The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) and grants.gov can identify available federal grants for small business, as well as provide grant proposal assistance. The CFDA is an archive of available assistance across all federal agencies, and includes links and eligibility requirements. Users can conduct basic searches or advanced searches. The catalog educates users about not only available grants but also the types of assistance available from the federal government, from project grants to direct payments with unrestricted use.

The CFDA archives assistance available to individuals as well as businesses. The Minority Business Enterprise grant, for example, is a project grant that is open to a range of service providers, from individuals to businesses. Recipients propose business assistance to minority owned businesses.

Grant program announcements often entail specific directions and request supporting documentation. Applicants are advised to follow instructions exactly. Specific requirements pertain to confirming business size and registration with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Registration is free for these service sites, as is registration with Grants.gov. A D&B Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number is required to conduct business with the government because it’s a unique identifier. Much like a social security number, the DUNS number ties a business to unique data, including business date of origin, staff, business location, contact information, size and a financial profile. CCR and D&B registration are required to receive any federal funds, and failure to register will prevent award of grant and payment distribution.

Grants.gov allows users to search grant opportunities. Users can search by keyword, Funding Opportunity Number (FON) or Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number. Users can also search by categories of funding activity, agency, or use advanced search features. The site also allows searching for Recovery Act grants.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) does not directly sponsor grants to small businesses as a rule. However, it has a wealth of information for small business success. The SBA is responsible for determining whether a business is in fact a small business or not. The SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards is indexed with the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industries. The table identifies business size according to number of employees or the average sales. A small business is typically one with a staff with less than 500 employees.

The SBA has a ton of free information. Small business owners can sign up for free e-newsletters such as Office Government Contracting marketing tips for small businesses targeting federal agencies and the private sector. Its informational network includes links to the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which has over 12,000 chapters. There are about 1,000 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). The SBA Small Business Training Network is an online virtual campus offers courses, publications and other technical assistance, in addition to a section on finance and accounting.

The SBA has an exceptional annual program via the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program, or FAST program. The FAST program is a result of the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, which was extended in 2010.

The FAST program covers the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. The programs establish federal and small business partnerships throughout the nation to ensure the federal government incorporates innovative research and development into its efforts. Consequently, the SBIR/STTR concept is fostered throughout the federal government by multiple agencies with the same purpose to foster technological development within its agencies.

Specialists and networks to assist with navigating federal grants for small business and other opportunities are a click away.