How to Apply for Government Grants

A government grant can help your project get underway. Save time and improve your chances by following the proper procedures.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Iron out the details of your project.

2. Obtain the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) online or through the mail. The CFDA lists all government grants.

3. Pick the category (formula grants, project grants etc.) in the catalog that fits your needs.

4. Study the grants listed. Note eligibility requirements.

5. Study the application procedure. Sometimes you have to start with your local or state government.

6. Study the examples of funded projects. See how your project compares.

7. Study the post assistance requirements. Make sure you know what reports, records and audits will be required.

8. Pay special attention to the information contacts. All important names, phone numbers and addresses are there.

9. Contact the appropriate person and ask for a grant application kit.

10. Complete all elements of the kit, including a detailed proposal outlining your project.

11. Send the completed application to the proper address before the deadline.

Tips & Warnings

• The CFDA can be found online doing a search on a major search engine like Yahoo! or Google. Make sure that the URL ends in .gov so that you know you're dealing with an official government site.

• Consider taking a seminar or course on proposal writing. Type 'grant proposal' into a search engine for information.