How to Find Government Grant Applications Online for Free

Good grantwriting is a complicated process. Once you have found a government grant application online, follow the instructions carefully. Make sure you provide all the materials the grantor requests and submit a complete application before the deadline. Grants that are missing any of the required information are usually weeded out and never considered.

Instructions

1. Log onto Grants.gov, the official website for government grants (see References). These grants are for organizations, not individual financial aid. Follow the links on the website if you're looking for student aid, small business grants or personal government benefits. This is the only clearinghouse website for government grants.

2. Click on "Grant Search." Search by keyword, funding opportunity number or Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number. You can also browse available grants by category and agency. When you find grants, make note of the funding opportunity numbers because you'll need them to register.

3. Register to use the site once you determined which grant or grants you want to apply for. You can register as an individual or as an organization. Individuals cannot submit applications to agencies that grant to organizations.

4. Download a grant application package. You will need the free Adobe reader software, available online. When you download the application package, you will have the option to download instructions that are specific to the agency that will administer the grant.

5. Complete the paper version of the grant application. The information can then be entered online and submitted after you've checked it carefully for errors and completeness. Watch the progress of your application after it's been submitted through the Track My Application page.

Tips & Warnings

• Sign up for email alerts of when new grants are posted. Sign up for the grant newsletters and blogs at the website for up-to-date information.

References

• Official US Government Grants Website

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Adobe Reader
• Links to Grant Resources
• How to Write a Federal Grant Proposal