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Grants

How We Can Help

We know that applying for federal grants can be quite challenging for many organizations. Our office is dedicated to assisting you through this process to help you secure the funding you need to achieve your goals.

Each month, we put together a Guide to Grants newsletter to share upcoming funding opportunities, webinars, and grant writing tips. You can subscribe to this newsletter here 

Our office can also support your work by:

  • Writing a Letter of Support to accompany your federal grant requests. You can request a letter here. 
  • Connecting you with a Federal Grant Congressional Liaison to answer any questions you may have that are not answered in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
  • For some federal grants, we can obtain a review of your application with feedback about why your grant was denied and what you can do to make your next application stronger.
  • Working with our Congressional Liaisons to do research to see if there is a Federal Grant that would fund your proposed project or grant

We also encourage you to reach out to our Director of Grants, Lynette Whiteman, if you have any questions about how our office may be able to support you. 

Guide to Grants Newsletter

Each month, we put together a Guide to Grants newsletter to share upcoming funding opportunities, webinars, and grant writing tips. You can subscribe to this newsletter here. If you have ideas about how we may be able to improve this newsletter, please contact us here

For your convenience, we have linked recent Guides here. 

Webinars 

Our grants team organizes and partners with other groups to host webinars a few times every month. To watch our most recent webinars, visit our YouTube channel. If you have questions about these webinars, you can contact Lynette Whiteman

Grant Spotlight

In March 2022, we helped Exit 82 Theatre Company in Toms River apply for a Federal Grant. Before meeting with our team, they didn’t know they could apply. Read more from Sharron Greenberg, their Development Coordinator, below:

“Thank you to Congressman Kim for letting us know about the grant opportunities through the National Endowment for the Arts.  You helped us connect to the funders when we had questions and submitted a Letter of Support on our behalf.  

Exit 82 Theatre Company never thought we could apply for a Federal Grant, but your office taught us that even smaller nonprofits can take advantage of opportunities and expand our reach.”

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. I have a project in mind that I would like federal funding for, but I don’t know if there is a federal grant available. Can I reach out to your office for help with this?

A.  Absolutely -  my staff can set up a time to speak with you to learn about your funding need and then do research on your behalf to determine if there are federal funds available and/or a grant opportunity that you can apply to.

Q. I am applying for a foundation grant and/or a grant through the State of NJ. Can you still write a letter of support for my agency?

A. Unfortunately, although your project may be worthwhile, I am only able to provide a Letter of Support if the source of the funds comes from the federal level. Keep in mind that some grant funding originates at the federal level and then is administered by an NJ State Agency, so always research or reach out to us to find out where the original source of funding comes from.

Q. My application was not chosen for funding through a federal grant I applied for - would I be able to find out why and how to do better next time?

A. Many federal agencies do provide this sort of feedback on applications, but not all agencies are able to because of the number of applications they receive.  If you were denied and would like an assessment of your application, reach out to my office and we will do our best to connect you with a liaison from the funding agency.

Q. My nonprofit agency is small, and our budget is not very large. Is it true that only large institutions like universities or nonprofits that employ a lot of people received federal grants?

A.  This is a common misconception! There are many federal agencies that support smaller nonprofits and institutions like Houses of Worship, Police Departments, etc. They encourage small-medium-sized agencies and departments to apply and are often very helpful with first-time applicants.

Q. I notice that your office conducts many informational webinars on the topic of grants - is there a way for me to watch ones that you completed already?

A. Yes. To watch our most recent webinars, visit our YouTube channel. I also encourage you to subscribe to my monthly Guide to Grants, which always includes a link to the most recent webinars and alerts to upcoming topics with registration information.  You can subscribe to this newsletter here.

Additional information on Grants Opportunities

The following resources are for people seeking information or assistance applying for Federal Grants. Please contact our office for additional information or assistance.

The following is compiled by the Congressional Research Service.

Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance

Guidance and key resources to help eligible grantseekers find information on federal grants, loans, and nonfinancial assistance for projects, as well as on private funding. Prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of Congress, updated August 2023.

How Best to Find Information

  1. Find out Who is Eligible for a Grant? Other government websites may be more suitable for personal needs, student loans, small business assistance , or other business opportunities such as government contracting.
  2. If eligible, search for program information at SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Includes grants, loans, business and nonfinancial help.
  3. Contact federal office given in each SAM.gov Assistance Listing program description.
  4. Go to federal websites given in each SAM.gov Assistance Listing program description.
  5. Check current federal grants opportunities at Grants.gov, register with System for Award Management (SAM), and apply online (links and instructions given at the website). Additional notices appear at FedConnect.net.
  6. Search foundations for project funding: use the Foundation Center Web site or Foundation Center Funding Information Network resources in libraries to identify national, state, and community foundations.
  7. Learn how to write grant proposals: Take the free online Foundation Center Proposal Writing Short Course or see other tips and sample proposals at Grantspace's How Do I Write a Grant Proposal?

Key Federal Funding Sources

Assistance Listings (CFDA) at SAM.gov (General Services Administration)
Official descriptions of more than 2,200 federal assistance programs (including grants, loans, and other financial and nonfinancial assistance) can be found on SAM.gov. The website, produced by the General Services Administration (GSA), houses federal assistance listings previously found on the now-retired Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). Each federal assistance program has a corresponding CFDA program number; these CFDA numbers are still used as numerical program identifiers. Programs are searchable at the "Assistance Listings" domain at SAM.gov; descriptions are updated by departments and agencies, and they cover authorizing legislation, objectives, and eligibility and compliance requirements. The site will eventually be renamed SAM.gov. For current notices of funding availability, see Grants.gov or FedConnect.net.

Grants.gov (managed by Dept. of Health and Human Services)
Federal website that allows eligible grantseekers (see Who is Eligible for a Grant?) to find and apply for current competitive grant opportunities from ALL federal agencies. Grantseekers can check on notices of funding availability (NOFA) posted in the last 7 days; access emails of grant opportunities; and apply for federal grants through a unified process by downloading the application and submitting online. The website guides grantseekers in registering with System for Award Management (SAM) and registering with Grants.gov to apply and to track applications. For full federal program descriptions, see CFDA below. See also website FedConnect.net for additional grants and contracts opportunities.

State Single Points of Contact  (Office of Management and Budget)
Under Executive Order 12372, some states require federal grants applicants to submit a copy of their application for state government level review and comment. The state offices listed here coordinate federal financial assistance and may direct federal development. For help in identifying state-level grants, other state government agencies websites may be found at: State and Local Agencies.

A-Z Index of U.S. Departments and Agencies (General Services Administration)
To better develop a grant proposal, search a department or agency’s Home Page to learn more about its programs and objectives. The site USA.gov also links to Government Benefits, Grants, and Loans.

USA.gov for Businesses and Nonprofits (GSA)
Includes contracting with the U.S. government, international trade and exporting, and small business. See also financial assistance links at the Small Business Administration website.

Federal Contract Opportunities (GSA)
Official website posting business, contracting, and procurement opportunities with the federal government. Useful information for vendors, including FBO Demonstration Videos and Frequently Asked Questions, appear under the Getting Started tab. Search options include an advanced search form for more targeted filtering of current opportunities.

Student Aid on the Web (Dept. of Education)
Information on funding education beyond high school, including grants, loans, and work-study assistance to qualified students.

Benefits.gov (via Department of Labor)
Includes information on over 1,000 government assistance programs, and how to apply. Covers direct payment, loan, insurance, training, or other services.

FTC Consumer Alert (Federal Trade Commission)
The FTC warns consumers to beware of paying "processing fees" for information that is available free to the public. Ads claiming federal grants are available for home repairs, home business, unpaid bills, or other personal expenses are often a scam.

OMB Grants Guidance (Office of Management and Budget)
OMB establishes government-wide grants management policies and guidelines through circulars and common rules.

Private & Corporate Funding Sources

Candid (formerly the Foundation Center) Grants Space
Gateway to information about private funding sources, the grant seeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with grants reference collections, and links to other useful Internet websites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations; produces print and electronic directories and guides; conducts research and publishes studies in the field; and offers a variety of training and educational seminars.

Grant Resources by State (Grantsmanship Center)
Click on state map to find links to information about a state’s foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs and the state’s home page.

Community Foundations
There are more than 750 community foundations in the U.S., which are grantmaking public charities dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined local geographic area. The Council on Foundations has a listing of community foundations by state.

Also see these Congressional Research Service reports available to the public: