Key Terms
Federal grants have their own vocabulary. Understanding these terms before you start will save you from confusion and mistakes during the application process.
- NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity)
- The official announcement that a grant is available. Contains everything you need: eligibility, application requirements, evaluation criteria, deadlines, and reporting expectations. Formerly called FOA or RFA.
- CFDA / ALN (Assistance Listing Number)
- A unique identifier for each federal assistance program (e.g., 93.224 for Health Center Program). Used to find programs on SAM.gov and grants.gov. CFDA was renamed to ALN but both terms are still widely used.
- UEI (Unique Entity Identifier)
- A 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned through SAM.gov. Required for all federal grant applications. Replaced the DUNS number in April 2022.
- SAM.gov
- System for Award Management. The federal government's official registration system for organizations receiving federal awards. Registration must be active before you can apply and must be renewed annually.
- Indirect Cost Rate
- The percentage applied to direct costs to cover overhead (rent, utilities, administrative staff). You can negotiate a rate with your cognizant agency or use the 10% de minimis rate under 2 CFR 200.414(f) if you've never had a negotiated rate.
- Single Audit (2 CFR 200 Subpart F)
- An annual audit required for organizations spending $750,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year. Covers both financial statements and federal program compliance.
- Match / Cost Share
- The portion of project costs that the applicant must fund from non-federal sources. Can be cash or in-kind contributions. Not all grants require match, but many do — check the NOFO.
- Period of Performance
- The time window during which grant funds can be spent. Typically 1-5 years for federal grants. Expenses outside this period are unallowable.
- Authorized Organization Representative (AOR)
- The person legally authorized to submit applications and accept awards on behalf of your organization. Must be registered in Grants.gov and have signatory authority.
The Application Process
Federal grant applications follow a structured process. Here are the key steps, in order.
- 1
Get your registrations in order
Register in SAM.gov (allow 4-6 weeks), create a Grants.gov account, and register as a Washington State vendor. These must be active before you can submit any federal application.
- 2
Identify your funding fit
Match your organization's mission, programs, geography, and org type to funders that serve your sector. Don't apply to everything — focus on programs where you're genuinely eligible and competitive.
- 3
Read the full NOFO before deciding to apply
Read the entire notice, not just the summary. Pay special attention to eligibility, evaluation criteria, and reporting requirements. If the requirements don't match your capacity, it's better to wait.
- 4
Assess your readiness
Use our readiness checklist to identify gaps in legal status, financial systems, governance, and organizational capacity before you commit to an application.
View the Readiness Checklist → - 5
Build your application team
Assign roles: project director (program narrative), fiscal officer (budget), data person (evaluation plan), and AOR (submission). Don't try to do it alone.
- 6
Draft, review, submit before the deadline
Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline. Grants.gov has technical issues. Last-minute submissions risk rejection for reasons completely unrelated to the quality of your application.
Realistic Timeline
From “never applied” to “ready to submit,” plan on 3–6 months. Here's a typical ramp-up for a first-time applicant:
Complete SAM.gov registration, set up Grants.gov account, register as WA state vendor. Conduct internal readiness assessment.
Address gaps identified in readiness assessment: governance documents, financial policies, indirect cost rate election. Identify target funding opportunities.
Monitor grants.gov for relevant NOFOs. When one posts, read the full announcement and decide whether to apply. Contact the program officer.
Develop application: narrative, budget, evaluation plan, supporting documents. Internal review. Submit 48+ hours before deadline.
Common First-Timer Mistakes
- Waiting for a NOFO to start SAM.gov registration — it takes 4-6 weeks, and deadlines won't wait.
- Writing the narrative first and building the budget later — the budget should flow directly from the work plan.
- Assuming all federal grants work the same way — HRSA, SAMHSA, and CDC each have different cultures, expectations, and review processes.
- Underestimating reporting requirements — the work doesn't end when you get the award. Budget for compliance staff time from the start.
- Not contacting the program officer — they want to help you submit a strong application. A 15-minute call can save weeks of misdirection.