Hi, I’m Alex Dunn, the Millionaire Grant Lady. I have 15 years of grant writing experience and over $125 million in awards under my belt. I offer advice, tips, tricks and opportunities to the DFW501c.news audience each week.
The federal government is currently experiencing a shutdown. During a shutdown, many federal agencies suspend non-essential operations until new funding legislation is enacted. This pause can affect the timing and processing of federal grants, though the degree of impact varies by agency.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Many grant-making agencies are only releasing forecasted grant opportunities.
- Some staff have been furloughed, meaning they may not be available to answer questions about RFPs, applications, or awards.
- Systems like Grants.gov and SAM.gov typically remain online, but application reviews and new award announcements are often delayed.
- This has happened in past government shutdowns, and business resumes as “normal” once the shutdown ends. We anticipate this will be the case with this shutdown as well.
Forecasted vs. Active Opportunities
When you see a grant listed as “forecasted,” that means the agency is signaling that a funding opportunity is expected in the future, but it has not yet been officially opened for applications. A forecasted listing typically provides few details about required activities, eligibility, or funding restrictions.
Forecasted listings are essentially placeholders — they let potential applicants know what may be coming, but no applications can be prepared or submitted until the opportunity is formally released because all forecasted details are subject to change.
Active funding notices include a funding announcement number, detailed eligibility criteria, and a deadline for applications. You can begin preparing and submitting your application only once the opportunity is released.
What to Do Now
While we wait for more RFPs to be released, if you are interested in applying for federal grants, this is a great time to check your SAM.gov registration. It seems like each week I talk to someone who is interested in a federal grant but this step hasn’t been completed — and so they cannot even apply. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually. Confirming your registration now will ensure you’re ready to apply when the doors reopen.
Even with the stops and starts in federal grants this year, our clients are still applying — and winning.
One of our clients just secured a 5-year, $6.25 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families. What makes the win extraordinary is not just the dollar amount — it’s how it happened. They had just two weeks from the grant announcement to the deadline. Two weeks to write, refine, polish, and align — all of it. It felt like sprinting a marathon.
This win is proof that readiness pays off.
