United States Senator Patty Murray

Myth 1: Anyone can get a federal grant.

Fact: Not everyone is eligible for grants. Most grants are awarded to:

• non-profits like charities, schools and community organizations,
• state & local government agencies,
• federally-recognized tribes,
• and public safety agencies like hospitals, police and fire departments.

Myth 2: Senator Murray decides who gets a grant. Senator Murray's office can write or review my grant proposal.

Fact: Senator Murray does NOT decide who gets a grant and who doesn't. Those decisions are made by the cabinet department peer reviewer committees based on objective criteria. Unfortunately, Senator Murray's office cannot write or review grant proposals. We can help you identify federal grants for which you may be eligible, and we've put these tools here on this web page.

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Myth 3: If we just get this grant, it will take care of everything.

Fact: Federal grants rarely cover all the costs of a project. Many grants are designed to leverage other sources of funding. So if you can't get the community to invest some money in your project, don't expect a grant to pay all the bills. Grants often provide a portion of the funds needed for a given project; many grants even require non-federal matching funds of 10-25 percent, some require more. Granters want to know you'll become self-sufficient once your project gets off the ground and it will be sustainable when your grant period ends.

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Myth 4: It's easy to get grants. It's "free money."

Fact: Applying for a grant can be a full time job. Grant writing is a lot of work and granted funds have many requirements. You'll need time to research and develop your project and write the application. It often takes the granting agency several months to pick a winner. It's not quick or easy, but it is possible.

Continue to the Grant Process