Examples of Funding Opportunity Announcements

Author:

Instrumentl team

,

Reviewed by:

Published:

October 4, 2023

If you’re a nonprofit organization looking for grants, funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) are great places to start. These publicly advertised notices can be found across the internet and offer funding for everything from health and wellness initiatives, to educational activities, to social action programs.

In this article, we’ll explain what FOAs are, look at some funding opportunity announcement examples, and then give you some tips for how to properly align your project with the funder’s needs.

Let’s dive in.

What Is a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?

Megaphone


A funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is a publicly advertised notice made by a federal agency that announces federal grant funds they have available.

Different types of funding opportunities can be found directly on a federal agency’s website or on streamlined sites like Grants.gov and the National Institute of Health (NIH) Guide to Grants and Contracts website.

FOAs are ideal funding opportunities for nonprofits and research entities, but it is important to understand how to analyze the different sections of an FOA when preparing grant applications. By clearly knowing the funding organization’s mission, objectives, and eligibility requirements, your nonprofit will be able to submit an effective proposal.

The Outcome of FOAs: The Basics


As noted above, FOAs are often great funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations.

Reviewing a funding opportunity announcement can help you determine the agency’s objectives, award information, and whether you are eligible for the grant funding. FOAs are different from RFPs in that they're publicly available, whereas some RFPs are private and won't accept unsolicited applications.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the common components found in an FOA:

We will break down each of these components of an FOA in more detail in the following sections.

Failing to adhere to the requirements of each section listed above could result in your proposal being rejected. So, it’s important to review and understand each section of the FOA carefully.

Why It's Important to Examine FOA Examples


Knowing how to properly examine an FOA is imperative when applying for grants. Grant proposals can take weeks or even several months to complete, so you only want to apply for funding opportunities you are confident will result in success.

FOAs make it easy to determine whether a grant is worth pursuing for your organization. By reading through the FOA, you can make sure your proposal meets the eligibility criteria and aligns with the intent of the funder. In most cases, this should significantly boost your chances of success.

For more help determining if a funding opportunity is right for your nonprofit, check out these seven signs that a grant is worth pursuing.

Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Signup up to receive the next Instrumentl Insights report and access exclusive data that will give you an edge.
Subscribe

Core Components of Funding Opportunity Announcements

Segmentation

Most FOAs follow a similar structure and include the same basic elements.

A typical FOA has the name of the organization and type of funding opportunity at the top of the announcement. Then, you will find the organization’s goals and objectives, along with a description of the specific program related to the FOA. Other sections of a typical FOA may include:

  • Submission deadlines and the specific length of time for the project
  • Contact information of the federal agency
  • Award and budgetary information
  • Reporting requirements
  • Eligibility requirements and review criteria
  • Application and submission instructions

Let’s look at these sections in detail and a funding opportunity announcement example.

1. Title and Purpose of the FOA


Each FOA will have a formal title and include the purpose of the funding opportunity.

Both the Grants.gov and the National Institute of Health (NIH) Guide to Grants and Contracts website will list the FOA titles in their search listings. We suggest using their search mechanisms and their keyword search options so that you can narrow your search results to specific opportunities that meet your nonprofit’s objectives.

Instrumentl is also a grants database that lists thousands of government grant opportunities. Simply plug in your organization’s mission and funding needs, and Instrumentl will automatically match you with relevant grants!

Instrumentl

2. Eligibility Criteria and Requirements


After reviewing the title and purpose of the FOA, you should skip down to the eligibility criteria and requirements.

All FOAs will have specific headers that stipulate the eligibility criteria for applying for funding.

Some questions you may need to answer in order to be eligible for an FOA include:

  • Where are you located? Are you in the United States or are you international?
  • Is your nonprofit subject to section 501 (c)(3) of the U.S. tax code?
  • Have you registered on SAM.gov, which is a free site used to register to do business with the U.S. government?
  • Does your nonprofit meet certain specifications, like educational, small business, or governmental institution requirements?
  • Do you have the technical capabilities to submit the application forms online?

Specific eligibility requirements will depend on the federal organization publicizing the FOA. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services recently posted a grants notice for its “World Trade Center Health Program Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award.”

When you scroll to the eligibility section of this FOA, you can see that one of their specific requirements has to do with mentorship.

FOA

This example illustrates how specific an FOA’s eligibility requirements can be and why it is so important to verify your nonprofit meets these requirements.

3. Funding Amount and Duration Details


All FOAs specify the funding amount and duration details of the grant.

You will want to review the funding amount to make sure it is enough for your nonprofit’s project. In addition, determine whether your proposal aligns with the specified duration details.

4. Application Submission Process and Deadlines


In addition to reviewing the award amount, you will want to make note of the closing date and time (usually 5:00 p.m. EST) so that you can determine if you will have enough time to properly complete and submit your proposal.

For example, the NIH FOAs have a specific key dates section so that you can clearly determine the open date and the first date the system will accept applications (usually, the FOA opens 30 days before the first due date). You can also find the submission deadline dates within this section.

Find Your Next Grant

17K Live Grants on Instrumentl

150+ Grants Added Weekly

+3k NonprofitsNew matches
Try Instrumentl free for 14 days

3 Real-World Examples of Funding Opportunity Announcements

Example


As we mentioned earlier, there are hundreds—if not thousands—of FOAs online that you can search through. We’ve rounded up a few examples here so that you can see what a real-world FOA looks like.

1. Health or Environmental Grants


Remember the FOA for the World Trade Center Health Program Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award we mentioned above?

Below is a screenshot of the table of contents of this FOA showing just how detailed and organized the document is.

World Trade Center Health Program Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award FOA

Each section is clearly laid out for nonprofit organizations looking to submit proposals. You should first review the funding opportunity description, award information, and eligibility information to determine whether your organization should apply.

2. Educational or Community Initiatives


If you are interested in educational or community initiative grants, here’s an example from the U.S. Department of Labor.

This FOA starts with a helpful executive summary outlining all of the key points of the funding opportunity, including its purpose and funding amount.

U.S. Department of Labor FOA

Executive summaries like these can be incredibly helpful in quickly determining whether an FOA is the right fit for your organization.

3. Social Responsibility Projects


If your nonprofit organization is interested in social responsibility projects, Grants.gov has a very helpful “Category” search option.

We found 21 FOAs in the section for “Disaster Prevention and Relief,” including Community Wildfire Defense Grants across the United States. Other categories include housing; law, justice, and legal services; and regional development. Using this category tool will help you find social responsibility projects that may meet your own nonprofit’s needs.

You can also search Instrumentl’s database for grants based on specific categories as well. For example, we searched for “Grants for Youth Programs” and came up with over 400 different funding opportunities! You can further narrow your search by location, grant size, and more.

Instrumentl Grants for Youth Programs

And though it may take some searching, you can also find FOAs on specific government websites, such as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Want to get better at grants?

Get access to weekly advice and grant writing templates

Join 10K+ grant pros already receiving our 5-minute free newsletter, packed with grant strategies, networking events and new funding opportunities.
Subscribe

10k+ grant writers have already subscribed

Crafting a Response: Tips to Stand Out

Proposal


Once you’ve found the perfect FOA, how do you craft your response so that it stands out among the others?

Check out some of our best nonprofit proposal tips below:

Aligning Your Proposal With the FOA's Objectives


One of the most important things in any grant application is aligning your proposal with the objectives of the funder.

When it comes to an FOA, pay attention to the federal organization’s purpose. You should also be sure to use any keywords from the FOA within your proposal, as that will help you properly align your application with what they are asking for in the announcement. That way, you can make sure the funding organization knows that your nonprofit and its programs align with their objectives.

Since FOAs are all on a federal basis, sometimes there may not be a clear match for your nonprofit—especially on a local level. We have a helpful article that discusses how to match your grant application to the funder's interests when your search for FOAs comes up dry.

Showcasing Past Successes and Credibility


The best way to illustrate that your proposal is one worth funding is by touting your own past successes and credibility. Have you received similar funding before? Make sure to communicate with the funders how you will achieve success with their support.

For more winning grant writing strategies, check out this workshop with experts Amanda Day and Kimberly Hays de Muga.

Demonstrating the Impact and Feasibility of Your Project


Finally, you want to clearly demonstrate that your project will be both impactful and feasible. What is your plan of action and how will you analyze the results?

In addition, you will want to tie in the impact of your project to the individuals or group the FOA is targeting. For example, if the FOA is focused on environmental conservation, how can your organization make a significant impact?

Wrapping Up: The Next Steps

Funding Opportunity Announcement


FOAs can be great funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations. And as you’ve learned in this article, paying attention to the objectives, eligibility requirements, and funding amounts of an FOA is key for success.

As long as you take the time to study each section of the FOA, you should be ready to craft a proposal that stands out to the grant funders. Happy fundraising!

Instrumentl team

Instrumentl team

Instrumentl is the all-in-one grant management tool for nonprofits and consultants who want to find and win more grants without the stress of juggling grant work through disparate tools and sticky notes.

Become a Stronger Grant Writer in Just 5 Minutes

Subscribe

20k+ Open Grants Waiting For You

Find grant opportunities to grow your nonprofit

Try 14 days free

10 Ready-to-Use Cold Email Templates That Break The Ice With Funders

Transform funder connections with our 10 expert-crafted cold email templates. Engage, build bonds, showcase impact, and elevate conversations effortlessly.

Read Ebook

Insights Straight To Your Inbox

Access data on the grant funding landscape. Subscribe below.
Subscribe
Instrumentl Insights Report in success rates of different kinds of grants

Report: Success Rates for Different Types of Grants

Access Now
Arrow right

Related posts

Try Instrumentl

The best tool for finding & organizing grants

128 reviews | High Performer status on g2.com

Try free for 14 days