Funding / Grant Links
Grant Links
Grant Links
Websites for award administration and planning
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
The CFR is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to federal regulation. Each volume of the CFR is updated once each calendar year. The following section has a bearing on NOAA grants: Title 2 – Grants and Agreements.
Department of Commerce, Federal Financial Assistance Manual
This grants manual is intended to provide a common understanding of the framework for the administration of grants and cooperative agreements within which Department of Commerce staff members and responsible recipient officials must operate.
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards from the Office of Management and Budget
- 2 CFR 200 (accessible in the electronic Code of Federal Regulations)
- Explanation of changes made to 2 CFR 200 August 2020
- 2 CFR 200 PDF January 1, 2024 edition
- Explanation of proposed changes to 2 CFR 200 (April 2024 Federal Register Notice)
- 2 CFR 200 pre-publication effective June – October 2024
Websites for applicants
Office for Coastal Management Grant Proposal Development Resources
NOAA Proposal Guidance Resources are government and public information sites available to assist grant applicants with finding, preparing, and submitting a competitive grant proposal.
Application guidance used for a previous competition – Climate Resilience Regional Challenge.
Applying for a NOAA Grant
NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program details processes to apply for a NOAA grant. Steps 1, 4, and 5 provide uniform administrative guidance. Applicants should refer to the specific notice of funding opportunity for unique program requirements related to steps 2, 3, and 6.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service provides guidance on how to submit a grant application. This guidance addresses system registrations, submission checks, common errors, and a submission checklist for eRA requirements.
The NOAA Grants Management Division provides guidance on how to apply for a NOAA grant, how to read a funding opportunity announcement, the application process, the review process, and how to manage an award.
electronic Research Administration Commons
electronic Research Administration (eRA) is the platform the Department of Commerce uses to administers grants. eRA Commons is a module/extension of eRA that is external, grantee, applicant-facing, where external users interact with Department of Commerce staff to conduct business.
Registration in multiple systems is required, in addition to eRA Commons, to apply for NOAA funding. Applicant organizations must start the registration process at least six weeks before the grant application submission deadline to allow plenty of time to address unforeseen issues along the way. Allow time for the principal investigator register once the organization has been registered in Commons. A principal investigator must confirm eRA Commons registration before the application submission.
Grant applicants will continue to apply via Grants.gov just as they have in the past. Department of Commerce applicants will not be using the eRA Commons "ASSIST" module to submit applications directly into the eRA system. However, they do still need to be registered as an organization in eRA Commons because their applications will not be able to be pulled into eRA from Grants.gov for processing unless their organizations are registered in eRA Commons.
Registering with eRA Commons is a one-time process. If your organization is already registered due to previous interactions with National Institutes of Health grants, there is no need to register again.
- era.nih.gov/faqs.htm
- grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/prepare-to-apply-and-register/register.htm
- era.nih.gov/register-accounts/register-in-era-commons.htm
- youtube.com/watch?v=i5N6pTl7OjQ (a 16-min video on how to register with eRA)
Government Forms
Grant forms are posted on various Grants.gov, Department of Commerce, General Services Administration, and Office of Management and Budget websites.
Grants.gov
Visit the federal government's sole access point for finding and applying for grants.
Internal Revenue Service
Refer to these sites if you need a taxpayer identification number or an employee identification number (one of which is mandatory to complete your Sam.gov Registration information).
- irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin
- irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Employer-ID-Numbers-EINs
Grants Enterprise Management Solution (GEMS)
The “modernization and consolidation” effort being undertaken by the Department of Commence to bring all of the different bureau grant programs under one “roof.” eRA is the system that will consolidate grants management in the Department of Commerce.
Internal Revenue Service information on Tribal structure and nonprofits
The IRS provides guidance on how Tribes are recognized or taxed. Tribal structure and recognition dictate whether a Tribe needs a taxpayer identification number (TIN) or an employer identification number (EIN). Here are IRS websites that provide information on Tribes and non-profits.
- irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/faqs-for-indian-tribal-governments-regarding-status-of-tribes-taxable-vs-nontaxable-vs-not-subject-to-tax
- irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/itg-faq-4-answer-what-are-the-tax-implications-of-being-a-federally-recognized-tribe
- irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance
Applicants must complete proposals according to environmental requirements noted in grant announcements or in requests for applications. Applicants must provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems). After applications are submitted, NOAA may require additional information to fulfill NEPA requirements. If NOAA determines that an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement is required, applicants may be requested to assist in drafting the analysis. Applicants may also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying and implementing feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The White House Council on Environmental Quality regulations for NEPA implementation and the following websites provide more information on NEPA, including NOAA's NEPA compliance, and NOAA's Administrative Order on Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing NEPA:
NOAA's Environmental Data Management Policy Including Data Sharing Procedures and Information
All NOAA grantees must share data produced under NOAA grants and cooperative agreements in a timely fashion, except where limited by law, regulation, policy, or security requirements. Grantees must address this requirement formally by preparing a Data Sharing Plan as part of their grant project narrative.
- noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-212-15-management-of-environmental-data-and-information
- nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/PD.all.php
NOAA's Geospatial Information System
Proposal and Logic Model Development
The University of Wisconsin provides instruction on logic model development, especially ways to measure and capture outcomes and impacts to show results of an activity (grant).
System for Award Management
The primary vendor database for the U.S. federal government is the System for Award Management (SAM). This system is used to validate applicant information, electronically share secure and encrypted data with federal government finance offices, and to facilitate paperless payments (electronic funds transfers). A unique entity ID is required; to get one, go to SAM.gov.
SAM is the primary vendor database for the U.S. federal government and is maintained by the General Service Administration. The system consolidates the capabilities of the Central Contractor Registration, Excluded Parties List System, Assistance Listings (previously known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance), Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), and Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), and serves as the platform for recipients to report subaward and executive compensation (which was previously completed in the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act [FFATA] Subaward Reporting System [FSRS]).
Other systems, including the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (ESRS) will be migrated into SAM in future deployments. The consolidation of these databases helps the federal government track pre- and post-award information regarding entities that receive federal funding. With this system, primes will be able to find their sub-awardees and report a subaward.
System for Award Management is supported by the General Service Administration's Federal Service Help Desk
Applicants can call or chat live with the Federal Service Help Desk for assistance with their Sam.gov registration or Unique Entity Identifier. The Help Topics section includes Sam.gov user guides, quick start guides, helpful hints, videos, and frequently asked questions. If you are going through entity validation at SAM.gov for the first time and have questions, visit this list of FAQs.
1-866-606-8220
Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)
Sam.gov
An entity registration checklist for financial assistance awards is available at:
System for Award Management registration status
The SAM.gov Status Tracker returns the registration status for publicly-searchable registration records. If you are a federal government user, sign into System for Award Management and use the Search link in the main navigation menu to view registrations or data that are not publicly available.
Other Sam.gov Resources
- SAM.gov Quick Start Grantee Registration Checklist
- SAM.gov Entity Registration Training Webinar (15-min video from Small Business Administration)
- SAM.gov Entity Registration: From Start to Finish: A Step-by-Step Tutorial on SAM Registration (29-min video from FedAccess)
Websites for recipients
Department of Commerce, Grants Management Division
This site includes information on Department of Commerce grant policies, opportunities, and agency contacts.
Department of Commerce, NOAA Grants Management Division
This site includes information on grant policy, training, forms, and on-line resources related to award administration.
Office for Coastal Management Grant Recipient Resources
- electronic Research Administration Resources on Account Management
- eRA Commons Roles and Privileges Matrix (5-page PDF provides a quick view of roles and capabilities)
- eRA account management creation guidance (from eRA Commons help page)
- eRA account management information sheet (16-page PDF - instructions on how to create a PD/PI account are provided on page 10)
- Account management for administrative users (17-page slide presentation from eRA)
- Complete description of all eRA Commons roles (includes roles not utilized by DOC - 12-page PDF)
- electronic Research Administration Commons Guidance and Training
- Applicant and Grantee training on the Grants Enterprise Management Solution website
- eRA Commons Frequently Asked Questions
- eRA Commons User Guide
- Account Management - Information Sheet
- Application Notifications and Submissions (submitting an application on Grants.gov and tracking the package)
- electronic Research Administration Commons Post Award Management
- Accepting or Declining DOC awards
- Revision Requests for DOC Awards
-
Submitting a Federal Financial Report (SF-425)
- The form is embedded in eRA. You will not fill it out separately and upload it as you would the progress report.
- Line item instructions for filling out the SF-425 can be found starting on page 3 of the form. Please note the following items to ensure the successful submission of your SF-425:
- Section 11. Indirect expense: This is a required section for the Department of Commerce and must be filled out.
- Section 13. Certification: Make sure section 13.a. Name and Title of Authorized Certifying official and section 13.b. Signature of Authorized Certifying Official match.
- Submitting a Progress Report
- Closing out an Award
- Other Post Award Grants Management Information
Platform for Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation
The System for Award Management (Sam.gov) is the reporting tool federal prime awardees (i.e., prime contractors and prime grants recipients) use to capture and report subaward and executive compensation data regarding their first-tier subawards to meet the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) reporting requirements.Prime contract awardees will report against subcontracts awarded, and prime grant awardees will report against subgrants awarded. The subaward information entered in Sam.gov will then be displayed on USASpending.gov associated with the prime award, furthering federal spending transparency. Specific FSRS requirements are provided in the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms Conditions. Under FFATA, recipients of financial assistance awards of $30,000 or more are required to report periodically on executive compensation and subawards.
Federal Audit Clearinghouse
When an organization spends $1,000,000 or more in federal grant funds in a fiscal year, they are required to submit an audit. The Federal Audit Clearinghouse is the place to submit and review federal grant audits.
ID.me
Recipient organization users are not able to log into ASAP.gov until they register, validate identity, and enable multi-factor authentication with ID.me.
- fiscal.treasury.gov/files/asap/ID-me-Guide-for-Recipient-Organizations-to-Register-and-Enable-Multi-factor-Authentication.pdf (17-page guide on how to register with ID.me)
- help.id.me/hc/en-us
Pay.gov
Pay.gov is a free and secure service that allows you to fill out a government form or pay many United States Government agencies, including U.S. Courts, National Parks, Veterans Affairs, Small Business Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, and others. Individuals and businesses can use Pay.gov and it is available anytime.
Systems and Tools Supporting Federal Awards
Grants.gov identifies a lot of the systems and tools involved in the registration, application, and reporting processes connected to federal grant awards. Refer to Grants.gov for a summary of government-wide systems, award management systems, and payment management systems.
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Automated Standard Application for Payments
This on-line site allows grantees to draw from accounts pre-authorized by federal agencies.
The ASAP Helpdesk (asaphelpdesk@fiscal.treasury.gov) can assist recipients with creating their ID.me account and technical issues with logging into the portal.
Websites with background information on grants and programs
Assistance Listings
The Assistance Listings, previously known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), provides a full listing of all federal programs available to state and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally recognized Indian tribal governments; territories (and possessions) of the U.S.; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals. The primary purpose is to assist potential applicants in identifying programs that meet their specific objectives and to provide general information on federal assistance programs.
Contractor Performance Assessment Reports System (CPARS)
This is a government website for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. Government officials use multiple sources of information when making award decisions. Agencies are instructed to use the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) to create and measure the quality and timely reporting of performance information. Contractors and federal financial award recipients can review their active performance and integrity information which the government may use in making an award decision, and comment on the government’s evaluation and concur with or refute the overall performance evaluation. A Contractor Performance Assessment Report assesses a contractor's performance and provides a record, both positive and negative, on a given contractor during a specific period. Reports provide an individual evaluation of contractor performance, which includes a rating and a narrative in the following areas: quality, schedule, cost control, management, and regulatory compliance. CPARS is the contractor's final report card. The government’s Past Performance Information Retrieval System and its data were officially merged into the Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System in 2019.
Council on Federal Financial Assistance
The Council on Federal Financial Assistance convenes agency senior financial assistance officials with the Office of Management and Budget on all federal financial assistance related matters. This partnership provides a single voice on federal financial assistance policy, management, and technology activities.
Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)
FAPIIS is maintained by the General Service Administration and is the government’s information system that contains specific information on the integrity and performance of covered federal agency contractors and grantees. FAPIIS emphasizes accountability, transparency, and risk assessment. Federal agencies will use the system to report any finding that a nonfederal entity is not qualified to receive an award if the finding is based on criteria related to the nonfederal entity’s integrity or prior performance under a federal award. Federal awarding agencies must report information to FAPIIS and review FAPIIS before making a federal grant award (including cooperative agreements) to a nonfederal entity. As required under the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (section 872), information on FAPIIS is available to the public. A determination that a nonfederal entity is “not qualified” to receive a federal award is only applicable to the specific award under consideration; a “not qualified” determination does not preclude a nonfederal entity from receiving other federal awards. Federal awarding agencies must review FAPIIS before making an award in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold ($150,000). Federal awarding agencies must still review the System for Award Management (SAM) Exclusion Extract before making any award.
Federal Grant Systems Hub beta dashboard
The Federal Grant Systems Hub is a centralized, searchable dashboard of grant information on individual recipients.
USASpending.gov
USAspending.gov is the publicly accessible, searchable website mandated by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 and the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014. This site, launched in 2007, allows users to explore, search, and better understand how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. Legislation requires that federal contract, grant, loan, and other financial assistance awards of more than $25,000 be displayed.
Federal agencies are required to report the name of the entity receiving the award, the amount of the award, the recipient’s location, the location of the award activity, and other information. This site displays certain federal contracts of more than $3,000. In 2008, FFATA was amended by the Government Funding Transparency Act to require prime recipients to report details on their first-tier sub-recipients for awards made as of October 1, 2010. In February 2014, the Office of Management and Budget designated the Department of the Treasury to be responsible for operating and supporting USAspending.gov. Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service administers this responsibility on behalf of the department.
Websites of other NOAA grant programs and federal grant community members
Enviromental Protection Agency provides grants management training for applicants and recipients including competitive processes, helpful resources, an overview of grant processes, and how to develop a budget.
- epa.gov/grants/competition-process-webinar
- epa.gov/grants/epa-grants-management-training-applicants-and-recipients
- epa.gov/grants/epa-grants-overview-applicants-and-recipients
- epa.gov/grants/how-develop-budget
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
The site identifies Fish and Wildlife Service natural resource assistance grant programs available to governmental, public, and private organizations, as well as groups and individuals.
Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
This site identifies USGS grant programs, such as the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and Water Resources Research National Competitive Grant Program, and provides information on open announcements, agency policies, submission of unsolicited proposals, and grants management.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW)
This site includes information on EPA grant programs and opportunities relevant to watershed protection and restoration. Proposal development and grants management training for applicants and recipients is provided by the EPA.
Environment Canada
Environment Canada's Green Source Funding database is designed to help Canadian communities identify sources and resources to fund environmental projects that will benefit its natural environment.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA's Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) provides information on preparing and submitting a proposal, a guidebook for proposers responding to an announcement, guidance for the preparation and submission of unsolicited proposals, lists of past and present opportunities, a frequently asked questions page on awards and contracts, and other information.
NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES)
NASA NSPIRES is a Web-based system that supports the entire lifecycle of NASA research solicitation and selection, from the release of solicitation announcements through the proposal submission, peer review, and decision processes. Users may search for closed, past, and future NASA research announcements.
National Science Foundation
This site highlights recent awards, allows users to search for past awards, provides guidance on award policies, addresses the agency's merit review process, and contains standard terms and conditions for research grants, including agency-specific research terms and conditions (e.g., the Department of Commerce). Agency guides are included on proposal preparation, the application process, and award administration.
NOAA Climate Program Office
This site provides an overview of the Climate Program Office and identifies specific grant programs with ongoing or open climate grant announcements.
NOAA Fisheries Restoration Center, Office of Habitat Conservation
This site identifies past projects funded by the Restoration Center; and funding opportunities available from the NOAA Restoration Center, other NOAA offices, other federal organizations, and nonfederal organizations.
NOAA Fisheries Restoration Center, Office of Protected Resources, John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program
This site highlights open Restoration Center grant announcements, past grant competitions, other federal grant programs, and grants management information—including a frequently asked questions page for applicants.
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR)
This site provides grants management information for applicants and recipients. Agency and program application requirements, an archive of funding announcements, and a frequently asked questions document for applicant and recipient guidance are included.
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office
This site provides information on how to create and manage grant proposals, including links to checklists, terms, how-to guides, polices, Grants.gov, Sam.gov, and grant writing resources.
NOAA Office of Education
This site focuses on informal education grant projects that engage the public and professional audiences in activities that increase ocean or climate literacy and the adoption of a stewardship ethic. The Office of Education has Bay Watershed and Education programs in the following regions: California, Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of America, Hawai'i, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. Funding opportunities are highlighted, and there are frequently asked questions for Spherical Display Systems and on a variety of grant management topics.
NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, Marine Debris Program
This site provides proposal submission guidance for Grants.gov and Sam.gov, as well as budget and terms and conditions guidance.
NOAA Pacific Region Grants Cooperative
The NOAA Pacific Region Grants Cooperative (PRGC) is an initiative of Federal Program Officers and grant administration staff representing the various NOAA line offices within the Pacific Islands Region. The site provides information on the PRGC including its annual report, contacts, funding, and grant resources.
NOAA Sea Grant Program
This site provides suggestions for Grants.gov submissions, grant forms, and requests for proposals, and addresses other sources of funding, primarily through state Sea Grant programs.