How to Write Grants for Nonprofits: Federal Proposal Guide

By Grant Radar · Published October 17, 2026 · 9 min read

To write a federal grant for a nonprofit, start with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), not with a template. Find its "Application Review Information" section and write one narrative section for each scored criterion, using the NOFO's own headings. Give each section space in proportion to its points, and make the budget narrative explain every cost. Federal rules require agencies to publish their review criteria and, when the criteria differ in importance, to publish their relative weights. That means the scoring rubric is usually printed in the NOFO you're answering (2 CFR Part 200, Appendix I).

Which option is right for you?

Choose where to start based on how much federal experience you have and how much time or money you can spend. Every path below starts with free official tools.

Your situation	What to pick first	First page to open
Beginner, never applied federally	Get registered first, then read one NOFO's review criteria	SAM.gov (see our SAM.gov status guide)
Small business owner, not a nonprofit	Check eligibility before writing anything, because many NOFOs exclude for-profits	Our small business grant guide
Grant writing is part of your regular job	Build a reusable outline that matches the eight Appendix I sections	2 CFR Appendix I
Researcher applying to NSF	Write to Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts	NSF merit review
Zero budget, need human help	Free advising from a Small Business Development Center	SBA local assistance
Some budget, want structured training	A paid proposal-writing course	Candid Learning

What federal reviewers actually score

Reviewers score the criteria printed in the NOFO's "Application Review Information" section, and nothing else. Generic fundraising polish doesn't earn points.

Under the Uniform Guidance, every federal NOFO must use the same or similar section headings, plus a table of contents. The required sections are Basic Information, Eligibility, Program Description, Application Contents and Format, Submission Requirements and Deadlines, Application Review Information, Award Notices, and Post-Award Requirements and Administration (Appendix I). The same appendix says that "if criteria vary in importance, the relative percentages, weights, or other means used to distinguish between them" must be disclosed.

Agencies are also told to make opportunities available "for at least 60 calendar days" and to write them in plain language (2 CFR 200.204). Their Program Description must cover "performance goals, indicators, targets, baseline data, data collection" (Appendix I). This is useful: the NOFO tells you which measures the agency wants you to report.

What scoring looks like in real NOFOs

Agency	Scored criteria	Notes
HRSA (HHS)	Need, Response, Evaluative Measures, Impact, Resources/Capabilities, Support Requested	In one HRSA NOFO the weights were 10 / 35 / 15 / 10 / 25 / 5, out of 100 (HRSA-21-066). Weights vary by NOFO.
DOJ / OJP	Description of the need, goals and objectives, project design and implementation, capabilities and competencies, plus the budget	"Each section of the proposal narrative and the budget are given a numeric score" (OJP guide)
NSF	Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts	Reviewers ask whether the plan is "well-reasoned," whether the team is qualified, and whether resources are adequate (NSF)

The HRSA example shows a common pattern. The needs statement carried only 10 points, while the work plan ("Response") carried 35 and organizational capacity 25. Many first-time applicants spend half their pages on the problem and leave little room for the plan. Size each section to its points.

Since August 2025, Executive Order 14332 has also required senior agency appointees to review new NOFOs, so they line up with agency priorities (EO 14332, govinfo; Ballotpedia summary)). In practice, read the current NOFO's Program Description closely. Don't reuse priority language from an older version of the same program.

How to write each scored section

Write each section as a direct answer to its criterion. Use the NOFO's exact heading and echo its wording so a reviewer can find what they're scoring.

Needs statement (often "Need" or "Statement of the Problem")

The needs statement shows that a specific, measurable problem exists in your service area and that your project addresses it.

Open with one local data point and its source, for example a county rate compared with the state rate.
Name the population you'll serve and how many people that is.
Connect the gap directly to the NOFO's purpose statement, and stop there. You don't get extra points for a long history of the issue.

Example (illustrative): "In [County], [X]% of adults report [condition], compared with [Y]% statewide ([source]). This project will serve [N] residents in [ZIP codes]."

Goals, objectives, and project design (often "Response" or "Project Design and Implementation")

This section usually carries the most points, so it should take up the most space.

Write 2–4 objectives that are specific and measurable: who, what, how much, and by when.
For each objective, list the activities, the responsible staff role, and the timeline (a table works well).
Reuse the NOFO's performance measures word for word as your targets. Appendix I requires agencies to state the indicators and targets they expect (Appendix I).

Capacity (often "Resources/Capabilities" or "Capabilities and Competencies")

Prove that your organization can run this project and manage federal money.

Name the key staff, their qualifications, and their percentage of time (it must match the budget).
Mention partners and attach signed letters if the NOFO asks for them.
Briefly describe your financial controls. NOFOs must describe the agency's risk review factors, so look for them (Appendix I).

Evaluation (often "Evaluative Measures" or "Plan for Collecting Data")

Explain how you'll know the objectives were met: data source, frequency, who collects it, and how results feed back into the program.

Budget narrative (often "Budget Justification" or "Support Requested")

The budget narrative explains how each line item was calculated and why it's needed. OJP, for example, says the budget detail "should provide detailed computation for each budget line item" and "a thorough and clear description of every cost listed." It also says budgets must be "allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities)" (OJP guide).

Example format (illustrative): "Program Coordinator: $52,000 salary × 50% effort × 12 months = $26,000. Coordinates intake and data collection for Objectives 1–2."

Every person, activity, and number in the narrative should appear in the budget, and every budget line should trace back to an activity in the narrative.

Step-by-step: from NOFO to Grants.gov submission

Register your organization in SAM.gov to get a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Grants.gov says this can take "up to 10 business days" once your documents are ready. Use the same email you'll use at Grants.gov, because that match gives you the expanded AOR role (Grants.gov Quick Start). To check progress, follow our SAM.gov registration status guide.
Create your Grants.gov account. Click Register on the home page, then Get Registered Now. Someone in your organization needs the expanded AOR, standard AOR, or workspace manager role to create a workspace. Only AOR roles can submit (Grants.gov Quick Start).
Download the NOFO and build your outline. Copy the headings from the "Application Contents and Format" and "Application Review Information" sections into a document. Note each criterion's points, the page limit, and the font and format rules.
Create a workspace. Open the opportunity, click Apply, enter an application name, and create the workspace. You need a separate workspace for each application (Grants.gov Quick Start). FEMA's tutorial describes entering the Funding Opportunity number and clicking Create Workspace, then using the Webform link in the Actions column to fill in forms (FEMA Workspace tutorial).
Complete the forms, starting with the SF-424. Attach the project narrative and budget justification as PDFs.
Submit. Click Sign and Submit (FEMA tutorial). Grants.gov says to submit "well before the deadline," and DOJ urges submitting the SF-424 "at least 48 hours prior to the Grants.gov deadline" (Grants.gov; OJP). Some agencies, including DOJ, use a second system after Grants.gov (JustGrants), with its own deadline.
Track the status. Go to Applicants → Check Application Status, then click Search and Details. The statuses move from Received to Validated to Received by Agency to Agency Tracking Number Assigned. "Rejected with Errors" means you have to fix the problem and resubmit (Grants.gov status help).

Common mistakes and fixes

Most problems come from not following the NOFO or from starting registration too late.

Mistake	Fix
Spending the most pages on the need, even though it carries few points	Size each section to its points in the NOFO's review criteria
Using your own headings	Use the NOFO's headings word for word so reviewers can find each criterion
Starting SAM.gov registration the week of the deadline	Start now. Registration can take up to 10 business days (Grants.gov)
Different email addresses in SAM.gov and Grants.gov	Use the same email so expanded AOR is assigned automatically
Budget lines with no math	Show quantity × rate × time for every line (OJP)
Status shows "Rejected with Errors"	Read the error email, correct the problem, and resubmit before the deadline (Grants.gov)
Small business applying to a nonprofit-only NOFO	Check the Eligibility section first. See our small business guide

Next steps

You can make real progress today without paying anyone.

Do it yourself today:

Look up your SAM.gov status, or start registering, using our step-by-step SAM.gov guide.
Pick one open NOFO on Grants.gov and copy its review criteria and point values into a blank outline.
Draft your needs statement in one paragraph with one sourced local statistic, then move on to objectives.

If you'd rather get help:

SBDC advising (free): SBA-funded Small Business Development Centers offer "free business consulting and low-cost training" (SBA). This suits small businesses and startups. It isn't a grant-writing service, and how much grant expertise you get varies by center.
Candid Learning: a free Introduction to Proposal Writing course, plus a three-week Proposal Writing Boot Camp listed at $650 early-bird or $800 regular (as of October 2026; check the official page). It suits nonprofit staff who will write proposals repeatedly. One limitation: it covers proposal writing in general, including foundation proposals, so you still have to apply it to each NOFO's federal rules. If you only need one application, it's probably more than you need.
Grants.gov support (free): 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov, available 24/7, for technical submission problems only. They don't help with writing (Grants.gov).

Related guides on Grant Radar:

FAQ

What are the main parts of a federal grant proposal?

Most federal proposals include an SF-424 cover form, a project narrative, a budget and budget justification, and attachments. The narrative's sections come from the NOFO, and they usually include need, goals and objectives, project design, capacity, and evaluation (OJP). Always follow the "Application Contents and Format" section of your specific NOFO.

How long does it take to be ready to apply for a federal grant?

Plan for registration before any writing. Grants.gov says SAM.gov registration can take up to 10 business days once your documents are ready (Grants.gov). NOFOs are generally open for at least 60 days (2 CFR 200.204), so starting registration as soon as you spot an opportunity leaves time to write.

How are federal grant applications scored?

Reviewers score each criterion listed in the NOFO's "Application Review Information" section. When the criteria differ in importance, their weights must be disclosed (Appendix I). HRSA, for example, has used a 100-point scale, while NSF uses Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

What is a budget narrative in a grant?

A budget narrative (or budget justification) explains how each line item was calculated and why it's necessary for the project. DOJ asks for the calculation and a clear description for every cost (OJP).

Can small businesses apply for the same grants as nonprofits?

Only if the NOFO's Eligibility section lists for-profit organizations. Many federal grants are limited to nonprofits, governments, or institutions. Check eligibility before you write anything.

Sources

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us at shigoto.ai.note@gmail.com. We check every guide against its official sources.