Federal Grant Guides

How to Apply for Federal Grants: A Step-by-Step Guide

A complete, plain-English walkthrough of how to apply for U.S. federal grants — from registering on SAM.gov to submitting a competitive application, with timelines and common mistakes to avoid.

• How to Register on SAM.gov and Grants.gov (UEI), Step by Step
• What Is a NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) and How to Read One
• Federal Grant Eligibility: Who Can Apply?
• Grants.gov vs SAM.gov: What’s the Difference?
• The SF-424 Form Explained: Your Federal Application Cover Sheet

How to Find Grants for Nonprofits

A practical guide to finding federal, state and foundation grants for your nonprofit — where to look, how to search efficiently, and how to focus only on opportunities you can win.

• Federal Grants for Small and New Nonprofits
• Grants for 501(c)(3) Organizations: What You Need to Know
• Recurring Grant Programs: Funding That Comes Back Every Year
• How to Track Grant Deadlines (and Never Miss One)

How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal

A section-by-section guide to writing a federal grant proposal that scores well — from the statement of need and SMART objectives to the budget, evaluation plan and final checklist.

• How to Write a Statement of Need
• Grant Budget Template and Cost Justification
• Logic Model and Evaluation Plan: Showing Funders Your Impact
• Letters of Support and MOUs in Grant Applications
• Why Grant Proposals Get Rejected (and How to Avoid It)
• Indirect Cost Rates Explained (F&A, De Minimis, NICRA)

Understanding Federal Grant Funding

How federal grant funding actually works: Assistance Listings, the types of federal assistance, discretionary vs mandatory funding, formula vs project grants, and the rules that come attached.

• What Is a CFDA Number (Assistance Listing)?
• Cooperative Agreement vs Grant: What’s the Difference?
• Discretionary vs Mandatory (Formula) Grants
• Cost Sharing and Matching Requirements Explained