October 27, 2004
Grants.gov Marks First Anniversary

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Grants.gov, the single secure Web site to find and apply for federal grants, today marked its first year of operations. Accomplishing most of its first year goals, Grants.gov demonstrates that E-government is making it easier for citizens to interact with the government.

"In just one year, Grants.gov has established itself to be a proven
concept and an indisputable success," HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "In just 12 months, site usage has grown significantly to more than 5 million page views each month and the momentum continues."

Grants.gov is the single Web site unifying federal grants. Through
Grants.gov, state, local, and tribal governments, colleges and universities, non-profits, research institutions, and other organizations can access, find, and apply for grants from more than 900 grant programs representing more than $360 billion in annual grant funds offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.

The accomplishments that make Grants.gov's first anniversary worth
celebrating are many. Already, more than ...
* 1,200 electronic grant applications have been received
* 3,000 grant-seeking organizations have enrolled to apply for grants
online
* 1,400 grant opportunity notices are currently posted on the Web site
* 600,000 grant opportunity notices are emailed to interested parties
each week
* 4 major awards have recognized the impact, technology and innovation
of the site

"Our growing usage results from several factors," says Rebecca Spitzgo, current Grants.gov program manager. "General awareness is building due to marketing efforts and word-of-mouth buzz in the grant community. Grants.gov lists 100 percent of federal grant notices and we have had more than 60 percent of our grantor agencies able to successfully post application packages and accept grant applications electronically. And we've enhanced the site
making it easier than ever to find and apply for a wider range of grants."

User satisfaction with Grants.gov's comprehensive listings and simplicity of use is leading to repeat site visits and pass-along endorsements.

"I love Grants.gov," says Jane Lopez, research administrator for Virginia Institute of Marine Science. "It's grants submission for dummies."

Nora Palmatier, a nonprofit proposal writer, stated, "Grants.gov has shown me the wide variety of departments that provide funding applicable for a project a client is planning -- and having the notices emailed straight to us is wonderful."

"While increases in site usage and features have been steady throughout Grants.gov's first year, it is our future that we are most excited about," says Spitzgo. "We plan to announce even more new capabilities before year- end. We also know there are thousands of grant-seeking organizations across the country that can benefit from Grants.gov but have not yet heard about it. There is much work to do as we enter our second year, but we're ready for and excited by the challenge."

Grants.gov is one of 24 E-government initiatives under the governance of Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It was one of only two E-government initiatives to successfully meet OMB operational goals this year.

Grants.gov is a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Collaborative partners include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor and Transportation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, National Endowment for the
Humanities and the National Science Foundation.

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