Submitting a draft grant application into the federal system requires a couple of steps, so always start this process as soon as possible. Registration is free on both websites.
First, make sure your organization is registered on SAM.gov. Once your organization is approved on SAM.gov, you can then create your account on Grants.gov. You must have valid, active accounts on both websites to complete the grant application process.
Registering in SAM.gov can take up to 7-10 days to complete, so start the process early.
Sam.gov registration includes obtaining a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and requires information about your organization.
- If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization at SAM.gov. You will be directed to sign in or create an account on login.gov when you click the “Get Started” button on SAM.gov. First-time registration can take up to 10 days to become active, so apply early!
- If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can click the “Check Entity Status” button on SAM.gov and input your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you to renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.
Once your SAM.gov account is active, you can then register on Grants.gov. Grants.gov will use the organization information created with your SAM.gov account, including the EBiz point of contact and UEI.
If you have never applied for a federal grant before, please review the Grants.gov Applicant Registration Instructions. At least one person must be assigned as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). The AOR is the only person who can submit the application once it is completed.
Registering in Grants.gov for the first time can take a month or more for new registrants. Please ensure all requirements are met before the submission deadline.
If you are having trouble with the Grants.gov site, you can contact grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.