How to look for grants in the United States
Applicants in the United States look in more than one place. For a federal grant, start at Grants.gov. For a state programme, start at that state's own site, such as the California Grants Portal. Private foundations publish their own calls. This guide names those layers and the SAM.gov registration and UEI that most federal applications require.
At a glance
- Open calls in Gondar
- –
- Federal entry point
- Grants.gov
- Registration
- SAM.gov and a UEI
- Facts read on
- 3 November 2026
The short answer
For a federal grant, search Grants.gov and register your organisation in SAM.gov early: most federal applications need an active registration and a Unique Entity ID (UEI). For a state programme, use that state's own site. Private foundations publish their own guidelines.
| Where | What you find | What it needs | In Gondar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants.gov | Federal grant opportunities from US agencies | For most calls, SAM.gov registration and a UEI | Yes |
| State portals | State grant programmes, such as the California Grants Portal | What the state notice says | California |
| Private foundations | Grants under each foundation's guidelines | What the foundation asks | A funder index from IRS Form 990 filings |
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is the federal entry point for grant opportunities from United States government agencies. You search for calls there. The page for an opportunity names the agency that issued it.
A search result is not the full rule. The notice for that call sets who may apply, what the funds may cover and how to submit. Check the current notice. Dates and conditions change from call to call.
SAM.gov and the UEI
For most federal grants, the applicant entity needs an active registration in SAM.gov and a Unique Entity ID (UEI). SAM.gov assigns the UEI. Register on SAM.gov. Registration is free.
2 CFR part 25 sets this requirement and states the exceptions. The notice for a call can repeat them. Check on SAM.gov that the registration is active before you submit. This guide cannot tell you whether your organisation is exempt.
Reading a notice of funding opportunity
A notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is the formal announcement of one federal funding opportunity. An agency may use another title for it. Read the document linked from the opportunity in this order.
- Read who is eligible before you write anything.
- Read which activities the funds may cover and how the agency will choose recipients.
- List the documents the application must contain and how to submit it.
- Note the close date from this notice. Do not reuse a date from an older call.
Eligibility by organisation type
The notice names the organisation types that may apply. One call may accept a state or local government, a tribal government, a nonprofit or a university. Another may accept a business or an individual. If your type is not named, do not assume you may apply.
Eligibility does not carry from one call to the next. A federal notice says nothing about a state programme or a private foundation. The funder of that call decides.
State portals
State grant programmes sit apart from federal calls on Grants.gov. In California, the California Grants Portal is the state site for state grant opportunities. Other states publish their own sites. Use the site of that state government.
A state listing follows that state's rules. It does not register you in SAM.gov, and it does not send a federal application. Read the state notice for who may apply and how to submit.
Private foundations
A private foundation is not a federal agency. The Internal Revenue Service describes a private foundation as a charitable organisation under section 501(c)(3) that is not a public charity. Some make grants to other organisations. A private operating foundation may run its own programmes. The foundation's guidelines say what it funds and who may apply.
You apply to the foundation under those guidelines. Grants.gov does not submit that request. Private foundations report to the IRS on Form 990-PF. That form is a tax return, not a grant application.
What Gondar lists
Gondar lists Grants.gov opportunities, the California Grants Portal and a funder index from IRS Form 990 filings through ProPublica. It does not register you in SAM.gov or submit on Grants.gov.
Gondar never applies for anyone. You submit through the funder's official process.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gondar decide if I am eligible?
No. The notice states who may apply. Gondar does not decide eligibility.
Do I need SAM.gov and a UEI for every grant?
Most federal grant applications require an active SAM.gov registration and a UEI. The notice states any exception. A state call or a foundation's guidelines set their own requirements. Read the call you plan to answer.
Is this list of places complete?
No. It names Grants.gov, SAM.gov, the California Grants Portal and private foundations. Other states and other funders publish their own calls. Confirm the current notice on the funder's own page.
Keep reading
- United KingdomHow to look for government grants and contracts in the United KingdomSupport in the United Kingdom comes from several places: grant listings, finance programmes and public contract notices. Each has its own purpose and rules. This guide names the main official services, explains grants, finance and contracts, and suggests an order for your search.
- GuideFit and eligibility are two different questionsFit asks whether a call is worth your time. Eligibility asks whether the funder can accept you at all. A strong score never answers the second question.
- GuideBefore you submit: a checklist for AI-assisted applicationsA draft that reads well can still be wrong. Funders hold you responsible for every line, so check it the way a reviewer would.
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Start with your focus, geography and the opportunity types you seek. Inspect the fit breakdown, read the source conditions and save the calls you want to pursue.