Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 5
Successfully Submitting the Application
Crossing the Finish Line—Submit! (And Verify)
You’ve done the hard work. The research, writing, and budgeting are complete. Now for the final, crucial step: Submission. This is a technical process that requires careful attention to detail. Do not wait until the last day. Technical glitches at the federal level can and do happen, and they are not a valid reason for a late submission.
SUBMIT EARLY.We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application, you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
You must provide the UEI on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM.gov at the time your organization registers in SAM.gov. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM.gov on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.
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VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK. You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned.
Once the Department receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.
If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully.
Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html.
For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html
If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e- mail about the status of your application.
Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.
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SUBMISSION PROBLEMS. If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants- portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants
The Department discourages paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g., you do not have access to the internet), (1) you must provide a prior written notification that you intend to submit a paper application and (2) your paper application must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Your prior written notification may be submitted by email or by mail to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the competition Notice Inviting Applications (NIA). If you submit your notification by email, it must be received by the Department no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. If you mail your notification to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (Refer to the NIA for detailed instructions)
Electronic Application Submission Checklist
There is detailed application submission information in the official Application Instructions packet on Pages 20-25. It is recommended that your electronic application be organized as below and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.
Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant’s name, address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.
Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:
1. Standard Documents
❑ Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424)
❑ ED Supplemental Information for SF 424
2. Budget Information
❑ ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)
3. ED Abstract Form
❑ Project Abstract
4. Project Narrative
❑ Application Narrative
5. Narrative Attachment Form
❑ Project Narrative Attachment Form
❑ Budget Narrative
6. Other Attachment Forms
❑ Individual Resumes for Project Director & Key Personnel
7. Assurances and Certifications
❑ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)
❑ Grants.gov Lobbying Form (ED 80-013 Form)
❑ General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements (ED GEPA 427 Form)
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Upload All Components to Grants.gov
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Action 1: Log in to your Grants.gov Workspace.
The AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) must perform these final actions.
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Action 2: Upload All Final PDF Attachments.
Go through the final checklist above and upload every required document to the correct field in the application package. This includes:
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Action 3: Double-Check All Forms.
Ensure all webforms within Grants.gov are filled out completely and the numbers match your narratives (SF-424, ED 524, etc.).
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2. Submit Your Application Early
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Action 1: Target a Submission Date 48 Hours Before the Deadline.
Plan to click “Sign and Submit” at least two full days before the official deadline.
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Action 2: The AOR Clicks “Sign and Submit”.
Only the registered AOR has the authority to submit the application on behalf of the LEA.
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3. Verify Successful Submission
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Action 1: Look for Confirmation Emails.
Grants.gov will send a series of emails. Do not stop at the first one. You need to see emails confirming receipt AND validation.
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Action 2: Actively Track Your Application Status.
Do not rely on email alone. Log back into Grants.gov and use the “Track My Application” link.
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Action 3: Understand the Statuses:
- Validated: Success! Your application has been successfully submitted and is being sent to the Department of Education.
- Received: Grants.gov has your application but has not yet checked it for technical errors. Keep monitoring.
- Rejected with Errors: Your application was NOT submitted. You must open the application, correct the errors (e.g., a missing field, an incorrectly formatted file), and resubmit before the deadline. This is why you submit early.
Congratulations! You have successfully navigated the SBMH grant application process from start to finish.
Links to the Pages of this Website
Activities and Timelines Before the Request for Proposals (RFP) is Published
Activities and Timelines Once the Request for Proposals is Published
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 1
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 2
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 3
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 4
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 5
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