Getting Application-Ready with Registrations

While federal grant funding is on pause while the new administration reviews programs, it is an ideal opportunity to get your projects and organizations "application-ready." The first step in readiness is registering in SAM.gov.

Any entity that receives federal funds, whether through grants, loans, or contracts, is required to have an active registration in SAM.gov. The registration process can take up to two months, so it is important to start the process well before identifying an opportunity to pursue. Registration is free and is valid for one year, at which point you can easily renew online.

Review the checklist below to collect all of the necessary information before you begin. Sam.gov is the registration that takes the longest to complete, but now is a good time to consider other registrations as well. The CFS Guide to Federal Registrations and Portals provides information about those potential portals, most importantly grants.gov.