Where's My Money!?

• Author: McDonald, Galen
• Position: FEDERAL UPDATE

Federal grants--you might have heard about a few in the last year and a half! With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan Act in full force, grant opportunities are appearing right and left. And the federal grant process is simple--right? Well, we hope it will feel that way after you've read the following overview of federal grants and ways to make your grant applications stand out to the current administration.

What are grants?

Let's lay some groundwork. Grants are one funding mechanism the federal government uses to deliver funds to entities and programs around the country. There are two types of grants: formula grants and competitive grants. Formula grants are noncompetitive, meaning there are designated recipients that will receive funding, but these recipients are still required to apply and to meet certain requirements. Competitive grants, which are also known as discretionary grants, don't go to predetermined recipients. They require applications and eligibility.

The federal grant process

There are several prerequisites to applying for a federal grant. Entities applying for federal funding must be registered through SAM.gov [the System for Award Management] and receive a unique entity ID [UEI], which is provided through SAM.gov. After receiving your UEI, your entity needs to register with Grants.gov, where you can search for grants, download Notice of Funding Opportunities [NOFOs], and submit applications. NOFOs may also list additional registration requirements for the specific funding agency.

The federal grant process includes three stages: pre-award, award, and post-award. For applicants, the pre-award stage involves searching for opportunities, registering on grants.gov, and applying. The award phase includes applicants receiving a notice of award, working on the funded project, and meeting the award requirements--administrative, financial, and programmatic reporting. The post-award phase may include additional financial and programmatic reporting, and recipients will be asked to respond to audit requests.

Read funding announcements carefully to ensure that you and your entity are completing all the steps required by the specific funding agency or NOFO guidelines.

Fund-matching and/or cost-sharing requirements

Cost-sharing or matching requirements for federal grants mean that the grant awardee must contribute a specific percentage of funds toward the relevant project. NOFOs include specific match...