SAM.gov Registration for Grants: A Step-by-Step UEI Guide

To apply for a federal grant as a nonprofit, business, school or other organization, you must have an active SAM.gov entity registration before you submit, and your Unique Entity ID (UEI) must appear on the application. Registration is free. You sign in through Login.gov, enter your legal name, physical address, tax ID, banking and contact details, and then allow at least 10 business days for the registration to become active. After that, you renew it every 365 days. People applying for federal help as individuals, not on behalf of a business or nonprofit, generally do not need a SAM.gov registration.

Below, we walk through each step, explain full registration versus "UEI only," and end with a checklist. The rules come from SAM.gov, Grants.gov and the federal regulation at 2 CFR Part 25.

The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is the federal government's official database of organizations that receive federal awards. It is run by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and agencies use it to confirm who an applicant is and where payments should go.

The Unique Entity ID is a 12-character ID that SAM.gov assigns to your organization. It replaced the old DUNS number in April 2022. Under 2 CFR 25.200, federal funding notices must require applicants to:

1. be registered in SAM.gov before submitting an application,
2. keep that registration current and active while an application is under review or an award is active, and
3. include their UEI in each application.

The regulation is direct about what happens if you are not ready. Under 2 CFR 25.205, if your registration is not active when the agency is ready to make an award, the agency "may make a Federal award to another applicant." A strong proposal can lose out over a lapsed registration.

SAM.gov offers two paths, and choosing the right one saves time.

Full entity registration

Choose this if your organization will apply directly to a federal agency (a "prime" applicant). SAM.gov assigns your UEI during the registration. When you register, you will choose a purpose:

• Financial Assistance Awards Only: for grants, cooperative agreements and loans. This is the shorter path for most nonprofits and small businesses that only want grants.
• All Awards: for organizations that also want to bid on federal contracts. It adds contracting questions and certifications.

UEI only (no registration)

If your organization will only receive money as a subrecipient (for example, a city or a larger nonprofit passes part of its federal grant to you), you may only need a UEI. That request asks for little more than your legal business name and physical address. 2 CFR 25.300 says subrecipients are not required to complete full registration to obtain a UEI. However, SAM.gov is clear that with a UEI only, you cannot apply directly for federal awards. You can upgrade to a full registration later.

Individuals

2 CFR 25.105(c) says the rule does not apply to a person who applies for federal financial assistance as a natural person, separate from any business or nonprofit they own or operate. Most federal grants are for organizations, though. If you run a sole proprietorship or LLC and apply in its name, you are an entity and need to register. Not sure which group you fall into? Our guide on who is eligible to receive a grant explains the main applicant types.

The SAM.gov Entity Registration Checklist lists every field. For a Financial Assistance Awards Only registration, gather these items first:

• Legal business name and physical address exactly as the IRS has them on file. A P.O. box cannot be your physical address.
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), usually your Employer Identification Number (EIN). If you do not have one, the IRS EIN application is free.
• Date and state of incorporation (or formation).
• Organization start date and the date your fiscal year ends.
• Entity structure and profit structure, for example tax-exempt corporate entity or sole proprietorship, and for-profit or nonprofit.
• Banking details for electronic funds transfer: account type, routing number and account number.
• Points of contact (POCs): names, emails and phone numbers for the Accounts Receivable POC, the Electronic Business POC and the Government Business POC.
• Executive compensation answers, which only apply if a large share of your revenue comes from federal sources.

Two details deserve extra care. First, SAM.gov checks your TIN, name and address against IRS records. Even a small difference, such as "Inc." versus "Incorporated" or an old street address, can make the check fail. Second, the person you name as Electronic Business POC matters later, because Grants.gov uses that person to manage who can submit applications.

Step 1: Check whether you are already registered

Your organization may have been registered years ago by a former staff member. Search SAM.gov first; an expired record can be renewed instead of duplicated.

Step 2: Create your account

Select Sign In on SAM.gov. Your username and password are managed by Login.gov, so you will set up or use a Login.gov account and then return to SAM.gov to complete your profile. Use an email address your organization controls.

Step 3: Choose "Register Entity"

From Get Started, choose Register Entity (not "Get a Unique Entity ID") if you plan to apply directly. Select the Financial Assistance Awards Only purpose unless you also want federal contracts.

Step 4: Enter your UEI details and core data

Enter your legal name, physical address and incorporation details. SAM.gov validates your entity before assigning the UEI. Then complete core data: TIN, IRS consent, banking information and general information. If you do not have a CAGE code, answer "No" and one will be assigned after you submit.

Step 5: Complete representations, certifications and POCs

Answer the certification questions, add your points of contact, review every page and submit.

Step 6: Watch your email and wait for "Active"

The SAM.gov checklist says to allow at least 10 business days after you submit for your registration to become active. If your TIN or CAGE validation fails, SAM.gov emails instructions to your Government Business POC, so check spam folders. Grants.gov adds that if information is not available or verified, registration "could take weeks or months." That is why we suggest starting at least a month before any deadline you care about.

Once your registration is active, Grants.gov explains the next steps:

1. Your EBiz POC creates a Grants.gov account using the same email address listed for the Electronic Business POC in SAM.gov.
2. They add an organization applicant profile using your UEI.
3. They assign roles, such as Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), to the people who will prepare and submit applications.

Some agencies also use their own systems, so read the registration section of each funding notice. Our post on federal vs. state vs. local grants explains when federal funding is worth the extra setup.

Renew every 365 days

SAM.gov says you must renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active. The award terms in 2 CFR Part 25 also require you to keep it current until you submit all final reports or receive the final payment, whichever is later. Add a calendar reminder 60 days before expiration, and update SAM.gov whenever your address, bank account or contacts change.

Registration is always free

The SAM.gov checklist states there is no charge to get a UEI, register or maintain your registration. Be cautious with emails or websites that ask you to pay to "activate," "renew" or "fix" a registration, especially from non-.gov senders. For free help, contact the Federal Service Desk, which supports SAM.gov users.

Use this list before, during and after you register:

• Confirm you are applying as an organization (or as a business you own) and need a full registration, not UEI only.
• Search SAM.gov for an existing or expired record for your organization.
• Match your legal name and physical address to your IRS records (EIN letter or recent filing).
• Have your EIN, incorporation details, fiscal year end and bank routing and account numbers ready.
• Pick the Electronic Business, Government Business and Accounts Receivable points of contact.
• Use an organization-controlled email for your Login.gov and SAM.gov accounts.
• Submit at least a month before your first grant deadline.
• Check email (including spam) daily for validation messages until your status is "Active."
• Set up Grants.gov with the same EBiz POC email and assign AOR roles.
• Add your SAM.gov expiration date to a shared calendar with a 60-day reminder.

SAM.gov registration is something your organization should complete itself, because it involves your tax, banking and certification details. Where we help is everything around it. Our team brings 25+ years of grant writing experience and has supported 5,000+ nonprofits and businesses. We can help you find federal programs that fit, build a timeline that leaves room for registration, and write the proposal. You can review our grant research and submission support services, or read how long grant approval takes to plan the rest of your calendar.

Funders decide every award; no writer can promise funding. Check your eligibility or book a free call.