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State Government Grants

Many know that the federal government gives about $500 billion in grants each year. But less people know that a large proportion of federal grants are given to state governments who then redistribute this money in their states. As a result, there a great number of state government grants available to individuals, organizations and businesses.

Finding State Government Grants

Each of the 50 states run their own state government grant programs. To find these programs, there are two strategies to take:

1. Visit the Grants.gov web site, which lists all federal grant opportunities and see what grant programs go to state governments. Then, you can track funding opportunities on the state level.
2. Visit state government web sites and do searches in their grants and competitive contract opportunities. State governments are supposed to advertise grant opportunities on their web sites so that members of the general public may apply.

Finding the official state government web site is usually not difficult. Most state government websites are their abbreviation with the .gov suffix. For example:

• North Dakota: www.nd.gov
• California: www.ca.gov
• Pennsylvania: www.pa.gov
• Florida: www.fl.gov

It may be more difficult to find current grant opportunities on state web sites because the window to apply is usually only 4-6 weeks. Therefore, it is easy to miss a grant opportunity so it’s important to check web sites often or set up e-mail notification systems. Many state government offices have e-mail lists where they will announce grant opportunities to people who have signed up.

Applying for State Government Grants

Many states have standardized application processes, which means that applying for different grant opportunities have similar requirements. That means that a person can learn a grant application system and then us that knowledge over time. However, for the first-time grant seeker, the process can seem daunting.

The federal and state government are mandated by law to provide technical assistance and information to grant seekers. Each grant opportunity has its own written announcement, which provides detailed information on the application process and review standards. Also, there is usually a phone number and/or e-mail address of a contact person. Sometimes for state government grants there are group information sessions or webinars.

Make sure you are eligible to apply. The eligibility criteria is absolute and it is not possible to apply if you fail to meet these criteria. Typical eligibility criteria include:

• Geography
• Type of organization
• Specialized knowledge of a particular area
• Certification or registration with the state government