Did you know that there are over 26 federal grant making agencies in the United States? These agencies administer over 900 grant programs. Individuals, not-for-profits, businesses, and local governmental entities successfully apply for government grant funding every day for projects such as infrastructure improvements, low-income housing, equipment upgrades, research projects, etc. If you would like to reap the benefits of receiving government grant funding, there is important information you need to be successful.
It is especially important to identify the granting agency that supplies government grant funding for your type of project or program. There is one main website to visit for federal government grant funding opportunities – www.grants.gov. This website is utilized by all federal agencies to streamline their grant programs. It is required that all potential government grant funding recipients register prior to grant submission. The timeline for registration can easily take over 90 days. You must register with Dunn and Brad Street and Central Contractors Registration (CCR) prior to registering with www.grants.gov. These organizations will give you identification numbers to input during registration with the federal grant system. You will need to establish an authorized organization representative, who is verified before you completed the process. After you register with the system, you can search all the government grant funding opportunities offered by the federal government. The system allows you to download the instruction packet, fill out the application, and then submit your request for grant funding.
Sometimes the federal agencies pass funds along to the states for entities to compete for within a certain geographical area. Each state receives government grant funding based upon a formula using people, area, etc. The programs established by the state with the government grant funding varies from state-to-state, but usually the eligibility requirements for recipients stay relatively the same. The vast majority of grant funding goes to local governmental entities and not-for-profits. The exception to the rule is the state’s economic development department. This arm of government gives funds directly to a company in incentives for the creation of new jobs, extensive capital investments, or energy efficiency building improvements.
Whether you are looking for government grant funding for a specific project, educational opportunities (Pell Grants), or personal needs (housing), there is funds out there to help. It is important to remember that all government grant funding is well sought after and a furiously competitive process. With this in mind, make sure to present your grant funding request in a winning manner. Also, remember to verify and document all statistics used in your grant application! Government grant funding is free, but agencies can revoke the grant if information is falsified.