Register early. Registration is by far the hardest part of the whole process. Don't put it off to the last minute. Grants.gov advises that registration usually takes up to 5 business days but it can take longer; we recommend that you allow at least two weeks. For help, see our registration checklist for step-by-step instructions. You also can check your registration status by contacting Grants.gov Customer Service and asking the question, “Is my registration 100% complete so I can submit an application on behalf of my organization?”
Be extremely careful when entering your registration information and make sure your information on file with the entities involved is correct and consistent. In the second step of the registration process, your information will be validated with the IRS and Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). If your information doesn't match exactly -- like having a comma in your organization's name on file with the IRS, but not with D&B -- it can snag your registration.
Make sure your registration information is up to date. Your organization's Central Contractor Registry (CCR) registration -- part of the Grants.gov registration process -- must be renewed every year. CCR will alert your organization's CCR Point of Contact when it is time for renewal. You can check your current CCR registration status by entering your DUNS number at "Search CCR " at www.ccr.gov.
Even if you aren't registered, you can work on an electronic application. While you need to be registered in order to submit an application, you don't need to be registered (or an AOR) in order to work on one.
Be sure you're using the correct application package. Generally, each NEA application deadline has a specific Grants.gov package. You can't, for example, use the package we posted for our March Access to Artistic Excellence application deadline to apply to the August Access to Artistic Excellence deadline even though it may look the same.
Review the Grants.gov software requirements. The PureEdge software required in previous years has been replaced with Adobe software that allows Mac users to apply electronically as easily as PC users. You now must have Adobe Reader (version 8.1.1 or higher), a small, free software program, installed on your computer in order to access, complete, and submit applications. NOTE: Only Adobe Reader (version 8.1.1 or higher) can be used; other versions will prevent you from submitting your application through Grants.gov.
Focus on your attachments (narrative, budget, biographical information, etc.). As always, these are the key parts of a NEA application. You can work on your attachments long before downloading the application package. (And when you do download the package, remember to save it to your computer so you don't need to be online to work on the forms.)
When working with the forms, complete the SF-424 (Application for Federal Domestic Assistance) form first. Certain fields -- e.g., your organization's name -- will then pre-populate the other forms, saving you some work.
Yes, the DUNS is important. The DUNS you enter on the SF-424 form must match exactly the DUNS you used when you registered with CCR. If it doesn't match -- even if you just transpose two digits -- we won't get your application because the Grants.gov system will kick it back to you. If your organization has more than one DUNS (many do), make sure you're using the right one for applying via Grants.gov.
Converting your documents to PDFs helps you (and us). Using PDFs allows you to preserve the formatting of your documents so they can be presented to panelists exactly as you intend. It also ensures we can open the documents and simplifies processing on our end. If you don't already have software to convert files to PDF before you attach them, there are many low-cost and free software packages that can do this. To learn more, go to PDF Conversion Programs.
You're the only one who can ensure that your application is complete. Yes, the Check Package for Errors function on the forms will tell you if you missed a required field. But it can't tell you if you forgot to attach a required document. So be sure you've included everything required by the instructions on the Attachments form. This is especially true if you created multiple versions of the application package as you worked on it. We've had several applicants submit early drafts of their application by mistake; we couldn't accept them because they were missing required attachments and were therefore incomplete. That's why we recommend that you save only one version of your application by overwriting it each time you save your work.
Just because Grants.gov received your application doesn't mean it's been accepted. After you submit your application, Grants.gov will send you two e-mails: one to acknowledge receipt, and another to let you know that your application has been validated. There are several reasons applications may not be validated. Maybe there was a problem with the DUNS (see above). Or maybe the Grants.gov system detected a virus in an attachment. Bottom line: Only when you get the second e-mail will you know that your application has been accepted. Don't wait until just before the deadline to submit. If you turn off your computer right after submitting, you may not learn the application was kicked back until too late. Give yourself some extra time to make adjustments and resubmit, if necessary.
Sometimes the problem isn't you, it's your computer. If you get a MEC Error when you try to submit, that is an error on your end, not with Grants.gov's system. A MEC error is a general error that prevents communication between your computer and Grants.gov. You'll need to work with your own IT administrator to fix the problem. It may be due to the presets on your computer or your Internet Service Provider. If your IT administrator isn't available, just try submitting from another computer and see if that works. Another reason to submit early!
Contact Grants.gov
Help Desk: 1-800-518-4726
E-mail: support@grants.gov
Web site: www.grants.gov