How do I apply?

Submitting your draft grant application into the federal system requires a couple of steps, so you should start this process as soon as possible. Registration is free on both websites.

SAM.gov

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.

Small child smiling as they touch water coming from outdoor water faucet

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.

Grants.gov

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.

Grants.gov Guide

Guía de Grants.gov

Application Deadline

Communities interested in applying for a Community Change Grant must submit all application materials through Grants.gov no later than November 21st, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will review applications on a rolling basis, so the sooner your application is in, the better. 

While the window for new applicants to request TA has closed, you can find helpful resources by clicking on the Technical Assistance Resources button.

Register your organization on SAM.gov and Grants.gov as soon as possible. The registration process can take up to two months, and this must be completed before the application submission deadline for the Community Change Grants program. The Community Change Technical Assistance (TA) program, contracted to EnDyna by the EPA, offers resources to walk through the steps to set up your federal grant accounts to help keep your application moving forward. You can find information on this step in the Grants.gov Guide above, and in the Registering to Apply for Grant fact sheet.

Technical Assistance Resources

For more information on eligibility, read the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.

If you have questions, call (800) 540-8123 or email EJ_TechAssist@epa.gov.