Definition · Plain-language
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is the central US government portal where organisations find federal funding opportunities and submit grant applications across more than two dozen agencies.
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Find and apply in one place
Grants.gov consolidates federal discretionary funding opportunities from participating agencies into a single searchable system. Each opportunity is published as a Notice of Funding Opportunity with an application package of standard SF-424 forms. Applicants can search by agency, category, eligibility and keyword, download the package and submit electronically. Many agencies, including NIH and NSF, accept or originate submissions through Grants.gov before routing to their own back-end systems.
Registration and SAM.gov
Before an organisation can apply, it must register in SAM.gov to obtain a Unique Entity ID (which replaced the former DUNS number) and active registration, then register the organisation and its authorised representatives in Grants.gov. This identity and eligibility infrastructure ensures that only verified entities receive federal funds. Registration can take time, so applicants are advised to complete it well ahead of any deadline.
Grants.gov and agency systems
Grants.gov is the front door, not the whole house. After submission, agencies validate and manage applications in their own platforms — NIH in eRA Commons, NSF in Research.gov. A submission can pass Grants.gov validation yet still face agency-specific checks, so applicants track status in both Grants.gov and the relevant agency system until the application is fully accepted.
Key facts
At a glance
- Definition: US federal portal to find and apply for grants
- Operator: US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Scope: federal discretionary grants across agencies
- Requires: SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID
- Forms: standard SF-424 application packages
- Routes to: agency systems (eRA Commons, Research.gov)
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: Grants.gov awards the grants itself.
Actually: Grants.gov is a find-and-apply portal; the awarding agency reviews applications and makes funding decisions. Grants.gov only publishes opportunities and routes submissions.
Often heard: You still need a DUNS number to register.
Actually: The DUNS number was retired; entities now use a Unique Entity ID issued through SAM.gov for federal registration and applications.
Often heard: Individuals can usually apply through Grants.gov.
Actually: Most federal grants are open to organisations, not individuals; eligibility is set by each opportunity, and personal benefits typically use other channels such as Benefits.gov.
Going deeper
