grant application package. Downloading the package allows the applicant to route it through the organization for review before submittal. It is important to note that the applicant should save changes to the application as they complete it, because Grants.gov does not automatically save changes. After all the necessary information is entered and saved, a confirmation screen appears. Once the grant application package is submitted, the applicant can track its status online. A contact center is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with issues regarding Grants.gov.
In addition to the Grants.gov application, each federal agency has its own grant application forms. All agencies have standard cover forms and budget forms, along with assurances, certifications, and disclosures. The remaining forms vary from agency to agency. Most federal grant-making agencies make exceptions to the standard Grants.gov application upload requirement and will allow applicants to submit a paper application instead. The checklist is especially important for hard-copy submissions because the forms, narrative, attachments, and appendices must be assembled in a specific order; otherwise, an application could be rejected upon receipt.
"SF-424, SF-424A, and budget line item breakdowns"
"Assurances, certifications, and NIH-specific forms"
This paper examined the grant application process, and the one overwhelming reaction it elicits is that grant writing is not for the faint of heart. Between the specificity and the requisite attention to detail — not to mention the research requirements and application deadlines — it is clear that the process of applying for federal grants demands significant effort and commitment on the part of the applicant.
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