How to Apply for a Grant

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A grant is money given by one party to another, usually a nonprofit entity, educational institution or business and usually for a specific project. There are many organizations competing for grants, so the first step in receiving a grant (after finding it and making sure you qualify) is filling out some sort of application. Since the application processes vary so widely from grant to grant, this article will outline the steps involved for a variety of major grant-giving institutions.

Steps

US Federal Government Grants[1]

1. Download a Grant Application Package here. You will need to enter the appropriate CFDA Number or Funding Opportunity Number. If you don't remember the Funding Opportunity Number for the grant opportunity, return to the grant search to locate the grant opportunity and then return to this screen to enter the number.
   
   • Downloading a grant application package allows you to complete it offline and route it through your organization for review before submitting.
     
   • To download the package, you'll need an Adobe software version is compatible with Grants.gov. You can test whether you have the right version by trying to open this PDF document; if it doesn't work, download a compatible version here.
     
   • Instructions on how to open and use the forms in the package are on the application package cover sheet. Agency specific instructions are available for download when you download your application package, which will include required information for your submission.
     
   
   
2. Complete the grant application offline. Save changes to your application as you go, Grants.gov does NOT automatically save changes. The package cannot be submitted until all required fields have been completed.
   
   • Grants.gov offers a narrated tutorial on how to complete a grant application package using Adobe here.
     
   • If you're having problems completing the package, check Grant.gov's Frequently Asked Questions.
     
   
   
3. Submit the completed Grant Application Package. If you are not already connected to the Internet, you will be directed to do so and will need to login to Grants.gov using your username and password. After you have entered all the necessary information, checked the package for errors and saved your package; click the "Save & Submit" button on the cover page, your application package will automatically be uploaded to Grants.gov.
   
4. Record the tracking number. A confirmation screen will appear once the submission is complete. A Grants.gov tracking number will be provided at the bottom of this screen, as well as the official date and time of the submission. Record the tracking number so that you may refer to it should you need to contact them for support.
   

Grants of the European Union[2]

1. Find a programme appropriate that is relevant to your project on the European Commission Grants homepage. Note that all of the grants provided by the European Commission...
   
   • are a form of complementary financing, meaning that they do not finance projects up to 100%; only projects taking place outside the European Union have the possibility to be financed in full;
     
   • enable a given operation to break even financially and cannot lead to a profit for their beneficiaries;
     
   • cannot be awarded retroactively for actions that are already completed.
     
   
   
2. Consult the rules of each programme you qualify for in order to apply. Grants cover a very diverse range of fields, and the specific conditions that need to be fulfilled vary from one field to another.
   

Carnegie Corporation[3]

1. Make sure your project meets their funding criteria. The Corporation accepts requests for funding at all times of the year but it only welcomes inquiries from potential grantees whose work fits their strategic guidelines. Read the following to see if your project is appropriate:
   
   • Program Guidelines
     
   • Funding Restrictions
     
   • Grantseeker Quiz
     
   
   
2. Send a letter of inquiry. Write a letter of inquiry that addresses the following points in five pages or less:
   
   • What problem does your project address? Why is this issue significant? What is the relationship of the problem/issue to the Corporation's current program interests as noted in its Information Pamphlet and website?
     
   • What strengths and skills does your organization and personnel bring to this project? What makes your organization the right one to conduct this project?
     
   • Who will lead the project? Identify key personnel and attach resumes.
     
   • What do you intend to demonstrate or prove? What means will you use? If the project is already under way, what have you accomplished so far?
     
   • If you are requesting funding from Carnegie Corporation for a component(s) of a larger project, specify which activities you are requesting the Corporation to fund and how they relate to the larger project.
     
   • What outcomes do you expect, both immediate and long term?
     
   • If you have requested funds from other sources (or plan to), please list those sources and note the status of your request.
     
   • What plans do you have to disseminate information to the public about your project?
     
   
   
3. Cross your fingers and wait. If the project described in the letter fits the foundation's guidelines, you'll be contacted and asked to submit a proposal in the Corporation's format.
   

Federal Pell Grant (Students in the US)[4]

1. Decide which schools you are interested in attending. Get the Federal School Code for each school here. You will need these for the next step.
   
2. Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This can be done online here. You can list up to ten schools on the FAFSA using the codes from the previous step.
   
3. Apply to the school(s) you want to go to. If a school that you're applying to wasn't listed on the FAFSA (perhaps because you didn't know about that school at the time) you can later have your financial aid information sent there by following these instructions.
   
   • You can also apply to schools before filling out the FAFSA.
     
   
   
4. Wait for financial aid offers from schools you've been accepted to. If you've been awarded a Pell Grant, it will be listed on your financial aid package.
   

Related wikiHows

• How to Find Grants
  
• How to Write a Grant Proposal
  
• How to Get a Down Payment Grant
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp


2. ↑ http://ec.europa.eu/grants/introduction_en.htm


3. ↑ http://www.carnegie.org/sub/program/grant.html


4. ↑ http://www.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html

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  ¶ 11:13 AM