Grants.gov vs SAM.gov: Registration Order in 4 Steps (2026)

By Aoba Works · Published October 20, 2026 · 16 min read

How this guide was made: drafted with AI assistance from the official sources linked below, then passed an automated editorial check before publishing. Our process

• Grants.gov
• Sam.gov
• Uei
• Federal Grants

SAM.gov and Grants.gov are two separate federal systems. Organizations have to use them in a set order. SAM.gov confirms your organization's identity, gives it a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and makes it eligible to receive federal money. Grants.gov is where you find and submit grant applications, and an organization can't finish registering there until its SAM.gov registration is active. If you apply as an individual for yourself, Grants.gov says you do not need to register with SAM.gov.

Which option is right for you?

Start with SAM.gov if you apply for a business, nonprofit, university or government. Start with Grants.gov only if you apply as a private individual.

Here's why each pick fits. Beginners at an organization can't get past Grants.gov profile setup without a UEI. Individuals skip the organization requirements completely. Staff at a registered organization only need a role. Daily users mostly run into expiration problems, not first-time setup. Browsing is open to anyone, and paying a third party for a free registration rarely saves money.

What Is Grants.gov?

Grants.gov is the federal government's shared website for finding and applying to discretionary federal grants. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services manages it. According to its About page, the Grants.gov program management office was set up in 2002 under the President's Management Agenda. It runs under Office of Management and Budget governance and covers "over 1,000 grant programs" that distribute "more than $500 billion annually" (as of October 2026).

In practice, Grants.gov does three jobs:

• Search. Anyone can browse open funding opportunities without an account. Each listing links to its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
• Apply. Registered users fill out forms such as the SF-424 in an online "Workspace" and submit the package to the agency.
• Track. After you submit, you get a tracking number. Submitted applications are kept for 5 years and can be followed on the Track My Application page, per the Grants.gov applicant FAQs.

Grants.gov does not award money or score applications. The agency that posted the opportunity does that, often in its own system after the application leaves Grants.gov. For example, a Department of Justice applicant may submit the SF-424 through Grants.gov and then finish the rest in JustGrants, which is why OJP publishes its own Grants.gov guidance.

A newer interface is also being built. Simpler.Grants.gov describes itself as the place for "building new features for the next generation of Grants.gov." You can already search real Grants.gov data there. The site also says "You may need to visit Grants.gov to apply for most opportunities" (as of October 2026). It uses Login.gov for sign-in. Treat it as a search tool, and plan to submit through whichever system the NOFO names.

If you're deciding which kind of award to go after first, see Federal Grant vs Cooperative Agreement: Table + NOFO Steps.

What Is SAM.gov and Why Is It Required First?

SAM.gov is the System for Award Management. There, organizations get a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and register so they can receive federal funds. Organizations need an active SAM.gov registration before they can finish Grants.gov setup and submit. The General Services Administration (GSA) runs SAM.gov, not HHS. That's one reason the two sites have separate help desks.

SAM.gov offers two options, and picking the wrong one is a common first mistake. According to SAM.gov's entity registration page:

SAM.gov states it plainly: "If you choose to only get a Unique Entity ID, you cannot apply directly for federal awards." For grant applicants, the UEI-only path leads nowhere.

Within full registration, you choose a purpose. The FSD Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations and widely used state guides such as Cal OES's Entity Registration Checklist describe them:

• Financial Assistance Awards Only. For grants and other assistance, and it asks for less information. You can't bid on federal contracts with this type.
• All Awards. For contracts and assistance. Pick this if you also plan to sell to the government.

So why does SAM.gov come first? When you create an organization profile in Grants.gov, you type in your UEI. Grants.gov then checks SAM.gov for an active registration and for the E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) listed there, as Grants.gov describes. Without an active record, there's nothing for Grants.gov to link to.

Before you open SAM.gov, gather what the FSD quick start guide lists: your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), bank account details for payments, and the name and email of the person who will be EBiz POC. Your legal name and address have to match your IRS records exactly. Mismatches are a frequent cause of delays (more in the timing section). Download SAM.gov's own Entity Registration Checklist and complete it offline first.

Grants.gov vs SAM.gov: What's the Difference?

SAM.gov confirms who you are and that the government can pay you. Grants.gov is where you search for and submit grant applications. They are separate systems with separate accounts that you link using your UEI and the EBiz POC email.

Here's an example. Riverbend Food Pantry, a nonprofit, wants a USDA grant. Its executive director registers the nonprofit in SAM.gov with "Financial Assistance Awards Only" and lists herself as EBiz POC. Once the registration is active, she creates a Grants.gov account using the same email and adds an organization profile with the pantry's UEI. Then she gives her grant writer the AOR role. The grant writer never touches SAM.gov. The director never has to write the proposal. Each system does one job.

How to Register for Grants.gov (Step-by-Step)

Registration has to go in order. First get a UEI and complete SAM.gov entity registration. Then create a Grants.gov account. Last, link it to your organization with a role such as AOR. The steps below use the button labels found on the official pages (Grants.gov registration, FSD quick start guide).

Step 1: Register your entity in SAM.gov

1. Go to SAM.gov and click Sign In. If you don't have a Login.gov account, create one. SAM.gov and Grants.gov both use Login.gov.
2. Open your Workspace.
3. Under Entities, click Get Started, then Register Entity. Don't choose the UEI-only option.
4. Choose your purpose: Financial Assistance Awards Only if you only want grants, or All Awards if you'll also bid on contracts.
5. Enter your legal name, physical address, TIN, banking details and points of contact. Write down the EBiz POC email, because you'll need it in Step 2.
6. Submit. A UEI is assigned as part of the process, and SAM.gov reviews the registration. Grants.gov says to allow up to 10 business days for it to become active.

Step 2: The EBiz POC creates a Grants.gov account

1. On Grants.gov, click Register.
2. At the bottom of the page, click Get Registered Now. Fill in the form and click Continue.
3. Click Send Temporary Code, copy the code from your email into the Temporary Code box, then click Continue (Grants.gov Register help).
4. Link the account to Login.gov when prompted.

The EBiz POC has to use the same email that's listed in SAM.gov, per Grants.gov. If the emails don't match, Grants.gov won't recognize this person as the POC.

Step 3: Add the organization applicant profile

1. When you're offered profile options, pick Add Organization Applicant Profile. Don't pick Add an Individual Applicant Profile if you're applying for an organization (Grants.gov Add Profile).
2. Enter the organization's UEI, a profile name and your job title, then save.
3. Grants.gov notes that the EBiz POC automatically gets the Expanded AOR role after adding the profile. In a one-person organization, you can now submit.

Step 4: Give roles to everyone else

1. Each team member creates their own Grants.gov account (Step 2) and adds an Organization Applicant Profile with the same UEI (Step 3). Their request goes to the EBiz POC.
2. The EBiz POC signs in, clicks Manage Applicants, finds the person and assigns a role (Grants.gov).
3. Grants.gov emails the person when they've been approved. Grants.gov says this can happen the same day, depending on when the EBiz POC logs in.

Which role should you give? Per the applicant FAQs, a Standard AOR can submit only from workspaces where they are a participant. An Expanded AOR can submit from any of the organization's workspaces. A Workspace Manager can build and manage workspaces but can't submit. A careful setup gives submit rights to one or two people, plus a backup.

If you manage several organizations, keep one Grants.gov account and add each organization's UEI from the Manage Profiles tab, per Grants.gov.

Once you're registered, the application itself comes next. Two guides cover that: SF-424 Instructions: Field-by-Field Table and Steps (2026) and How to Write Grants for Nonprofits: Federal Proposal Guide.

How Long Does SAM.gov → Grants.gov Registration Take?

Grants.gov says to allow up to 10 business days for SAM.gov registration to become active. Grants.gov setup can follow the same day. First-timers should still plan on several weeks before any deadline.

Here's how the timeline breaks down:

The 10-business-day figure counts from when the registration is complete and correct. Federal contracting guides such as UseGrants and Federal Processing Registry say first-time registrations often take 2 to 8 weeks from start to active. They also note that the clock effectively starts over when a validation step fails. These are third-party estimates, not official limits, but they're a sensible planning buffer.

Some registrations also involve a notarized letter. The FSD quick start guide refers to one, and some third-party guides say the original must be mailed within 60 days of submitting. Check the current Federal Service Desk knowledge base for whether this applies to you before you rely on any timeline.

Remember that a registration can also run out. SAM.gov registrations must be renewed every 365 days. Third-party guides report reminder emails at 60, 30 and 15 days before expiration, sent to the registrant's email (SLED AI). If that person has left your organization, the reminders go to an inbox nobody reads.

Here's an example timeline. Say a NOFO closes on December 15. To be safe, start SAM.gov registration in October, aim to be active by mid-November, set up Grants.gov roles that same week, and submit at least several days before December 15.

Is Grants.gov Legit?

Yes. Grants.gov is an official U.S. government website on a .gov domain, managed by HHS (About Grants.gov). Paid "grant registration" sites that look like it are not affiliated with the government.

Neither system charges anything. Grants.gov says registration is free (Grants.gov). The UEI is issued at no cost. The Better Business Bureau has warned about third parties claiming to help with government grant registration. Third-party guides report fees of roughly $300 to $3,000 for registrations you can do yourself for free (GovCon Giants, as of October 2026; check the official pages).

Watch for these red flags:

• An email saying your "SAM registration is expiring" with a payment link. The government never charges for registration, updates or renewals.
• A website ending in .com or .org that copies the Grants.gov or SAM.gov look.
• Someone offering a "guaranteed grant" for a processing fee. Federal grants are competitive, and the posting agency decides who gets them.
• A request for your Login.gov password or one-time code.

For example, if you get a message warning that your SAM.gov registration will lapse, don't click it. Type sam.gov into your browser yourself and check the status. Our guide How to Check SAM.gov Registration Status walks through it.

Grants.gov Reviews: What Do Applicants Say?

Opinions are mixed. People value Grants.gov as a free, central and authoritative source. The common complaints are about the submission process, and official guidance confirms those trouble spots. This guide doesn't quote individual user reviews. The documented pain points below come from official sources.

What works. You get one free place to search the 1,000+ programs, one set of standard forms, a tracking number for every submission and 24/7 phone support at 1-800-518-4726 (OJP).

What frustrates applicants, according to official guidance:

• Strict file-name rules. Attachment names must be 50 characters or fewer and use only allowed characters (Grants.gov FAQs). OJP's example: Police^FirePlan.doc gets the whole application rejected, while Police$FirePlan.doc is fine (OJP).
• Rejection notices that come late. OJP warns that applicants "may not receive rejection notices until after the deadline has passed."
• Two systems, two help desks. SAM.gov problems go to the Federal Service Desk, and Grants.gov problems go to the Grants.gov Support Center. You can lose a day just figuring out which one to call.
• A dated interface. HHS is rebuilding the experience at Simpler.Grants.gov, which lists "transparency and usability" as its goals. That points to the legacy Workspace being the weak spot.

Here's an example of how these problems stack up. An applicant names a budget file FY27 Budget Justification – Final (v3) revised by finance.pdf. That's over 50 characters, and the long dash isn't on the allowed list. If they submit an hour before the deadline, the rejection could arrive too late to fix anything.

Common Registration Pitfalls That Delay or Block Submission

Most failed submissions come from three causes: an expired SAM.gov registration, a UEI not yet linked to the Grants.gov account, or a missing AOR role. You can prevent all three by checking status before you apply.

Run this check about 30 days before any deadline:

1. In SAM.gov, confirm the entity status is Active and the expiration date falls after the award date, not just after the deadline.
2. Confirm the EBiz POC is still with your organization and their email works.
3. In Grants.gov, sign in as the submitter and confirm your profile shows the right UEI and an AOR role.
4. Open the Workspace for the opportunity and make sure the submitter is a participant.
5. After you submit, save the tracking number and download the submitted package. Grants.gov recommends downloading a copy to verify the contents of the submission zip file.

Small businesses chasing their first grant can pair this checklist with How to Apply for Grants for Small Business (2026 Guide).

Next steps

You can finish most of the setup today, and it's all free.

Do it yourself today:

1. Open SAM.gov's Entity Registration Checklist and gather your TIN, exact IRS legal name, bank details and EBiz POC email.
2. Create or check your Login.gov account, then start Register Entity in SAM.gov. If you already have a registration, check its expiration date.
3. If you're an individual applying for yourself, skip SAM.gov. Register on Grants.gov and add an Individual Applicant profile.

If you'd rather not do it yourself:

• APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs) are federally funded offices that give small businesses free help with SAM.gov registration (as of October 2026; check the official page). They're a good fit for small businesses, especially ones that may also bid on contracts. Their focus is government contracting, so nonprofits that want help writing grant narratives may get less out of them.
• Grants.gov Support Center (free, 1-800-518-4726, 24/7 except federal holidays, OJP) is for registration and submission problems. It won't review your proposal.
• Paid grant consultants can help with writing and strategy. Fees vary, so ask for a written quote. This option suits teams without writing capacity. It's a poor fit if all you need is SAM.gov registration, since that's free and paying for it is what the BBB warns about. No consultant can guarantee an award.

Related guides on this site:

• How to Check SAM.gov Registration Status (Step by Step)
• SF-424 Instructions: Field-by-Field Table and Steps (2026)
• How to Write Grants for Nonprofits: Federal Proposal Guide
• Small Business Grants for Women: Federal Options (2026)

FAQ

Do I need a DUNS number or just a UEI now?

You only need a UEI. On April 4, 2022, the federal government stopped using DUNS numbers in SAM.gov and switched to the Unique Entity ID (SAM), a 12-character ID issued free in SAM.gov (GSA fact sheet). Organizations that already had registrations were given UEIs automatically.

Can I use Grants.gov without registering on SAM.gov?

Yes, in two cases. Anyone can search opportunities without registering. Individuals applying for themselves don't need SAM.gov or a UEI. Organizations do need an active SAM.gov registration before they can set up a profile and submit.

How often do I need to renew my SAM.gov registration?

Every 365 days, per SAM.gov. Renewal is free. Start at least 60 days early, because validation problems can push activation past your deadline.

Is there a fee to register on Grants.gov or SAM.gov?

No. Grants.gov says registration is free, and the UEI costs nothing. Anyone asking you to pay for registration or renewal is not the federal government.

What is an AOR on Grants.gov?

An Authorized Organization Representative is a person the EBiz POC has allowed to submit applications for the organization. A Standard AOR can submit only from workspaces they participate in. An Expanded AOR can submit from any of the organization's workspaces (Grants.gov FAQs). The EBiz POC gets Expanded AOR automatically.

Sources

• Grants.gov – Applicant Registration
• Grants.gov – EBiz POC Authorizes Profile Roles
• Grants.gov – Add Profile
• Grants.gov – Register (Online Help)
• Grants.gov – Individual Applicant (Online Help)
• Grants.gov – Applicant FAQs
• Grants.gov – About Grants.gov
• Grants.gov – Grants 101
• Grants.gov Community Blog – Linking Grants.gov and Login.gov
• Simpler.Grants.gov
• SAM.gov – Entity Registration
• SAM.gov – Entity Registration Checklist (PDF)
• SAM.gov – External Resources
• FSD – Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations (PDF)
• GSA – Transitioning to the New Unique Entity ID (PDF)
• Office of Justice Programs – Grants.gov Information
• Cal OES – Entity Registration Checklist (PDF)
• BBB Scam Alert – Third parties and government grant registration
• UseGrants – How Long Does SAM.gov Registration Take?
• Federal Processing Registry – How Long Does SAM.gov Registration Take
• SLED AI – How to Renew SAM.gov Registration
• GovCon Giants – SAM.gov Registration Guide

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us at shigoto.ai.note@gmail.com. Guides are re-checked against official sources on a rolling schedule.