A federal grant is money awarded to a grantee by the federal government to be used for specific projects that usually carry out a public purpose and benefit the community. No repayment is required as long as the funds are used in the manner intended. Grants can be given to individuals for educational or scientific purposes, charitable organizations, educational facilities and nonprofit organizations. In order to receive a grant, an application package and grant proposal must be submitted.

Finding Grants

Grants are not available year round. Finding government agencies that give grants requires research. When a government agency makes funds available it will announce it on their website and also in the Federal Register which is published daily. The best place to look for grant opportunities is the U.S. government's website Grants.gov. This site enables you to electronically find and apply for grants that are currently available. It lists the types of grants and which agencies make those grants. Here you can sign up for electronic notifications to alert you of future grant opportunities. Once you find a grant you are interested in read the eligibility requirements to see if you are qualified. Another place to look is the Government's Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). This catalog lists different types government grants by subject and also lists various other types of assistance.

The Application Process

Once you find available grants you must register with Grants.gov and download an application package. The registration process can take anywhere from three to five days. The most important part of the application process is to submit a grant proposal. A well-written proposal clearly states your objectives and how you plan to budget your activities. Obtaining grant money is extremely competitive so you want to be sure your proposal is expertly written. There are books available in the library or bookstores giving examples of successful grant proposals. You may even consider hiring a professional grant writer to help you in the process. Once you finish your application package you submit it online and receive a tracking number with the date and time of your submission. This tracking number allows you to monitor your application progress. In a couple days you will receive a second email either accepting or rejecting the application for technical errors. So you will know whether the application has been filled out correctly and is ready to be passed on to the correct agency. You will receive a third email once the correct government agency has received your application. Grants.gov is no longer involved in the application process after this point. If you need further help you will need to contact the government agency that is offering the grant.

Source:

Grants.gov