Grants.gov

Overview

Grants.gov is the official US federal grants portal, operated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on behalf of the federal government. It serves as the single point of access for finding and applying to grants from all 26 federal grant-making agencies, collectively managing over 1,000 distinct grant programs and distributing over $900 billion in federal grants annually. Grants.gov provides a standardized application process and electronic submission system, reducing the administrative burden of applying to multiple federal agencies. All federal grant seekers - from universities and local governments to nonprofits and research organisations - use Grants.gov to apply for most federal awards.

What You Can Find Here

• Grant opportunities from all 26 federal grant-making agencies including HHS, USDA, DOJ, DOE, NSF, NIH, and more
• Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) and Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) across all policy areas
• Research grants for universities, institutes, and hospitals
• Community development and social services grants for nonprofits and local governments
• Infrastructure and economic development grants for municipalities and tribes
• Education grants from the Department of Education for schools, districts, and universities
• Environmental and agricultural grants from EPA and USDA
• International development grants from USAID and State Department

Who Should Use This

• US universities and research institutions applying for federal research grants from NIH, NSF, DOE, and other agencies
• Nonprofits and NGOs seeking federal program grants for social services, health, housing, and community development
• State and local government agencies applying for federal infrastructure, education, or public health grants
• Tribal nations and tribal organisations seeking federal community development funding
• Federal contractors and grantees managing multiple federal awards across agencies
• Grant administrators and research development offices tracking all open federal funding opportunities

How to Get Started

1. Step 1: Go to grants.gov and create a free account - individual users and organizational accounts are supported
2. Step 2: Use the Search Grants feature to find opportunities by keyword, agency, category, opportunity number, or CFDA number
3. Step 3: Click on any opportunity to read the full synopsis and download the application package
4. Step 4: Register your organization in SAM.gov (required for all federal grant applicants)
5. Step 5: Download and complete the application package using Adobe Reader or the Grants.gov Workspace tool
6. Step 6: Submit the completed application through Grants.gov before the deadline and save your submission confirmation number

Things to Check Before Applying

• SAM.gov registration is mandatory for all organizations applying for federal grants through Grants.gov - allow up to 10 business days to process
• Application packages must be submitted by the exact published deadline - Grants.gov does not accept late submissions
• Each grant program has its own specific eligibility requirements - federal grants are frequently restricted to specific organization types
• Grants.gov is a submission portal, not a review system - after submission, your application is forwarded to the relevant agency for review
• Some federal agencies (like NIH) have separate portals (eRA Commons) that link to Grants.gov but have additional requirements

Frequently Asked Questions