The Federal Grant Registration Checklist: SAM.gov, UEI, Grants.gov

Confirm your legal name matches the IRS determination letter

Before starting any federal grant registration, check your nonprofit's legal name exactly as it appears on your IRS determination letter. This is the name tied to your organization's tax-exempt status and Employer Identification Number (EIN). Federal systems use this name for verification.

If your nonprofit uses a "doing business as" name, do not use it in registrations unless the IRS letter also lists it. Even a minor difference, such as using "St." instead of "Street", can cause delays or rejections. Double-check spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations.

If your organization has changed its name since receiving tax-exempt status, update your records with the IRS before beginning federal registrations. This step can take additional time, so plan ahead to prevent a mismatch down the line.

Keep reading: Federal Grant Report Deadlines: SF-425, Performance Reports, Closeout

Get or verify your Unique Entity ID in SAM.gov

Every organization applying for federal grants must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI). This is assigned through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). The UEI replaced the old DUNS number system. If your organization registered in SAM.gov after April 2022, you already have a UEI.

If you do not know your UEI, you can look it up on SAM.gov. Search using your nonprofit's legal name and address. If your organization has never registered in SAM.gov, you will be assigned a UEI when you start the registration process.

Keep a record of your UEI and make sure it is entered consistently on all federal systems and applications. Grant reviewers may reject submissions if entity numbers do not match across required documents.

Complete the SAM.gov entity registration and note its expiration

With your legal name and UEI ready, begin the full entity registration on SAM.gov. This step is required before you can apply for any federal grants. The process collects key information about your nonprofit: legal address, EIN, banking details, and executive contacts.

SAM.gov will prompt for your organization type (such as nonprofit or charity), financial information for direct deposit, and points of contact. Be prepared to upload supporting documents, such as IRS letters and possibly bank verification. The system uses this data to confirm your eligibility.

Once submitted, your registration goes through validation checks. This stage can take a week or more, particularly if information does not match IRS or bank records. You will receive a confirmation when the registration is active. The registration is valid for one year from the activation date.

Write down the expiration date. Federal agencies will not process grant applications from organizations with an expired SAM.gov registration. Even in-progress submissions can be disqualified if your registration lapses before the award is made.

Keep reading: The 2024 Uniform Guidance Thresholds: Audit, Indirect, Equipment

Renew SAM.gov every twelve months before it lapses

SAM.gov registrations expire every twelve months. There is no grace period, once expired, you lose eligibility to submit or receive federal grants until renewed. The system sends email reminders to the registered points of contact, but these can be overlooked or lost in spam filters.

Assign a staff member to check the expiration date at least once per quarter. Start the renewal process at least thirty days before the deadline. Renewing requires you to review and update your information, confirm your banking details, and sometimes re-upload documentation.

If your registration lapses, it may take several weeks to reactivate. During that time, you cannot submit new grant applications or receive funds for existing awards. In most cases, federal agencies will not make exceptions for missed deadlines due to expired registration.

Some organizations schedule a standing calendar appointment to review their SAM.gov status monthly. This habit can prevent last-minute scrambles and missed opportunities.

Create the Grants.gov organization account and assign roles

Grants.gov is the central portal for searching and applying for federal grants. After completing SAM.gov registration, set up your organization's Grants.gov account. You will need your UEI and EIN to connect your SAM.gov profile.

Grants.gov uses a role-based system to control who can create forms, submit applications, and manage organizational settings. The first user sets up the organization profile and becomes the Organization Administrator. This person can invite other staff and assign roles based on responsibilities.

Key Roles

• Workspace Manager: Can create and manage application workspaces.
• Authorized Organization Representative (AOR): Can submit applications to federal agencies.
• Participant: Can fill out forms but cannot submit.

For small nonprofits, the executive director or development lead often takes the Organization Administrator and AOR roles. However, best practice is to have at least two AORs to cover absences or turnover.

See how GrantClock handles this for nonprofit administration

Name an Electronic Business Point of Contact and a backup

The Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) is the person listed in SAM.gov as the main contact for federal business matters. This role is important: Grants.gov sends authorization requests and role assignments to this person.

The EBiz POC approves new AORs in Grants.gov and receives critical notices about registration status. For most small nonprofits, this is the executive director or finance lead. Choose someone who regularly checks their email and can respond quickly to system requests.

Designate a backup EBiz POC if possible. If the primary contact leaves or is unavailable, the backup ensures continuity. Update the EBiz POC information in SAM.gov any time there is a staff change. Outdated contact information can lock you out of Grants.gov and delay submissions.

Some organizations create a shared mailbox (such as grants@yourorg.org) for all federal registrations. This can help prevent missed messages and keep multiple staff informed of deadlines and requests.

Agency systems: eRA Commons, ASSIST and the rest

Beyond SAM.gov and Grants.gov, many federal agencies have their own application systems. NIH uses eRA Commons and ASSIST. The Department of Justice uses JustGrants. The Department of Education uses G5. Each system requires its own account setup, often linked back to your SAM.gov registration.

eRA Commons and ASSIST

For NIH grants, register your organization in eRA Commons using your SAM.gov credentials. Assign a Signing Official (SO) and a Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI). ASSIST is the application portal linked to eRA Commons for submitting NIH proposals. Both systems use the UEI.

Other Agency Portals

Department of Justice applicants must create accounts in JustGrants, with roles assigned for Authorized Representatives and Financial Managers. Department of Education grantees use G5, which also checks SAM.gov status. Each portal has its own steps, but the process starts with a valid SAM.gov registration.

Plan extra time to set up these accounts. Some require agency approval, which can take several days. Keep a record of user names, roles, and contact information for each system. Review agency guidelines for any unique requirements.

Keep registration expirations on the same calendar as deadlines

Federal grant registrations expire on a different cycle than grant application deadlines. Most systems do not notify you if a registration will lapse before a funding cycle closes. An expired SAM.gov registration can invalidate an otherwise eligible application, even if you submitted before expiration.

Maintain a master calendar that tracks every registration: SAM.gov, Grants.gov roles, agency portals, and any state systems. Include expiration dates and reminders at least sixty and thirty days before each deadline. For organizations with multiple grant cycles, overlapping deadlines and expirations can quickly become unmanageable without a central record.

Calendar tools designed for grant management can help keep registrations, deadlines, and reporting requirements in one place. These tools send reminders, track funder history, and reduce the risk of missing a renewal or agency deadline. For nonprofits with lean staff, a grant portfolio calendar with alerts for registrations and reporting can keep federal applications on track and compliant year to year.