Application Process

Writing an application can be a challenging process that may require a lot of time. Make sure you can say "yes" to the following questions before you start.  (See the Crosswalk for NOFO location of the information): 

1. Have I read the NOFO completely and carefully? Does this funding opportunity align with what my organization wants to do? See:
   • Program Summary
   • Program Description
2. Is my organization eligible and able to apply? See:
   • Eligibility
   • Disqualification Factors
3. Can I meet the NOFO deadline and compile a strong application? See:
   • Application Deadline
   • Application Instructions
   • Application Review   
4. Does my organization have the technical expertise, the personnel and the financial capacity to successfully implement the project goals and expectations described in the NOFO? See:
   • Program Description
   • Funding Information, including Cost-Sharing requirements  
5. Are all the stakeholders, including leadership in my organization, partners, and the community, committed to this project if application is successful? See:
   • Requirements for Organizational Capacity, in Application Instructions, including Organization’s staff, Memoranda of Understanding, and Letters of Support
6. Is my organization prepared to do what it takes to successfully implement the project within the budget we're proposing? Applicants should also consider the administrative requirements that accompany Federal funding such as required reports, participation in evaluations, etc. See:
   • Program Description
   • Post Award Requirements

When writing an application, pay attention to the Program Description, Application Instructions, and Application Review, (including scoring criteria). Understanding these three components of the NOFO, are critical in writing a strong application. (See the Crosswalk for NOFO location of the information.)

Most NOFOs require applications to include a description of: 

• Goals and objectives, which should be clearly defined and specific;
• Need for Assistance, which includes both the need for the service or activity that the funding will support; Whenever possible, this should include supporting data;
• Approach, which clearly shows how you plan to achieve the purpose of the program;
• Organizational Capacity, which describes the knowledge, staffing, partnerships, and administrative capacity that your organization has in order to carry out your proposed project and meet the goals of the program; and
• Budget, which describes the project costs, and includes a line-item budget and justification narrative. Cost should be reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the project. 

Writing tips:

• Be clear and comprehensive in presenting your proposed project. Reviewers will score your application based only on what is included in the application. They will not use other resources to understand your project ideas or your organization.
• Be concise and precise describing your proposed activities. Remember, your application must adhere to the page limitations stated in the Application Instructions. 

The content on this page is for informational purposes and should not be construed as instructions for submitting an application. Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity of interest for detailed instructions.

All ACF applicants must submit their application electronically unless they have received an exemption from this requirement. Please refer to the ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission (PDF) for complete guidance.

Before You Submit: 

Check out the resources at Grants.gov. Workspace is one of the resources that allows you and your team to have a shared, online environment to simultaneously work on the required application forms. There are three versions of Workspace — pick the one that is right for your team.  More information on them and how to use them is available at Workspace Overview.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, review the Applicant Training .

Check your application carefully! Your submission is final. 

Please note:

• You can't make edits or append any documents after submission.
• Be thorough in your review of your application, but do not wait until the last minute to submit.
• Late submissions are not accepted. Applicants should make every effort to submit their applications at least 24 hours before the application deadline.

What to look for:

• Do you have all required information, standard forms, and attachments? (Use the NOFO checklist)
• Is the narrative clearly written and addresses all criteria in the NOFO?
• Did you follow the requirements (file and page limits, font size, margins, line spacing)?
• Did you check for spelling and grammar errors?
• Did you double-check all budget calculations? 

See the NOFO and Grants.gov for specific instructions for submitting your application. 

Applicant Support 

Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support (except federal holidays) via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email support@grants.gov   For questions related to the specific opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the award you are applying for. 

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist ACF with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue. 

For any systems issues experienced with Grants.gov or SAM.gov, please refer to the ACF Policy for Applicants Experiencing Federal Systems Issues document (PDF) for complete guidance.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission 

All applications must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. The applicant with the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role will receive an acknowledgment of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When ACF successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submission, Grants.gov will email an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the AOR. 

Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by ACF.

The content on this page is for informational purposes and should not be construed as instructions for submitting an application. Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity of interest for detailed instructions.

ACF has two formats for the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the traditional and the SimplerNOFO. Throughout the Application Process, we refer to the content in the NOFO.  Please use this table to locate the content in either NOFO format.