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

The Collaborative Islet Transplantation Registry Program
The National Institutes of Health has formed a partnership with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in order to establish the The Collaborative Islet Transplantation Registry Program wherein both agencies seek to invite applications that intend to continue initiatives started through the Collaborative Islet Transplantation Registry (CITR).

---

Excellence in Hemoglobinopathies Research Award Program
The National Institutes of Health has formed a collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in an effort to establish the Excellence in Hemoglobinopathies Research Award Program wherein both agencies have agreed to financially support the creation of studies that could potentially improve high-impact multi-disciplinary basic and translational research studies in the hemoglobinopathies.

---

Federal Emergency Management Agency: Earthquake & Building Science Program Support Implementation
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recently proposed to enter into a cooperative agreement entitled Earthquake and Building Science Program Implementation with the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc.(FLASH).

---

Origin-Destination Database of Border Traffic Flows for Transportation Planning
The Federal Highway Administration has recently announced a cooperative agreement entitled, Origin-Destination Database of Border Traffic Flows for Transportation Planning, to support Ontario's Ministry of Transportation in conducting training workshops focused on data collection, and the process of understanding and maximizing the use of the data collected.

---

Exploratory Clinical Trials for Small Business Grant Program
The National Institutes of Health has formed a partnership with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in order to establish the Exploratory Clinical Trials for Small Business Grant Program wherein they aim to establish a vehicle for Small Business Concerns (SBCs) in the process of submitting Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications for exploratory clinical trials directly to the NIND

---

Rural Health Research Center Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration has recently established the Rural Health Research Center (RHRC) Cooperative Agreement Program in an attempt to substantially improve the amount of high-quality, impartial, policy-relevant research studies.

---

Family Planning Services Grants
OPHS has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Family Planning Services Grants, a program wherein the OPHS, along with the HHS, will award grants to eligible individuals who seek to operate voluntary family planning services projects that would provide family planning services to everyone who desires to avail of such services, including low-income families in under-served areas.

---