Navigating Grants.gov's SF424 Forms for Art and Humanities Projects

Presented by Sponsored ProgramsInstructor: Charlotte Smith, Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs

Today’s Agenda

• How to find an application package• How to download the application package• Most common forms (the 424 family)

• The 424• 424A & R&R Budget

• Difference between institutional and individual applications

• Naming your files• What happens after Sponsored Programs (SP)

submits the file to Grants.gov

What is Grants.gov?

• Federal government’s solution for a "one stop shop" for finding and applying for funding

• Provides a consistent electronic submission process for all agencies

• Has already or will replace many federal agency-specific proposal submission systems that have grown in recent years

How to find an application package• Grants.gov

applications have a set of standard forms which are used across all agencies.

• Once you find a funding opportunity, download the application package and instructions to your computer.

• Download the Application Viewer: Adobe Reader.

• IMPORTANT: Before downloading the application package, make sure that you have the appropriate software on your computer!

• SP is not responsible if your application was created on an unsupported version of Adobe.

Forms you are likely to see…

The 424 Family • Standard Form 424 (Research & Related) – or “the SF424” or “the 424.”

• Agencies “construct” application packages using components of the 424 for each funding opportunity.

• Use the application package specific to the solicitation you are responding to.

• Will include all of the forms required for that particular solicitation. 

• Use a supported browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox.• When you download the application instructions, use

“Save As” under “File” on a PC or “Export” to your Finder on a Mac.

• When you download the application package, it should open to the Cover Page. Use the “Save” button at the top of the Cover Page to save the package to your hard drive.

• IMPORTANT: 424 forms can differ widely! There are many different ways of filling out these “standard” forms. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will indicate which components are required and which are optional.

• READ THE ENTIRE FOA! Agency instructions on filling out the applications are not consistent!

• Applications can be completed entirely offline.

• Save your application at any time by selecting the Save button at the top of the Cover Page.

• The Save & Submit button will not be functional until the application is completed.

• For application-specific questions, contact the sponsor using the contact information provided on the application's Cover Page.

• Mandatory Documents are required for the application.

• Optional Documents can be used to provide additional support or may be required for specific types of grant activity.

• Review application instructions for more info regarding Optional Documents.

• When you open a required form, all required fields are noted by an asterisk and sometimes highlighted in yellow with a red border.

• Optional fields and completed fields are displayed in white.

• If you enter invalid or incomplete information in a required field, you will receive an error message upon leaving the field.

• You may be required to submit attachments, such as a Project Narrative, Budget Justification, Bios/CVs, Work Samples, etc.

• Check the application instructions for what is required.

• Read the application instructions to see what types of files the sponsor will accept (PDF, Word).

Budgets • This is page 01 of the standard 424A Non-Construction Budget form.

• List the grant program by title and CFDA number.

• List the total amounts for federal (sponsor) & non-federal (matching) funds.

• Read the application instructions for specific budget info required by the sponsor.

• On p.2 include the breakdown for main categories of direct costs charged to the sponsor. Do not include cost-share/matching funds here.

• Include indirect costs & program income, if any.

• Read application instructions for specific budget info required by the sponsor.

• On the last page, include cost-share/match, if any.

• IIf appropriate, forecast project’s cash needs.

• If appropriate, include estimate of federal funds for future years.

• Don’t forget to include indirect costs in the total. Under remarks include ASU’s negotiated rate of 32% MTDC.

The R&R budget – Parts A&B • Include the DUNS#, budget type, & period of performance.

• Prepare a detailed budget for each budget period.

• A detailed cumulative budget will be system-generated.

• Complete ASU components only.

• Subawardees will complete components for their organization and provide to the budget to ASU.

Parts C, D & E • Item C, Equipment, allows itemization of up to 10 pieces of equipment. If more, include total dollars in line 11 and provide details in the attachment.

• Item D, Travel, separates Domestic and Foreign travel.

• Item E: Participant/Trai-nee Support Costs, if any.

Parts F & K • F.5, Subawards, is not auto-populated.

• List tuition remission in Item F, Other Direct Costs.

• Include F&A Base and cognizant agency info.

• Attach budget justification.

• Next Period Button not available until all required data fields are completed.

Other Common Forms • Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF424B)

• Certification Regarding Lobbying (CD511)

• Certification of Debarment

• Project/Perforamnce Site Locations

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Difference Between Institutional and Individual Applications• Most applications on Grants.Gov are designed as

organizational grants. An organizational grant applicant is defined as an applicant who is submitting a grant on behalf of a company, state, local or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization. 

• An individual grant applicant is defined as an applicant who is submitting a grant on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company, state, local or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization.

• Unless you are submitting an application for a fellowship or stipend program (i.e. NEA Fellowship, NEH Summer Stipend), your application should be an institutional application.

Naming Your Files• Limit file names to no more than 50 characters.

• Do not use special characters (&,–,*,%,/,#) including periods (.), blank spaces, and accent marks within application form fields and file attachment names. An underscore (_) may be used to separate words in a file name.

• Do not attach multiple documents with the same file name.

What Happens After OSP Submits the File to Grants.gov

• SP receives at least 4 emails after submission: 1-Confirms receipt by Grants.gov 2-Confirms validation by Grants.gov 3-Confirms transfer to sponsor 4-Confirms receipt by sponsor

• Subsequent emails may come from sponsor regarding tracking through its own system.

• Stick around! Grants.gov may validate the receipt of a proposal only to have the sponsor reject it because of errors. SP needs to be able to find you.

• How can you tell all is well? Check the status of your application by using the Track My Application function in Grants.gov.

• You will need your Grants.gov tracking number for this. This number is assigned in the confirmation emails after SP/you submit online.

Helpful Tips• START EARLY!  Remember that this is not new data, just new

forms, so you’ll get through it, only slower. 

• Aim to have your application package submitted several days before the sponsor’s deadline in case there are errors to correct.

• Don’t forget to login into AGrants and complete your electronic Internal Processing Form (eIPF). Remember, this must be approved by your chair, your dean, Special Funds Accounting, and Sponsored Programs before your application package can be submitted via Grants.gov.

• When naming files, follow both Grants.gov and the sponsor’s naming convention, and NEVER use spaces, hyphens, special characters, or long file names.

Questions?

Charlotte SmithAssistant Director, Sponsored Programs828-262-2694SmithCE1@appstate.edu