First Time Applicant Guide for Organizations

En Español

Applying for a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant is a multi-step process that is always entirely free.

Required Registrations

In order to apply, all applicants must create registrations with Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov, and Grants.gov. These are separate systems. Registration can take several weeks to complete.

For an in depth guide to the registration process, please see our Organization Registration PDF.

Both SAM and Grants.gov will require you to use your Login.gov username and password to log in to their sites, so we recommend that you register in the following order: Login.gov, SAM, Grants.gov.

Login.gov Registration
Login.gov is a secure sign in service used by the public to sign in to government sites like Grants.gov and SAM.gov. Go to Create an account to set up your Login.gov account. Login.gov accounts are tied to an individual, not an organization. The email account you use when registering should be specific to an individual, and not an account shared by multiple people.

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration
SAM is a government-wide site for organizations to register to do business with the federal government, including to receive grants and contracts. Go to SAM Entity Registration to get started. SAM registrations, once activated, can take a day or more to be visible in Grants.gov. Verify your SAM registration well ahead of the application deadline to which you are applying.

Grants.gov Registration
Grants.gov is an application portal for federal grants. If your organization is not yet registered with Grants.gov, go to Organization Registration, after setting up your Login.gov account, and registering with SAM.

Registration Help and Resources:

NEA Staff does not have access to your Login.gov, SAM, or Grants.gov accounts, if you run into issues with your any of your registrations, we recommend that reach out to them directly, as that is often the fastest way to get technical support.

The Application Process

After completing your registrations, you will be able to begin your application. Grant program details and application instructions are located in the Grants section of our website. These materials include FAQs.

Part 1 Grants.gov: Complete the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance/Short Organization Form
Submitted via Grants.gov Workspace, this is a brief form that collects basic information such as the name of your organization, location, and staff contacts. Applicants must complete this step successfully in order to move on to Part 2. A direct link to this form can be found in each grant category’s “How to Apply” page.

Part 2 NEA Applicant Portal: Complete the Grant Application Form (GAF)
Submitted via our Applicant Portal (AP), the GAF is where you provide details about your organization’s mission, history, and financial capacity, as well as descriptions of your planned project activities, key personnel and partners, the communities you intend to serve, a project budget, and supplemental/work sample materials. No separate registration is required for the AP, all applicants who successfully complete Part 1 will have access.

While you won’t have access to the Applicant Portal until the specific dates listed in the application calendar, you can find a set of instructions outlining all of the application questions in the “How to Apply” section of each grant category’s webpage. You can use these instructions to prepare your application in advance.
The Using the Grant Application Form tutorial walks you through how to use the Applicant Portal.

Things To Know Before You Apply

Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application
In this webinar you can learn about federal Civil Rights compliance requirements when applying for a NEA grant and find guidance on how to accurately communicate your project description and plan.

Accessibility Requirements for Applicants and Grantees
Projects funded by the NEA must be accessible to people with disabilities. Our Accessibility webinar provides you with an overview of these requirements and ways you can to ensure your project is accessible.

National Historic Preservation Act
Projects supported by the NEA may be subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which is legislation intended to protect historic and archeological sites. You can learn about what kinds of projects may need additional review to ensure compliance with NHPA regulations, as well as how our internal review process works in this webinar.

Sample Applications
We have a FOIA Library where you can take a look at sample application narratives from previously supported applications.

Additional Application Resources

Each of our grant categories has an Applicant Resources page where you can find information specifically tailored to each category, including details about upcoming webinars and Q&A sessions. Additionally, NEA staff welcomes your questions about the application process.
Grants for Arts Projects:  Resources | Questions: Staff Contacts
Challenge America:  Resources | Questions: Staff Contacts
Our Town:  Resources | Questions: Staff Contacts
Research Awards:  Resources | Questions: NEAResearchGrants@arts.gov

Managing Your Award

Managing a federal award can be complex, our Office of Grants Management has developed the Manage Your Award page to provide guidance for our awardees. Before you submit your application, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the reporting requirements, and the General Terms and Conditions that apply to your award. The page also includes other helpful information, such as how to submit a payment request, a handbook for awardees, links to commonly used forms, tipsheets, and other resources.