Registering an Organization

The instructions below are for organizations that have never applied for a federal grant. Most applicants work for organizations that already completed Step 1 below, to do business with the federal government. Please see Grant Eligibility to determine if your organization is eligible for receiving federal grants.

There are several steps an organization (nonprofits, state governments, and private businesses) must complete outside of Grants.gov prior to submitting an application through Grants.gov. Once you form a legal entity with an Employer Identification Number (EIN), you are ready to complete the steps below.

It takes one day (after you enter the EBiz POC name and EBiz POC email in SAM) to receive a UEI (SAM), which will allow you to register with Grants.gov and apply for federal funding.

To apply for federal funding, your SAM registration must be fully processed, which can take an average of 7-10 business days after all information has been entered in SAM. Please make sure to begin the process early. Contact the federal agency point of contact listed in the grant opportunity to discuss that agency's policy.

Step 1. Register with SAM
 

How do I register with the System Award Management (SAM)?

Access https://www.sam.gov and complete the online SAM registration process to obtain a UEI (SAM) or verify if your organization already has one. If your organization already has a UEI (SAM), go to Step 2. 

IMPORTANT: Ensure you enter your EBiz POC name and EBiz POC email in SAM and your organization/entity registration process is complete in SAM, this will allow you to register with Grants.gov (Step 2). Contact the Federal Support Help Desk for help with the UEI.

 
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How long does this step usually take?

7-10 business days to process after all information has been entered in SAM

 

  

 

Step 2. Register with Grants.gov
 

How do I register a Grants.gov account?

Click the Register link in the top banner and complete the on-screen instructions.
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How long does this step usually take?

Same day

  

 

Help: Online User Guide

Find registration, search, and application instructions for all users in the Grants.gov Online User Guide.

 

For detailed applicant information, review the Applicants section of the online user guide.

Help: Support Center

Contact the Grants.gov Support Center to get help from a representative.

 

Email us at support@grants.gov or visit our Support page.