Applying for Your First Federal Grant: What to Know

Federal grants are non-repayable funds from government agencies to support specific projects, research, or services. Unlike contracts, grants don't require you to deliver a product or service to the government -- instead, they fund work that serves a public purpose.

Grants vs. contracts

The key difference: a contract is the government buying something from you. A grant is the government funding your work. Contracts are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), while grants follow agency-specific guidelines and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance.

Where to find federal grants

The primary source is Grants.gov, which lists grant opportunities from all federal agencies. Each listing includes the funding amount, eligibility criteria, application deadline, and submission instructions. Kontrakk also indexes Grants.gov opportunities alongside SAM.gov contracts.

Understanding the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Every grant has a NOFO (sometimes called an FOA -- Funding Opportunity Announcement). Read it completely before applying. The NOFO tells you:

• Who is eligible -- some grants are restricted to nonprofits, universities, state/local governments, or specific types of organizations.
• What the grant funds -- the program objectives and allowable activities.
• How much funding is available -- total program funding and expected award range.
• Application requirements -- what documents to submit, page limits, and formatting rules.
• Evaluation criteria -- how applications will be scored. This is the most important section.

Application basics

Registration requirements

Before you can apply on Grants.gov, your organization needs:

• A UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) from SAM.gov
• An active SAM.gov registration
• A Grants.gov account with the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role

Allow at least 2-3 weeks for these registrations if you're starting from scratch.

Common application components

Most federal grant applications require:

• Project narrative -- your plan for achieving the grant's objectives
• Budget and budget justification -- how you'll spend the funds and why each cost is necessary
• Organizational capability statement -- evidence that your organization can execute the project
• Key personnel -- qualifications of the people who will do the work
• Letters of support (if applicable) -- from partner organizations or stakeholders

Submission

Applications are submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Submit at least 24-48 hours before the deadline to allow time for system processing and error correction.

After submission

Grant review timelines vary by agency. Some programs announce awards within 60 days; others take 6 months or more. If awarded, you'll receive a Notice of Award with the terms and conditions of your grant.

Using Kontrakk for grants

Kontrakk lets you search grants by keyword, agency, and status. You can check your eligibility for specific grants, save opportunities to track deadlines, and receive email reminders as close dates approach.