Registering to Apply for Federal Grants!

Applying for a grant used to be a difficult and tedious process. The applications were long and often difficult to obtain. Even worse, loans used to be difficult to locate. Unless you were extremely familiar with government loan programs, in all likelihood, finding a grant and applying for a grant meeting your specific needs may have been nearly impossible to find.

Fortunately, that has changed in recent years. Grants.gov, a web site listing all available government grants, was created as part of the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) and related e-Government Strategy. Grants.gov is one of 24 PMA initiatives devoted to improving services offered by the government over the Internet. According to Grants.gov, the site was created as a partnership with the 26 Federal agencies that offer grant programs. It is organized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which is also the largest grant-making agency.

By visiting Grants.gov, it’s easy to see how simple it is to apply for a grant. Gone are the days of preparing extensive paperwork and printed documentation, as well as mailing the paperwork to the agency awarding the grant. Instead, applying for a grant is now done electronically through the site, offering individuals and businesses the opportunity to flawlessly submit a grant application online.

There are five steps involved at Grants.gov in applying for a grant:

1. Apply for a "System for Award Management" a.k.a. SAM account.  If you're a new organization and registering for the first time in preparation to apply for Federal Government Grant(s) then you'll need to first start with registering for a SAM account, which can take 7-10 working days after submission of your application.  Click here to learn more!

2.     Create a "Grants.gov" account.  This process is free.  Simply visit Grants.gov Registration Page and click on the red registration button.  It takes just a few minutes to complete.  However, review the registration process first and make sure you have everything you need.

3.     Add your organization profile.  This will allow you to associate your profile between your SAM and Grant.gov accounts.  After your Grants.gov registration is approved.  You can login and click on the  "My Account" link in the upper right corner of the page, select the "Manage Profiles" tab, and then click the "Add Profile" button.

4.    Find an appropriate grant opportunity in which you’d like to apply. Visit http://Grants.gov/ for specific information on grants available to you. Be sure you meet all criteria, or your time spent will be wasted because your application will be voided in that instance. Jot down the grant’s CFDA Number or Funding Opportunity Number, which will be needed later.

5. Designate your organization's point of contact.  Once you're registered in the SAM system, make sure you have designated an e-Business Point of Contact (EPOC). According to Grants.gov, the EPOC is the sole authority of the organization capable of designating or revoking an individual’s ability to submit a grant application on behalf of their organization through Grants.gov.  SAM also provides organizational information that Grants.gov uses to verify an applicant’s identity and to pre-fill repetitive information on grant application, which will ultimately save you time in applying for a grant.  Click here to read more on the Grant.gov site.

While there are many steps involved in applying for a grant, doing so online will move the process along much smoother and quicker than through traditional paperwork applications. The site offers user-friendly instructions and support tools, including a tutorial, a help section, a user guide, a quick reference section, and a frequent questions and answers section. Through this information, most questions and problems are addressed, and where something unusual occurs, personalized support is also available through the Grants.gov contact center.

About the author:
Rebecca Game is the founder of Digital Women ®, an online community for women in business. A 30 year entrepreneur and dedicated to helping other women find business loans and business grants. 

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