Documents Needed to Apply for a Grant: What to Gather First

The documents needed to apply for a grant are mostly the same from funder to funder: proof your organization legally exists, a tax ID, and required licenses, recent financial records, and a short written description of your work. Federal grants add a free SAM.gov registration that can take weeks, so start early.

Key takeaways

• Gather the core set once, and keep it in one folder.
• Start with the slowest item: SAM.gov, if you'll apply for federal grants.
• Use the same legal name and address on every document.
• An EIN and a SAM.gov registration are both free.

The checklist is one part of getting ready to apply for grants. It covers the paperwork only: documents, registrations, and licenses. Writing the application itself is a separate step.

What are the documents needed to apply for a grant?

Five groups cover most applications: legal documents, a tax ID and registrations, licenses, financial records, and a written description of your work. Each funder's checklist sets the exact list.

A certificate of good standing is a document from your state showing your business is registered and current with its filings. Names for it vary by state.

Real checklists can run longer. Washington, D.C.'s Great Streets retail grant, for example, asked for an EIN, a business license, a certificate of good standing, a balance sheet, income statements, and three years of tax returns in its 2023 checklist (Great Streets). Every federal funding notice also has a section that defines who is eligible (Grants.gov), so read it before you gather anything. 

Which registrations do federal grants require?

Organizations need an active SAM.gov registration, and a Grant.gov account linked to it, before they can apply. Both are free.

SAM.gov is the federal government's system for organizations that receive federal awards. Registering there gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI), the ID number that identifies your organization on federal applications. Here's how it works, according to Grants.gov (Grants.gov):

• Your organization registers in SAM.gov first and names a main contact, called the E-Business Point of Contact.
• Even with a federal tax ID, allow up to 10 business days for the registration to become active. If your information can't be verified, it can take weeks or months.
• You can't start applying in Grants.gov until your SAM.gov registration is active.
• The main contact then creates a Grants.gov account with the same email, adds your organization using its UEI, and gives others access.
• You must renew your SAM.gov registration every year.

Some agencies use their own submission systems as well. The funding notice says which ones you need.

What do nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects need?

Nonprofits add proof of their tax-exempt status and their governance documents. Projects with a fiscal sponsor usually lean on the sponsor's documents.

A determination letter is the IRS letter confirming your organization's tax-exempt status. Letters issues in 2014 or later can be downloaded from the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search, and older ones can be requested with Form 4506-B. The IRS also offers an affirmation letter, which serves the same purpose for grantors (IRS).

Most nonprofits should also keep a current board list, bylaws, and recent annual tax filing ready.

A fiscal sponsor is an established nonprofit that receives grant money on a project's behalf. If one holds your funds, expect funders to ask about it. Ask your sponsor early for copies of its documents and your signed agreement, and make sure you understand what a fiscal sponsor does for your project.

Which licenses and permits matter?

The ones your business needs to operate legally where you work. Some funders won't consider an application without them.

Requirements depend on your industry, city, county, and state. In the Great Streets example, new businesses had to submit a business license before the application period closed (Great Streets). If you work from home, check local rules too. See what new businesses and LLCs should know for a home-permit example.

In what order should you get everything?

Follow the order the agencies require, and start the slowest steps first.

1. Form your business with your state, if you haven't already. The IRS says to form your entity before you apply for an EIN (IRS).
2. Get your EIN from the IRS. It's free, and the IRS warns never to pay a fee for one (IRS).
3. Get your licenses and permits in place.
4. Register in SAM.gov if you'll apply for federal grants. Allow up to 10 business days, and longer if your information can't be verified.
5. Set up Grants.gov once SAM.gov is active.
6. Gather your legal documents and financial records into one folder.
7. Write a short description of your organization and its results, and keep it with your documents.

Verify before you rely: document lists, registration steps, and processing times change. Check each funding notice and the official site before you rely on any list, including this one.

What does this look like in practice?

Here's how one made-up business might check its readiness.

Hypothetical example. This business isn't real. A two-person catering LLC plans to apply for a city grant next month and a federal grant later in the year.

A trade name is the name a business uses publicly when it differs from its legal name. When your documents use different names, funders can't easily match them.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Most mistakes come from starting late or letting details drift.

• Waiting for a deadline before starting SAM.gov.
• Letting your SAM.gov registration lapse. It must be renewed every year.
• Paying for an EIN or a SAM.gov registration. Both are free (IRS, Grants.gov).
• Using different names or addresses across documents. The Great Streets checklist told applicants to make sure the official business name matched on every document (Great Streets).
• Keeping documents in scattered places instead of one folder.

When doesn't this checklist apply?

It fits most organizations applying for grants. A few situations work differently.

• Individuals applying for themselves follow a separate process on Grants.gov (Grants.gov).
• Corporate contests and small local programs may ask for much less. Their official rules list what they need.
• Partners and subcontractors on someone else's grant usually provide what the lead organization asks for.
• Research and development startups applying for SBIR or STTR funding have extra registrations. Start at SBIR.gov.

Frequently asked questions

Is SAM.gov registration free?

Yes. Registering in SAM.gov is free, and so is setting up Grants.gov (Grants.gov). Be wary of anyone who charges to register you. Allow up to 10 business days for SAM.gov to become active, and longer if your information can't be verified.

What is a UEI number?

A Unique Entity ID, or UEI, is the ID number SAM.gov gives your organization when it registers. It identifies you on federal applications and appears in them automatically (Grants.gov). You get it through SAM.gov, at no cost, and you'll need it to set up your organization's profile in Grants.gov.

How often do I need to renew SAM.gov?

Every year. Grants.gov says organizations must renew their SAM.gov registration annually, and you can't start applying in Grants.gov without an active registration (Grants.gov). Put the renewal date on your calendar. To check your status, search SAM.gov with a SAM.gov and Login.gov account. 

What if my business is too new to have three years of tax returns?

Some programs accept other documents. Washington D.C.'s Great Streets program, for example, asked businesses under three years old for a business plan and let personal tax returns fill the gap (Great Streets). Ask each funder what it accepts before you apply. 

Where can I get a copy of my nonprofit's determination letter?

From the IRS. Letters issued in 2014 or later can be downloaded from the Tax Exempt Organization Search. For older letters, submit Form 4506-B, or request an affirmation letter, which serves the same purpose for grantors. If 60 days pass after a request, the IRS says to call customer service rather than send a second one (IRS).

Your next steps

Workbook 2: Readiness & Pipeline, coming next, will walk you through a full readiness audit. Until then, The Starter Set helps you decide whether grants fit before you invest in paperwork. It includes Start Here, Workbook 1: Foundation & Fit, and the Reference Guide.

This post is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Requirements vary by funder and change, so check current details with the funder or an official source.