Federal grants: SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration

To apply for most federal grants, an organization must be registered in two places. Both are free. Beware of any website that charges you to register.

SAM.gov

The System for Award Management (sam.gov) is the federal government's registration system. Registering gives your organization a Unique Entity ID (UEI). You will enter your legal name, address, EIN and bank details, and the information must match what the IRS has on file. Registration must be renewed every year.

Grants.gov

Many applications are submitted through Grants.gov, where you create an account and your organization's representative(s) are authorized to submit. Some agencies use their own portals instead; the listing tells you.

Why start early

• Registration and validation can take days or weeks, and problems (name or address mismatches) take longer to fix.
• You cannot submit until it is complete, no matter how good the application is.
• Do it before you find the perfect grant, not after.

Is federal funding right for you?

Federal awards often come with detailed reporting, audits above certain spending levels, and reimbursement-based payment. Many small organizations start with local and foundation funding, or partner with a larger organization. That is a legitimate path, not a failure.

Rules and screens change. Use the official sites above and each listing's instructions as the authority.