FAQ’s on Finding and Applying for Federal Grants on Grants.gov Q: What is Grants.gov? A: Grants.gov is the federal E-Grants website where applicants may find and apply to federal funding opportunities. Q: When will organizations be able to find all federal grants announcements online through Grants.gov? A: Beginning November 7, 2003 all federal agencies are required to post their grant announcements online with www.Grants.gov. See OMB’s final policy directive. Q: When will Grants.gov launch the Apply site? A: Grants.gov is scheduled to launch the Apply site on October 31, 2003. At that time, all federal agencies will be required to provide all the resources and tools necessary for organizations to apply for grants online. Q: Is the DUNS number only required for those submitting grant applications electronically? A: No, A DUNS number is required for all organizations and entities applying for federal grants whether an applicant is submitting a paper application or using Grants.gov. See Federal Register announcement (dated June 27, 2003) from the Office of Management and Budget, Re: Use of a Universal Identifier by Grant Applicants. Q: Why do nonprofits need a corporate issued DUNS number? A: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wants to improve statistical reporting of Federal grants and cooperative agreements and eliminate different identification numbers for different agencies. Use of the DUNS number government-wide will provide a means to identify entities receiving those awards and their business relationships. Many organizations, including OMB Watch, opposed use of the DUNS number for this purpose, proposing use of the IRS employer identification number. OMB rejected this suggestion. Q: Must universities and large organizations obtain more than one DUNS number? A: A university or large organization may elect to use only one DUNS number, irrespective of which department is applying for a grant, or it may elect to use a separate DUNS for each department applying for a grant—it is the university’s and organization’s choice. Q: Is there any guidance or guidelines provided by OMB for using the DUNS number? A: No, as of October 16, 2003 OMB has not provided any guidelines on how states, nonprofits, and universities should use the DUNS number. However, Grants.gov staff informed OMB Watch that there are guidelines being written and will soon be posted on Grants.gov. Q: What information will I need to obtain a DUNS number? A: You will need the following information to request a DUNS number: 1. Organization name 2. Organization address 3. Organization telephone number 4. Name of CEO, Executive Director, President, etc. (The person in charge) 5. Legal structure of the organization 6. Year organization started 7. Primary business (activity) line 8. Total number of employees Q: Do I have to establish a credit file with a Credit Builder when I sign up for a DUNS Number with Dun and Bradstreet? A: No, absolutely not. You can choose to get a DUNS Number only. Q: Besides obtaining a DUNS number are there any other requirements for applying for Federal grants? A: Yes, only if your organization chooses to submit the applications electronically. There is a 4-step process, which is laid out the Get Started Page. The 4 steps include: 1. Download PureEdge Viewer 2. Register with the Central Contractor Registry 3. Register with a Credential Provider 4. Register with Grants.gov as an Authorized Organization Representative Once these 4-steps are completed, your organization will never have to go through the process again. All steps and the necessary instructions can be found at www.Grants.gov. Q: What is PureEdge Viewer and how much does it cost to download? A: A small program, much like Adobe Acrobat, that will allow you to access, complete and submit applications electronically and securely. It is completely free to download and install. Q: What is the Central Contract Registry or CCR? A: A database that centralizes information about grant recipients and provides a central location for grant recipients to change organizational information. It will provide one location for applicants and recipients to change information about their organization and enter information on where government payments should be made. The purpose of CCR registration is to store application information on your organization so that you will not need to fill in the same information over and over again for different agencies. Q: What is a Credential Provider? A: In order to safeguard the security of your electronic information, Grants.gov utilizes E-Authentication - the Federal program that ensures secure transactions. E-Authentication defines the level of trust or trustworthiness of the parties involved in a transaction through the use of Credential Providers. It is the process of determining with certainty that someone really is who he or she claims to be. Once you are registered, you will have received an ID and password to have your grant application forwarded to the appropriate government agency safely and securely. Registering with a Credential Provider is a simple process. Guidance on this process is included in the tutorial, user guide and help section of the Grants.gov site. Q: What is an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR)? A: The person within the organization that is responsible for submitting grant applications. As part of the process of registering with the CCR, your organization will have to appoint an E-Business Contact. The E-Business Contact for your organization will have to approve the AOR. However, the E-Business Contact and the AOR can be the same person. Q: How can I talk to someone about a problem I am having with registering? A: Consult the support material on Grants.gov, such as the Tutorial, User Guide, Context-Sensitive Help and Quick Reference. If you still have not found the answer to your questions, then you can call 1-800-518-GRANTS to speak to a Customer Support Representative. You can also email a Customer Support Representative at support@grants.gov.