If you are a non-profit applying for State funding, including through the Consolidated Funding Application, you MUST be prequalified in Grants Gateway before you submit your application. If you do not take this step, you could be deemed an ineligible applicant. If you are already prequalified in Grants Gateway, make sure to update your account and documents annually to maintain your prequalified status. If you are new to Grants Gateway, read on.
The New York State Grants Gateway is one location for non-profits to register all of their information with the State. All State agencies can access this information, so this negates the need to send your organizational information to multiple places (find more information about the State grants process here: https://grantsreform.ny.gov/). Ultimately, this is a helpful tool, especially for non-profits that work with multiple state agencies. However, getting into Grants Gateway and getting prequalified can take some time, so you need to start the process early. Consolidated Funding Applications are due July 28, and you’ll need to be prequalified by then. If you haven’t started the process yet, start now.
Instructions and forms for registration can be found using the “Request Access Now!” link from the Grants Gateway homepage. Registration forms must be mailed in, so just getting registered may take a few days. Once you are registered and are provided access, you will need to fill out and save your “Organization Information” page. Once that page is completed and saved, a “Document Vault” will appear. This is where you will need to upload a series of documents and fill out some forms about your organization’s operations. Once your Document Vault is complete and submitted, the State will review everything and determine whether you can be prequalified.
Step by step video tutorials on how to register and how to complete the Document Vault are available in the “Videos” section of the Grants Reform website. These could be very helpful for you as you work through the process. The “Grantees” page also includes some useful information. In the “Quick Links” box on the left side, you’ll find a Vendor Prequalification Manual that has full written instructions on the prequalification process, some sample Organization Charts, and templates for some of the documents that are requested in Grants Gateway.
