Grants.gov

Grants.gov is the official US government website where organizations search for federal grant opportunities, download application packages, and submit grant applications across all federal agencies that award discretionary grants.

What is Grants.gov?

Grants.gov was launched in 2002 under the E-Government Act as the mandated single access point for federal grant opportunities. All 26 federal grant-making agencies are required to post their competitive grant opportunities on Grants.gov, making it the equivalent of SAM.gov for the grant world. The platform covers a broad range of federal financial assistance programs: research grants, community development grants, education grants, health program grants, infrastructure grants, and arts and humanities funding.

Each listing on Grants.gov is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that describes the program's objectives, eligible applicants, funding amount and number of awards expected, application requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission deadlines. The platform also hosts downloadable application packages in standardized formats. Organizations must create a Workspace account to submit applications electronically. Grants.gov registration requires a SAM.gov registration for nonprofits, universities, state and local governments, and other entities seeking federal funding.

Grants.gov does not process grant applications in the same way that agencies evaluate contract proposals. After submission through Grants.gov, the application is transmitted to the awarding agency's own grants management system - such as NIH's eRA Commons, NSF's Research.gov, or HRSA's EHBs - where program staff conduct the review and selection process. Grants.gov is the submission portal, not the review portal.

Why Grants.gov matters for government contractors

For government contractors that also pursue research and development funding, cooperative agreements, or programmatic grants, Grants.gov is the primary discovery channel. Companies pursuing SBIR Phase I and II awards should note that most SBIR announcements also appear on SBIR.gov, but Grants.gov provides a consolidated view across all agencies. Understanding the grant landscape alongside the contract landscape gives a complete picture of federal funding available for any technology or programmatic area.

Example

A nonprofit research organization focused on public health surveillance wants to identify all HHS grant programs relevant to its epidemiology work. The team searches Grants.gov filtering by agency (HHS), category (health), and eligibility (nonprofit). The search returns 47 active funding opportunities with combined available funding exceeding $200 million. The team downloads application packages for three programs that match their scope, reviews the evaluation criteria and required deliverables, and develops a six-month grant pipeline that prioritizes two NIH and one CDC opportunity with submission deadlines staggered across the next quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do federal contractors need to register separately on Grants.gov versus SAM.gov?

You need both registrations if you pursue both grants and contracts. SAM.gov registration is required for contracts and is also a prerequisite for most Grants.gov submissions. Grants.gov has its own workspace registration on top of SAM.gov. The SAM.gov entity registration feeds your basic organizational data into the Grants.gov workspace, but you still need to create a Grants.gov account.

Does Grants.gov include SBIR and STTR opportunities?

Some SBIR and STTR funding opportunities appear on Grants.gov, particularly those from agencies like NIH and NSF that issue SBIR announcements as NOFOs. However, SBIR.gov is the dedicated portal that aggregates SBIR and STTR solicitations across all participating agencies and is generally more complete for SBIR-specific research. Monitoring both platforms is advisable.

What is the difference between a contract and a grant for purposes of Grants.gov?

Contracts are procurement vehicles where the government buys goods or services and receives a deliverable in return. Grants are financial assistance awards where the government funds an organization to carry out work that serves a public purpose - the government does not receive the deliverable. Grants.gov covers grants and cooperative agreements. SAM.gov covers contracts. The distinction matters legally: grant funds are subject to Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), while contract funds are subject to the FAR.

Can for-profit companies apply for grants through Grants.gov?

Yes, though eligibility varies significantly by program. Many federal grant programs are restricted to nonprofit organizations, universities, state and local governments, or tribal entities. However, some programs - particularly in research, energy, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development - explicitly include for-profit small businesses as eligible applicants. SBIR and STTR programs specifically target small for-profit businesses.