Applying for a Grant - Where and How

 by: Rebecca Game

Applying for a grant used to be a difficult and tedious process. The applications were long and often difficult to obtain. Even worse, loans used to be difficult to locate. Unless you were extremely familiar with government loan programs, in all likelihood, finding a grand and applying for a grant meeting your specific needs may have been nearly impossible to find.

Fortunately, that has changed in recent years. Grants.gov, a web site listing all available government grants, was created as part of the President's Management Agenda (PMA) and related e-Government Strategy. Grants.gov is one of 24 PMA initiatives devoted to improving services offered by the government over the Internet. According to Grants.gov, the site was created as a partnership with the 26 Federal agencies that offer grant programs. It is organized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which is also the largest grant-making agency.

By visiting Grants.gov, it's easy to see how simple it is to apply for a grant. Gone are the days of preparing extensive paperwork and printed documentation, as well as mailing the paperwork to the agency awarding the grant. Instead, applying for a grant is now done electronically through the site, offering individuals and businesses the opportunity to flawlessly submit a grant application online.

There are five steps involved at Grants.gov in applying for a grant.

1. Find an appropriate grant opportunity in which you'd like to apply.

Visit Grants.gov/search/searchHome.do for specific information on grants available to you. Be sure you meet all criteria, or your time spent will be wasted because your application will be voided in that instance. Jot down the grant's CFDA Number or Funding Opportunity Number, which will be needed for Step 2, below.

2. Download the application package.

Once you've determined which grant or grants you'll apply for, you're ready to download your grant application package. Visit http://apply.grants.gov/forms_apps_idx.html for information. Your first step is to download PureEdge Viewer, which is a free software package required for filling out the application. The software is available to both Macintosh and PC users. Instructions are included as to how to install and use the software. After installing PureEdge Viewer, you're ready to download your specific application package. Have the grant's CFDA Number or Funding Opportunity Number for this step, which should have been obtained in Step 1, above.

3. Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR).   (continued...)

Applying for a Grant - Where and How
  Page 2

About The Author Rebecca Game is the founder of Digital Women ®, an online community for women in business. A 30 year entrepreneur and dedicated to helping other women find business loans and business grants. Visit her site: Business Grants for Women or at her main site: http://www.digital-women.com.

Additional Government Grants Resources

Core Clinical Centers for the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network Program
In keeping with this mission, the National Institutes of Health has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) to establish the Core Clinical Centers for the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network Program.

---

Department of Housing and Urban Development's Dollar Homes Program
The Dollar Homes Program revolves around the process of selling single family homes for a superbly reasonable price of $1 (plus closing cost) to low-to-moderate income families, granted that these houses have been acquired through foreclosure by the Federal Housing Administration, and have already been actively marketed for at least six months and still remained unsold after that certain period of time.

---

Direct Housing Natural Disaster Loans and Grants
The primary goal of the Direct Housing Natural Disaster Loans and Grants program is to provide loans or grants to homeowners whose homes are situated in counties that are named by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as being qualified to receive federal assistance under an emergency declaration that is made by the President of the United States.

---

US Agency for International Development Announces Funding for Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance
The US Agency for International Development: Bureau of Global Health has recently announced a funding opportunity amounting to $200,000,000 in order to support the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA III) project.

---

Grants From The Department of Commerce
In this article, you will discover the services offered by the Department of Commerce as well the different programs that could potentially help you in which ever way possible.

---

Every Day Counts Innovation Initiatives - Request for Information
In keeping with this mission, the Federal Highway Administration has recently constituted the Every Day Counts Innovation Initiatives project wherein they intend to solicit information from all eligible sources regarding innovations and advances that will potentially transform the way people will do business.

---

National Integrated Water Quality Program
In accordance with this mission, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture has recently established the National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) in an attempt to substantially contribute to the improvement of the quality of our nation's surface water and groundwater resources through research, education, and extension activities.

---