How do I search assistance listings?


Assistance listings are detailed public descriptions of federal assistance programs that offer grants, loans, scholarships, insurance, and other types of assistance. These listings are found on SAM.gov. Learn more about the difference between grant opportunities published on Grants.gov and assistance listings here (KB0058398).

You do not need to sign in to SAM.gov to search for assistance listings.

To search federal assistance listings: 

  1. Begin the search in one of the following ways:
    • Select Search located in the header menu.
      Screenshot of Search selection on the homepage header menu.  
       
    • Select Federal Assistance on the home page, then select Assistance Listings under Select Domain. You can enter keywords or an assistance number in the search bar. For more filter options, select Advanced Search.
      Screenshot of SAM.gov homepage with box around Assistance listings
      Screenshot of Assistance listings search page with red box around search box and advanced search
       
  2. Results populate on the results page. To narrow your search, you can filter using the following criteria:
    • Keyword Search: Enter a keyword or phrase for the type of assistance you want to locate.
    • Dates: Filter using the dropdown arrow to search a listing's original published date or an updated date if amendments have been made.
    • Federal Organizations: Enter the code or name for the federal organization you want to search. For example, General Services Administration or 047. Select the (...) icon located next to the federal organization search bar to expand the filter and search by subtier or a department and/or independent agency. You can select multiple federal organizations to see the results from all those organizations in one search.
    • Eligibility:  Select to see the additional criteria from the dropdown.  
    • Beneficiaries: Enter the type of individuals who receive the assistance.
    • Applicants: Enter who submits a request to receive assistance.
    • Assistance Type: Enter the type of assistance sought.
    • Location: Enter a zip code for listings available for a particular area.
    • Status: Select the active or inactive option to search for active or inactive assistance listings
      .Assistance listing search results filters.png
       
  3. To sort filtered search results by last updated date, title, or assistance listing number, select an option under the Sort by dropdown located directly above the search results.
    Screenshot of Red box around the Sort by for assistance listing results
     
  4. To reset all filters, go to the bottom of the filters and select Reset. 

To save or download your search, select the Actions dropdown at the top of the search results page and select Save or Download. Name your search or your file. If you are downloading a record, select CSV or PDF format. You can access your saved searches in your Workspace under Saved Searches.