Applying for a US government grant is an exciting but resource-intensive process. Not only is it often difficult to identify good funding opportunities, but once an opportunity is found you also need to develop a high-impact application to win a bid for funding. This guide will help to make your research and development of US government grant applications more impactful.
As the competition for grants listed on grants.gov is tough, we bring you some simple steps that can increase your chances of success.
What is Grants.gov?
Grants.gov is the website with all information about US Federal government grants. The US Federal government is a very large bureaucracy with 26 separate agencies with over 1,000 grant programs. Grants.gov is both the official office and website in charge of compiling all this grant information in one place. Through Grants.gov you can read about US government grant policies, search open and closed grant opportunities, and even apply for grants.
For more about Grants.gov, visit http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/outreach/about-grants-gov.html.
Note: Grants.gov does not include all US grants. It does not include grants from private foundations, government entities below the national level (such as states and cities), etc.
Before You Apply: Register with Grants.gov!
Before you apply, make sure you are eligible to receive funding through Grants.gov. In order to apply for grants through Grants.gov, you must first resister and create an account. You will need to submit a number of documents proving your non-profit status. Generally, both individuals and organizations located in the US and outside the US are eligible to receive funding, however there are extra steps those located outside the US must take to register.
For a list of who is eligible, visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grant-eligibility.html
To check your eligibility, visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-eligibility.html
To register with Grants.gov, visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html
The registration process can be very slow –it can take between one to three weeks. Make sure you factor in this time when deciding to apply for a grant!
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