The instructions below are for new organizations or organizations that have never applied for a federal grant before. Most applicants work for organizations that already completed these steps to do business with the federal government.
An organization is an entity that submits grant applications on behalf of the group, such as a state government, nonprofit organization, or a private business. Once you form a legal entity with an Employer Identification Number (EIN), you are ready to complete the steps below.
If you do not complete these steps by the submission deadline, you are unlikely to be allowed to submit an application. Contact the federal agency point of contact listed in the grant opportunity to discuss that agency's policy.
To Apply for Grants, the Organization Must Register with SAM.gov and Grants.gov
SAM.gov
The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is a government-wide registry for vendors doing business with the Federal government. SAM.gov centralizes information about grant recipients and also provides a central location for grant recipients to change organizational information. Grants.gov uses SAM.gov to establish organizational authority for its users and to provide unique entity identification numbers. SAM registration requires annual renewal
You must register with the SAM.gov to obtain the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) to do business with the Federal Government. Organizations will also need to designate an E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC). It can take 7-10 business days to fully complete the registration process required for most funding opportunities. There is no fee for registering with SAM.gov.
Grants.gov
After obtaining the UEI for the organization from SAM.gov, you must return to Grants.gov to continue registration. There is no fee for registering with Grants.gov. Your organization’s EBiz POC must:
The EBiz POC can then delegate administrative roles other users. Read the Help article, Set Organization Preferences and Administrative Access for instructions,
Visit Learn Grants to find information about every phase of the grant management process, from applying and reporting to the award closeout.