National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants Application Guide

March 2026

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction

II. Helpful Links & Contact Information

III. Prepare to Apply

III.100 Step 1: Search for a Funding Opportunity

III.200 Step 2: Review your Selected NOFO or RFP

III.300 Step 3: Determine Eligibility

III.400 Step 4: Register in SAM.gov, Obtain UEI and EIN

III.500 Step 5: Register in Grants.gov

III.600 Step 6: Register in eRA Commons

IV. Develop your Application

IV.100 Step 1: Start your Application in Workspace

IV.200 Step 2: Complete an Application with Workspace

IV.300 Step 3: Submit a Workspace Package

V. Detailed Form Instructions

Category 1: Research and Related (R&R) Forms

Category 2: Cross Agency Forms

Category 3: NIFA Specific Forms & Documents

VI. Grant Application Package Management, Status & Awards

VI.100 Track your Application

VI.200 Addressing Issues with Submitted Applications

VI.300 USDA/NIFA Application Status

VII. Appendix

VII.100 Application Guide Version Change List

VII.200 Frequently Asked Questions

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance

I.100 Acronyms Used in this Guide

This Application Guide will help you prepare and submit grant applications to NIFA through Grants.gov. Where appropriate, relevant sections of the Grants.gov User Guide and NIFA Policy Guide have been incorporated by reference.

Applicants for all types of NIFA grants can use this guide to prepare for the pre-award and application processes.

• ADO: Authorized Departmental Officer

• AFRI: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative

• AL: Assistance Listing

• AO: Authorizing Official

• AOR: Authorized Organizational Representative

• FO: Funding Opportunity

• IRB: Institutional Review Board

• NIFA: National Institute of Food and Agriculture

• OGFM: Office of Grants and Financial Management

• NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity

• RFP: Request for Proposal

• SAM: System for Awards Management

• SBIR: Small Business Innovation and Research

• STTR: Small Business Technology Transfer

• UEI: Unique Entity Identifier

• USDA: United States Department of Agriculture

I. Introduction

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance

Grants.gov

NIFA Policy Guide

Applicants to NIFA grant opportunities will have access to a variety of websites and guides to help them through the grant process. A brief list of these essential resources is below.

Grants.gov is a government website that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Today, the Grants.gov system houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies.

NIFA’s funding opportunities are posted to Grants.gov, and applications can be submitted through the Grants.gov Workspace portal.

The NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide describes the statutory and regulatory responsibilities of NIFA federally funded recipients.

The Policy Guide continues to provide comprehensive guidance on roles and responsibilities, application and review processes, award notification and administration procedures, award terms and conditions, uniform administrative requirements, allowable costs, reporting requirements, close-out procedures, and audit requirements.

The latest version of the NIFA Policy Guide can be found at NIFA's Federal Assistance Policy Guide page.

I.200 Glossary of Applicant Resources

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-federal-assistance-policy-guide https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-federal-assistance-policy-guide

Terms and Conditions

A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is a notice that provides potential applicants with detailed information about an opportunity to submit an application for Federal financial assistance.

The notice generally includes the purpose, eligibility, restrictions, focus areas, evaluation criteria, regulatory information, and instructions on how to apply.

NIFA’s upcoming NOFOs are posted on NIFA's NOFO List.

Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant’s circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements.

References to the terms and conditions of your award are located on the Notice of Award.

More information can be found on NIFA’s Terms and Conditions page.

Notice of Funding Opportunity List

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://nifa.usda.gov/rfa-list https://nifa.usda.gov/terms-and-conditions

NIFA offers three types of grants to support food and agricultural programs.

• Competitive Grants: Applicants compete for limited grant funds. Applications are subject to a rigorous peer review process. Competitive grants are announced through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

• Non-Competitive Grants: Non-competitive grants are directed by Congress to support designated institutions for research, education, or extension on topics of importance to a state or region. Non-competitive grants are announced through a Request for Proposal (RFP).

• Capacity Grants: These grants are intended for land-grant institutions, schools of forestry, and schools of veterinary medicine to fund research and extension activities.

The amount of funds provided to each institution is determined by a formula, which is often statutorily defined. Capacity grants were formerly called Formula Grants, and they are announced through a Request for Proposal (RFP).

I.300 Grant Types and Requirements Overview

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://nifa.usda.gov/types-federal-assistance#Competitive https://nifa.usda.gov/types-federal-assistance#Non-Competitive https://nifa.usda.gov/types-federal-assistance#Capacity

I.400 The NIFA Grants Process

NIFA has a four-stage grant process that applies to grants and cooperative agreements administered by the agency.

Before applying to a funding opportunity with NIFA, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the grant and pre-award process.

The stages of the grant process are:

1. Pre-Award

2. Award

3. Post-Award

4. Close Out

This Grant Application guide covers the initial “Pre-Award” Phase of NIFA’s grant process.

Successful applicants will work closely with NIFA program staff to navigate the Award, Post-Award, and Close Out Processes.

Pre-Award

Award

Post-Award

Close Out

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance

NIFA program staff are key resources for questions related to funding opportunities that may arise during the pre-award application process. Information on how to contact the NIFA program staff responsible for a given funding opportunity can be found in the NOFO or RFP for that opportunity.

The Pre-Award Phase consists of the following steps:

• III.100: Search for a Funding Opportunity

• III.200: Review NOFO or RFP

• III.300: Determine Eligibility

• III.400: Register in SAM.gov, Obtain UEI and EIN

• III.500: Register in Grants.gov

• III.600: Register in eRA Commons

• IV.100: Complete Forms

• IV.300: Submit Application

• VI.100: Confirm and Track Submission

• VI.300: Receive Application Decision

Search for a Funding

Opportunity

Review NOFO

Determine Eligibility

Register in SAM.gov, Obtain

UEI and EIN

Register in Grants.gov, and eRA (if applicable)

Complete Forms Submit Application

Confirm & Track Submission

Receive Application

Decision

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

• Refer to the NOFO or RFP for your funding opportunity to find the most critical information needed to prepare your application. These documents provide application deadlines, a list of required forms, attachment formatting requirements, and contact information for NIFA program staff.

• Allow enough time to complete all required steps before the close of the application deadline. Some steps, like registering your organization on SAM.gov, can take 4-6 weeks to complete.

• Questions about applicant eligibility or the specific funding program that you are interested in should be directed to the NIFA program staff listed in the NOFO or

RFP.

I.500 Top Tips for Grant Applicants

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

NIFA and Grants.gov provide a variety of resources to assist grant applicants. Please review the resources below or contact NIFA with any questions that may arise during the grant application process.

NIFA Resources

• Search for Funding Opportunities

• General Grant Writing Tips for NIFA Competitive Grant Proposals

Grants.gov Resources

• How to Apply for Grants

• How to Register on Grants.gov

• How to use Grants.gov Workspace

• Grants.gov FAQs

• Grants.gov Help eRA Resources

• NIFA's eRA Reference Center

• Registering your organization in eRA

• Understanding eRA Commons Accounts

• How to Apply: eRA Application Guide

Contact Information

• Questions about Grants.gov or Workspace:

Grants.gov Help: Support@Grants.gov

• General questions about the NIFA grant application process:

GrantApplicationQuestions@usda.gov

• Questions about SBIR/STTR:

SBIR/STTR Program and Staff Contact Information

NOFOs and RFPs will contain contact information of NIFA program staff working on a particular funding opportunity. All specific questions regarding that funding opportunity should be directed to NIFA program staff.

II. Helpful Links & Contact Information

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/General-Grant-Writing-Tips-for-Success.pdf https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/grants-modernization-initiative/era-reference-center https://grants.nih.gov/new-to-nih/organization-registration https://www.era.nih.gov/register-accounts/understanding-era-commons-accounts.htm https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/how-to-apply-application-guide mailto:%20Support@Grants.gov mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/sbir-sttr

III.100 Step 1: Search for a Funding Opportunity

The Pre-application process consists of several steps. It’s critical for applicants to understand this process and to be aware of the time that it will take to complete each step.

Applicants can locate competitive funding opportunities and NOFOs through Grants.gov.

Grants.gov lists opportunities from many different federal agencies, including NIFA.

In Grants.gov, you can search for competitive funding opportunities by navigating to the “Search Grants” tab of the website.

On this page, applicants can search by keyword, Funding Opportunity (FO) number or Catalog of Assistance Listing (AL) number. Search results can be filtered by Opportunity Status, Funding Instrument type, Eligibility, Category, and Agency.

III. Prepare to Apply

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://www.grants.gov/search-grants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants

You can find current NIFA funding opportunities by filtering results by Agency (“NIFA”) and Opportunity Status. Choose Opportunity Status “Posted” to view Current Opportunities and the status “Forecast” to view anticipated funding opportunities.

This Grants.gov search for NIFA funding opportunities will provide search results that include the following information:

• Opportunity Number

• Opportunity Title

• Agency: USDA-NIFA

• Opportunity Status

• Posted Date

• Close Date

After selecting a given opportunity, the user will be taken to the “View Opportunity Page” which will provide a synopsis of the FO.

On the “View Opportunity Page” for the selected FO, you can find tabs for:

• Synopsis: Provides basic information on the FO, including posting and closing dates, award ranges, basic eligibility information and a description of the finding program.

• Version History: Displays modifications or previous versions of the FO, if applicable.

• Related Documents: Provides a link to download a PDF copy of the NOFO.

• Package: Provides a link to apply.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance

III.200 Step 2: Review your NOFO or RFP

Applicants can also search for FOs through NIFA’s Funding Opportunity Search. On the NIFA website, you can search by keyword, FO number or AL number.

Funding opportunity listings available through NIFA’s search function will contain the same information as is contained in the Grants.gov Funding Opportunity search.

The NOFO or RFP will provide detailed instructions on preparing and submitting your application. NOFOs can be downloaded in the “Related Documents” tab of the Grants.gov funding opportunity page, or through NIFA’s grant opportunity page by clicking the “View NOFO” button.

Each NOFO or RFP may contain:

• All forms required for a complete application

• A detailed funding opportunity description

• Award information and eligibility criteria

• Application and submission guidance

• Application review requirements

• Evaluation criteria

• Award administration

• Any other information relevant to the funding opportunity.

• Application deadline

• Contact information for NIFA Program Staff

Questions regarding information provided in the NOFO or RFP should be directed to NIFA program staff.

Program staff contact information can be found in the Agency Contact section of FO announcement.

Note: NOFO/RFP instructions always supersede application instructions in this guide.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

https://nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities

III.400 Step 4: Register in SAM.gov, Obtain UEI and EIN

To determine eligibility for a competitive funding opportunity, interested applicants should carefully review the NOFO. NIFA NOFOs contain a comprehensive "Eligibility" section located in Part III, Section A.

Failure to meet the eligibility criteria listed in the NOFO by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or may preclude NIFA from making an award.

Any questions related to eligibility for a funding opportunity should be directed to NIFA program staff. Program staff contact information can be found in the Appendix I: Agency Contact section of the NOFO and on the FO Page on NIFA’s website.

Before applying to a NIFA funding opportunity, applicants must:

1. Register in SAM.gov

2. Obtain their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

3. Obtain their EIN

Register in SAM.gov.

The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is an official website of the U.S. Government operated by the General Services Agency (GSA). There is no cost to use or register in SAM.gov.

You can use this site to update, renew, or check the status of your entity’s registration. You can also find AL numbers through SAM.gov’s search for grant opportunity listings function.

III.300 Step 3: Determine Eligibility

Important: Allow 4-6 weeks to complete SAM.gov registration.

Confirm deadlines to ensure that your application can be submitted on time.

All questions regarding eligibility status should be directed to NIFA program staff.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

https://sam.gov/content/home

Grants.gov User Roles

III.500 Step 5: Register in Grants.gov

Obtain UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) number.

After your entity is successfully registered with SAM.gov, your UEI will be automatically generated and viewable in SAM.gov’s workspace.

Obtain EIN (Entity Identification Number).

Applicants should go to IRS.gov to view or apply for their EIN.

Follow the instructions on Registering in Grants.gov and creating an institutional profile.

Applicants are required to use Login.gov to sign into Grants.gov. See the Grants.gov help article for more information on logging in with Login.gov credentials.

The Grants.gov validation process also includes a check for an active SAM.gov registration.

Applicants without a current SAM.gov registration will be rejected.

Grants.gov uses “roles” to determine which tasks each user in your organization is authorized to perform. At the time of organization’s registration, your organization designates one or more people with the authority to legally bind your organization in matters related to grants administration.

Some designated individuals (E-Business Points of Contact in Grants.gov) can assign roles to other user accounts to define the functions they are authorized to perform.

• E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) The EBiz POC role is designated during organizational registration with System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

The EBiz POC is responsible for managing grant activities for your organization, and they can authorize representatives of your organization to perform specific tasks in Grants.gov. For example, they may assign the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role to users authorized to submit applications.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.irs.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.login.gov/ https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2022/01/26/sign-in-to-grants-gov-with-your-login-gov-credentials-updated-2/

• Authorized Organization Representative (AOR)

The AOR is the Grants.gov user who has been given the AOR role by the EBiz POC. This enables them to legally bind your institution and assume responsibility for adhering to all federal grant administration requirements.

The AOR signs and submits grant applications and required certifications and assurances for your application.

The EBiz POC at your organization must respond to the registration email from Grants.gov and login at Grants.gov to authorize a user as an AOR. More than one person can be designated as AOR for your organization.

• Custom Roles Your EBiz POC can also choose to assign users in your organization with custom roles.

These users will have varying permissions to complete forms and work on grant applications for your organization.

For additional information on Grants.gov roles, visit Grants.gov’s Roles and Privileges resource page.

Some NIFA funding opportunities are managed through the eRA Commons grants management system.

Applicants responding to NOFOs or RFPs from programs that have transitioned to eRA Commons must be registered with this system prior to application submission. The NOFO or RFP will outline whether registration in eRA Commons is required.

Organizations must designate at least one Signing Official (SO) and one Project Director (PD) in eRA Commons when submitting an application.

Important Note: Creating an eRA Commons account can take up to two weeks.

For additional information, refer to NIFA’s eRA Reference Center and eRA Commons Applicant Resources.

III.600 Step 6: Register in eRA Commons

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/workspace-roles https://www.era.nih.gov/help-tutorials/era-commons/overview.htm https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/grants-modernization-initiative/era-reference-center https://www.era.nih.gov/applicants https://www.era.nih.gov/applicants

Many NIFA grants are submitted through Grants.gov using the Workspace application.

Workspace is used to complete forms, assemble, and submit your grant application package.

The Grants.gov Workspace exists to make applying for a federal grant as convenient as possible.

By leveraging a range of user roles and access levels, applicants can control access to forms, create a custom workflow and save time in completing their application.

For more information about Grants.gov Workspace, visit the following Workspace resources:

• Grants.gov Workspace Overview

• Article: What Is Workspace?

• Grants.gov Online User Guide

You must have a version of Adobe Reader that is compatible with Grants.gov to access, complete and submit NIFA grant applications in Workspace.

Grants.gov provides an Adobe Software Compatibility Checker that can determine if you have an acceptable version of Adobe Reader.

Please note, using Internet Explorer as your browser can also cause errors when working on forms in Grants.gov. If you experience issues, access Grants.gov using another browser or contact Grants.gov support for guidance.

IV. Develop your Application

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/WhatIsWorkspace.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom&t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/support.html

Log in to your Grants.gov account.

After selecting a funding opportunity, open the “View Grant Opportunity” page on Grants.gov.

On the “View Grant Opportunity” page, a “Subscribe” button and an “Apply” button will be available.

• Subscribe: Allows you to subscribe to receive any notices (e.g., modifications) sent regarding the funding opportunity.

• Apply: Brings you to the Workspace application to begin preparing an application.

To start your application in Workspace, click the “Apply” button or go to the “Package” tab on the View Grant Opportunity page and select the “Apply” action under the available opportunity package.

IV.100 Step 1: Start your Application in Workspace

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

IV.200 Step 2: Complete an Application with Workspace

Note: If the apply button in Grants.gov is greyed out or otherwise unavailable for selection while you are logged in to Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk. This issue may be due to an application error or because you are not designated as an AOR.

To assemble an application, you will need to complete all the required forms and attach all the required elements outlined in the NOFO or RFP. Workspace allows grant applicants to complete required forms through the application’s Webforms function or by downloading, filling out and uploading PDFs.

Review the Grants.gov Applicant Overview: Applying in Workspace resource for instructions on completing online forms and submitting your application using Workspace.

When opening your FO in Workspace, verify the required information corresponds to the grant to which you are applying. Grants.gov should auto-populate the following information:

• Opportunity Package ID

• Assistance Listing (AL) Number

• AL Description

• Competition ID: NIFA does not use this field. Leave this field blank.

• Opportunity Open Date

• Opportunity Close Date

If these elements are correct, click the button to “Create Workspace.”

Note: You will only be able to create and manage a Workspace if you are designated as an Authorized Representative for your organization.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts.

NIFA-5-2b-NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide 03.2026 https://www.grants.gov/support.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

All attachments to your grant application must comply with the formatting requirements in this section and must be in .pdf (portable document format).

Note that NIFA NOFOs and RFPs may include other specific formatting requirements. In these instances, it’s critical to follow the guidelines listed in the funding opportunity announcement.

NOFO/RFP instructions for your grant opportunity always supersede the instructions in this guide. NIFA may exclude applications that are not consistent with NOFO/RFP instructions from consideration.

Required formatting of contents

• Attachments must be created as a typed or word-processed document.

• Use font no smaller than 12 point, regardless of line spacing.

• Use at least 1-inch margins.

• Number each page of an attachment sequentially.

• The NOFO will indicate if a page limitation applies.

PDF File Format

• NIFA requires that attachments be in .pdf file format to preserve the layout and appearance of submitted documents.

File Name Restrictions

• File names of .pdf attachments must be limited to 50 characters.

• Names may not include special characters (e.g., &, –, *, %, /, #), periods (.), blank spaces or accent marks.

• An underscore (example: Attached_File.pdf) may be used to separate a filename.

• File names must be unique. No other attachment in the application package may have the same file name.

File Protections

• The .pdf attachment must not be password protected.

Lead institutions of multi-organization applications must ensure that documents from collaborators are not password protected.

Preparing Grant Application Attachments

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance

IV.300 Step 3: Submit a Workspace Package

Meet the Deadline

Attach PDF files to your application

• There is a paper clip icon on the left side of the page in every application.

Do not attach documents with this function. If you attach documents under this function your application will be incomplete and cause errors.

• Do not combine and attach multiple PDF files in PDF portfolio format. This can cause errors.

When all the required forms and attachments for your funding opportunity are complete, you can check your application for errors and submit the application package through Workspace.

You should satisfy the following conditions for an application to be considered.

A date and time stamp will be attached to the application when you click on the Submit button to electronically send the application to Grants.gov. This date and time stamp determine whether the application was received before the deadline identified in the NOFO or RFP. An application submitted or resubmitted after the deadline is late.

For an application with a deadline of 5pm EST, the application is considered on time if it is submitted at 5:00.59 pm EST. It would be considered late at 5:01 pm EST.

Note: Consideration of late applications is only given in extenuating circumstances with proper documentation of the issue and approval from NIFA program staff. Extenuating circumstances can include natural disasters or a confirmed Grants.gov outage. Remember to check the NOFO or RFP carefully for NIFA program staff contact information.

NOFO/RFP instructions supersede these instructions. Applications with attachments that are not compliant with relevant formatting requirements may be excluded from consideration.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Successful Grants.gov Validation

Successful Agency Validation

For more information on this topic, see NIFA's Resource on Late Application Consideration or contact NIFA program staff with specific questions.

The Grants.gov system performs a limited check of the application, and Grants.gov will notify you of the outcome of the initial review. The registration process includes obtaining your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and checking System for Awards Management (SAM.gov) registration status.

Grants.gov sends applications that are successfully validated to NIFA for further processing.

Applications that fail Grants.gov validation may be resubmitted to Grants.gov if NIFA’s deadline has not passed.

Grants.gov may allow applications to be submitted after the deadline, but these applications can still be considered late by NIFA.

NIFA staff will perform a precursory review of your application. The agency validation process includes ensuring that you have met eligibility requirements and have followed NIFA application guidelines.

This check will also review the formatting of your application, confirm that page limits (if applicable) are met, and that budget requests do not exceed the stated limits from the funding opportunity’s NOFO.

NIFA will notify you of the outcome of this review.

Extenuating circumstances do not automatically ensure that a late application will be accepted.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/late-application-consideration

This section contains detailed explanations of how to complete required forms for NIFA grant submissions.

Each NOFO or RFP will require different forms. Check your selected funding opportunity announcement to determine which forms you will need to complete for a successful grant submission. See below for the major form categories.

Category 1: Research and Related (R&R) Forms The following SF-424 (R&R) forms may be required as part of the application package. Check the NOFO or RFP to determine which forms will be required for your application.

• V.100 SF-424 (R&R): Application for Federal Assistance

• V.110 Project/ Performance Site Locations

• V.120 R&R Other Project Information

• V.130 R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)

• V.140 R&R Personal Data: Senior/Key Person Profile

• V.150 R&R Budget

• V.160 SF-424C: Budget information for Construction Programs

• V.170 R&R Subaward Fed/Non-Fed Budget Attachments Form

Category 2: Cross Agency Forms The following forms are used by other federal agencies when awarding a grant and may be mandatory depending on the grant. Please refer to the NOFO or RFP to determine what forms will be required for your submission.

• V.200 AFRI Project Type Form

• V.210 SBIR/STTR

• V.220 Key Contacts

V. Detailed Form Instructions

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Field 1: Type of Submission

Category 3: NIFA Specific Forms & Documents You may be required to submit NIFA-specific forms and documents as part of your grant application package. See the instructions below to complete these NIFA-specific items.

• V.300 NIFA Supplemental Information Form

• V.310 Attachments Form

• V.320 Data Management Plan

V.100 SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance

The SF-424 (R&R) collects basic information including type of submission, applicant information, type of applicant, and proposed project dates. This form is required for all grant applications.

Conformance with SF-424 instructions is required and will be strictly enforced unless a deviation has been approved. NIFA may exclude from consideration applications that are not consistent with these instructions.

This form, along with other R&R forms, can be found in Grants.gov under R&R Family of forms listing. Instructions are available on Grants.gov to supplement the instructions in this document.

Type of Submission Options:

• Pre-Application Only submit a pre-application if specifically required by a NIFA NOFO or RFP.

• Application An "Application" is a request for financial support of a project or activity submitted on specified forms and in accordance with NIFA instructions.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/r-r-family

Field 2: Date Submitted and Applicant Identifier

Field 3: Date Received by State and State Application Identifier

• Change/Corrected Application

Check this box if you are correcting either system validation errors or application assembly problems that occurred during the submission process. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this to submit changes after the closing date.

Note for Changed/Corrected Applications:

You should submit a changed/corrected application only after the appropriate NIFA program staff has been contacted, and your request to change/correct your prior application has been approved.

If you are submitting a changed/corrected application, click the Changed/Corrected Application box and enter the Grants.gov tracking number in the Federal Identifier field.

If this submission is to change or correct a “resubmission”, “renewal”, “continuation”, or “revision” application, leave the Federal identifier field as previously filled with the existing identifier (e.g., Award number). Do not insert the Grants.gov tracking number in these cases.

Date Submitted: Enter the date the application is submitted to NIFA. Use mm/dd/yyyy format.

E.g.: 06/15/2023.

Applicant Identifier: Fill in the “Applicant Identifier” field, if applicable. This field is not required.

The Applicant Identifier is reserved for applicant use, not the federal agency to which the application is being submitted.

NIFA does not use this information. Leave these fields blank.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Field 5: Applicant Information

Federal Identifier Options:

• New Applications without Pre-application: Leave this field blank.

• New Applications following Pre-application: Enter the agency-assigned pre-application number.

• Resubmission, Renewal, and Revision Applications: The Federal Identifier is required.

Include only the IC and serial number of the previously assigned application/award number (e.g., use CA987654 from 1R01CA987654-01A1).

Additional Instructions for SBIR/STTR: When submitting a Phase II application, enter the Phase I SBIR/STTR grant number in this field. For more information on applying for SBIR/STTR Phase I or Phase II awards, see NIFA's SBIR/STTR Program Page.

• Agency Routing Identifier: NIFA does not use the Agency Routing Identifier field; it may be left blank.

• Previous Grants.gov tracking ID: The “Previous Grants.gov Tracking ID” field is required only if you checked the “Changed/Corrected Application” box in “Field 1.

Type of Submission.” A Tracking ID number is of the form, for example, GRANT12345678.

Section 1: Applicant Organization

• UEI: Enter the UEI number of the applicant organization. This field is required.

• Legal Name: Enter the legal name of the applicant organization or individual in whose name an award, if awarded, should be made.

• Department: Enter the name of the primary organizational department, service, laboratory, or equivalent level within the organization.

Field 4: Federal Identifiers

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://nifa.usda.gov/program/small-business-innovation-research-program-sbir

Field 6: Employer Identification (EIN) or (TIN)

• Division: Enter the name of primary organizational department, service, laboratory, or equivalent level within the organization which will undertake the assistance activity.

• Address: Provide street, city, county/parish, state or province for the applicant organization.

• Zip/Postal Code: The ZIP+4 is required if the applicant organization is located in the United States. Otherwise, the Zip code is optional. Enter the ZIP+4 (nine-digit postal code) or postal code of the applicant organization. If you do not know your ZIP+4, look it up on the USPS Look Up Zip Code website.

Section 2: Person to be contacted on matters involving this application

This section of the field is for the administrative contact (e.g., AOR or business official), not the PD/PI. This person is the individual to be notified if additional information is needed and/or if an award is made.

• Contact Person Name: First Name and Last Name of Contact Person. Prefix, Middle Name and Suffix, if applicable.

• Position/Title: Enter position/title of contact person.

• Address: Provide street, city, county/parish, state or province for contact person.

• Phone: Enter best phone number for contact person.

• Fax: Enter Fax number of contact person.

• Email: Enter the email address for the person to contact on matters related to the application.

Enter either TIN or EIN as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. If your organization is not in the U.S., type 44-4444444. This field is required. If you do not have an EIN, you can create one on IRS.gov.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

Field 8: Type of Application

Type of Applicant: Select the appropriate applicant type code. This field is required.

If “Small Business” is selected as Type of Applicant, then identify whether the organization is Woman-owned and/or Socially and Economically Disadvantaged.

o Woman Owned: Check if you are a woman-owned small business. This is a small business that is at least 51% owned by a woman or women, who also control and operate it.

o Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Check if you are a socially and economically disadvantaged small business as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration pursuant to section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, U.S.C. 637(a).

The type of application accepted may vary by funding opportunity. Part II, B of the NOFO will stipulate the type of application that you may submit in response to the funding opportunity.

Select the type from the following list. Check only one.

o New: An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.

o Resubmission: An application that has been previously submitted, but not funded, and is being resubmitted for new consideration.

If you are submitting a resubmission application, enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

If you are submitting a resubmission renewal application, select “resubmission” and enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

o Renewal: An application requesting additional funding for a period subsequent to that provided by a current award. A renewal application competes with all other

Field 7: Type of Applicant

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1994-title15-section637&num=0&edition=1994 applications and must be developed as fully as though the applicant is applying for the first time.

If you are submitting a renewal application, enter the NIFA-assigned award number of the previously funded application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

o Continuation: A non-competing application for an additional funding/budget period within a previously approved project period. Only used for specific NOFOs.

If submitting a continuation application, enter the NIFA-assigned award number of the previously funded application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

o Revision: An application that proposes a change in – 1) the Federal Government's financial obligations or contingent liability from an existing obligation; or, 2) any other change in the terms and conditions of the existing award.

If Revision mark appropriate box(es): May select more than one

A. Increase Award B. Decrease Award C. Increase Duration D. Decrease Duration E. Other (specify). If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.

o Is this application being submitted to other agencies?

Enter yes or no. This field is required. If yes, enter Agency name.

o What other agencies?

List the names or acronyms of all other public or private sponsors including other agencies within USDA to which your application has been or might be sent. In the event you decide to send your application to another organization or agency at a later date, you must inform the identified NIFA Program Contact as soon as practicable. Submitting your application to other potential sponsors will not prejudice its review by NIFA; however, submitting the same application to another NIFA program is not permissible.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Field 10: Assistance Listing Number and Title

Field 11: Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project

Field 12: Proposed Project

This field is pre-populated from the opportunity package and reflects the agency (NIFA) from which assistance is being requested with this application.

This field is pre-populated from the opportunity package and reflects the Assistance Listing (AL) number of the program under which assistance is requested.

This field may be blank if you are applying to an opportunity that references multiple AL numbers. When this field is blank, leave it blank. The appropriate AL number will be automatically assigned by the agency.

The title should be a brief, clear, and specific designation of the proposed project.

Project titles are read by a variety of nonscientific people; therefore, you should avoid highly technical words or phraseology where possible. In addition, you should not use introductory phrases such as “investigation of,” “research on,” “education for,” or “outreach that.”

Start Date: Enter the proposed start date of the project. This field is required. Please use mm/dd/yyyy format. E.g., 08/13/2023.

Ending Date: Enter the proposed end date of the project. This field is required. Please use mm/dd/yyyy format. E.g., 08/13/2023.

Field 9: Name of Federal Agency

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Field 14: Project Director/Principal Investigator Contact Information

Enter the applicant's Congressional District. Enter the Congressional District in the format: 2-character state abbreviation, a hyphen, and a 3-character district number. Examples: CA-005 for California's 5th district, CA-012 for California's 12th district. This field is required.

If outside the US, enter 00-000.

For States and U.S. Territories with only a single congressional district, enter “001” for the district number.

For jurisdictions with no representative, enter “099.”

For jurisdictions with a nonvoting delegate, enter “098” for the district number. Example: DC- 098 or PR-098.

If you do not know your Congressional District: Go to the United States House of Representatives website and search for your Congressional District by entering your ZIP+4. If you do not know your ZIP+4, look it up on the USPS Look Up Zip Code website.

This information is for the PD/PI. The PD/PI is the individual responsible for the overall scientific and technical direction of the project.

The PD/PI is the single individual designated by the awardee in the application and approved by the Authorized Departmental Officer who is responsible for the direction and management of the project. To facilitate communication with NIFA, the person designated in Field 14 will be considered the contact PD/PI. The contact PD/PI will be responsible for relaying communications between all the PD/PIs and NIFA (other PD/PIs are identified on the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile).

Field 13: Enter Congressional District of Applicant

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://www.house.gov/

Field 15: Estimated Project Funding

Field 16: Is the Application Subject to Review by State Executive Order 12372 Process?

• Contact Person Name: First Name and Last Name of Contact Person. Prefix, Middle Name and Suffix, if applicable.

• Position/Title: Enter position/title.

• Organization name: Enter the name of the organization for the PD/PI.

• Department: Enter department name.

• Division: Enter the name of the primary organizational division, office, or major subdivision of the PD/PI.

• Address: Provide street, city, county/parish, state, or province for PD/PI.

• Phone: Enter best phone number for PD/PI.

• Fax: Enter Fax number of PD/PI.

• Email: Enter the email address for the PD/PI.

All four fields in “15. Estimated Project Funding” are required.

• Total Federal Funds Requested: Enter the total federal funds, including Direct Costs and F&A Costs (Indirect Costs), requested for the entire project period.

• Total Non-Federal Funds: Enter total non-Federal funds requested for the entire project period.

• Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds: Enter total estimated funds for the entire project period, including both Federal and non-Federal funds.

• Estimated Program Income: Identify any Program Income estimated for this project period, if applicable.

If yes, check box and provide review date. If the announcement indicates that the program is covered under Executive Order 12372, applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372. One selection is required.

If no, check “NO, program is not covered by E.O. 12372,” OR “Program has not been selected by

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by

Field 17: Complete Certification

Field 18: Enter SFLLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) or Other Explanatory Documentations

Field 19: Authorized Representative

State for review”. NIFA programs are excluded from the scope of the Executive Order 12372 which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local officials (see the final Rule-related Notice to 7 CFR Part 3015, Subpart V (48 FR 29114, June 24, 1983)).

Check to provide the required certifications and assurances. This field is required.

The applicable certifications and representations can be located on the NIFA website. See NIFA's Certifications and Representations resource page before signing the application.

If applicable, attach the SFLLL or other explanatory document per NOFO instructions. If you are unable to certify compliance with the Certification in the “17. Certification” section above, attach an explanation. Additionally, as applicable, attach the Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SFLLL) or other documents in this item.

The authorized representative is equivalent to the individual with the organizational authority to sign for an application.

This individual is otherwise known as the authorized organization representative (AOR) in Grants.gov.

• Contact Person Name: First Name and Last Name of Contact Person. Prefix, Middle Name and Suffix, if applicable.

• Position/Title: Enter position/title.

• Organization name: Enter the name of the organization for the AOR.

• Department: Enter department name.

• Division: Enter the name of the primary organizational division, office or major subdivision of the AOR.

Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XVIII/subchapter-H/part-1948/subpart-B/section-1948.84 https://nifa.usda.gov/certifications-and-representations

Field 20: Pre-Application

Field 21: Cover Letter Attachment

• Address: Provide street, city, county/parish, state or province for AOR.

• Phone: Enter best phone number.

• Fax: Enter fax number.

• Email: Enter the email address.

Signature of Authorized Representative: It is the organization’s responsibility to ensure that only properly authorized individuals submit the application to Grants.gov. This field is completed on submission to Grants.gov.

Date Signed: Grants.gov will generate this date upon application submission.

If submitting a pre-application, provide a summary description of the project in accordance with the announcement and/or agency-specific instructions and attach here.

Rarely, a funding opportunity will require or request submission of a preliminary application in advance of a full application. The two predominant reasons for requiring a preliminary application are to:

• Reduce the unnecessary effort in application preparation…