Most federal grants are highly competitive and are most likely to be awarded to organizations with a proven track record of success in their chosen areas. Few grants are directed at individuals. Most grantors are not providing seed money for new ventures, but instead are backing efforts with a high probability of achieving the objectives of the grant. 

Our office can assist you in locating sources for grants that may meet your organization's requirements. We can also assist you in determining specific grants for which you might be eligible.  If you think you might be eligible for a federal grant, you can learn more about what might be available by clicking here.  Additionally, you can provide us more detailed information about why you are seeking a grant by clicking here and filling out the online form.  Someone from our office will contact you within two days to follow up on your request for information.

If you are interested in seeking a federal grant, the first step is to prepare your grant application.  It is your responsibility to prepare the application and ensure that it is submitted with all required paperwork before reaching the grant submission deadline. Some applicants may be skilled in grant preparation, while others may choose to enlist the services of outside skilled grant preparers. Our office is not permitted to assist you during this phase of the process.

In some instances, however, our office may be permitted to provide you with a Congressional Letter of Support with your physical or electronic application.  To determine if you are eligible for such a letter, please contact our Bloomington office at (812) 336-3000 at least 2 weeks before you submit your application.

Once the deadline date is reached, the grantor will evaluate all applications, determine those which receive grants, and decide upon a dollar amount for each recipient. This process can usually take several months before the winners of the competitive grant process are made public.

Once your grant is awarded, you may have additional responsibilities to maintain measuring and reporting of progress or results to the grantor for the duration of the grant. Failure to do so may have legal and financial repercussions.