Federal grant databases: Grants.gov, SAM.gov and SBIR.gov
Where do I search for federal grants?
Search open federal grants at Grants.gov. Federal contracts, and the assistance listings that describe every federal program, are on SAM.gov. SBIR and STTR topics and past awards are on SBIR.gov, and USAspending.gov shows who has received federal money before. All four are free to search, and none of them tells you whether you qualify.
Last reviewed October 8, 2026.
Which database holds what
- Grants.gov
- Open federal grant opportunities from every agency, with the full announcement attached. Searching is free and needs no account. You register only to apply.
- SAM.gov
- Federal contract opportunities, plus the assistance listings that describe each federal program. It is also where your organization registers to receive federal money at all.
- SBIR.gov
- Open SBIR and STTR topics across the participating agencies, and a searchable record of past awards.
- USAspending.gov
- Who received federal grants and contracts, for how much, and from which program. Useful for seeing what an agency actually funds before you apply.
How to search them well
Save your searches
Grants.gov and SAM.gov both send email alerts for saved searches, so a new opportunity in your field reaches your inbox the week it is posted instead of the week before it closes.
Read the whole announcement
Eligibility sits in the full notice, usually in a section on eligible applicants. Read it before anything else.
Check who has won before
Look up past awards for the program on USAspending.gov or SBIR.gov. Organizations like yours on that list are a good sign that the program fits.
Register early
SAM.gov registration can take weeks, and you need it before you can apply. Start it before you find the perfect opportunity.
Searching federal money in one place
Quillify puts federal grants and federal contracts from SAM.gov in the same search as state, private and community money. Federal recommendations carry a funding-precedent check against past SBIR and STTR awards and recent federal spending, so you can see whether money like this has gone to organizations like yours. Ask "Am I qualified?" on any result and Quillify reads the full announcement.
Search the grant database, read how long SAM.gov registration takes, or see the Grants.gov errors to avoid.
Who asks this most
The answer above is the same whoever you are. What Quillify does about it is not.
Related
- Grant databases: what they cover and what they missWhat is a grant database and which one should I use?
- SAM.gov registration and your UEIHow long does SAM.gov registration take, and do I need it?
- SBIR and STTRWhat are SBIR and STTR grants and who can apply?
- Avoiding Grants.gov submission errorsWhy was my Grants.gov application rejected, and how do I avoid it?
All guides, or the glossary.
Stop researching and see what you are eligible for.
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