HOW TO APPLY
PLEASE NOTE Our FY2025 Opportunities are closed. We expect releasing the guidelines for our FY 2026 Opportunities in Spring 2025.
Download the Guidelines at this link.
Below please find a brief overview of the necessary steps of the application process. Some steps require approval and validation from New York State, so we recommend starting as early as possible.
Existing grantees and former applicants, proceed to step 3 and submit a prequalification application. If you need help retrieving your login information, please contact the SFS Help Desk.
You will be disqualified from the grant review process if prequalification is not finalized before the opportunity deadline. NYSCA and the Statewide Financial System are not likely to resolve any issues with a prequalification application less than 7 days before an application deadline.
Please note this process is separate and apart from the NYSCA application. You must first prequalify with State Financial System (SFS.)
1. Determine Eligibility
To apply directly for a NYSCA grant your organization must be one of the following:
- A nonprofit organization either incorporated in or registered to do business in New York State to do business in New York State, with a location in New York State and recognized as tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code section as a 501 (c)3; or a
- State- or Federally-recognized Native American nation; or
- A unit of local or federal government in New York State.
Unincorporated groups and individuals may apply through a fiscal sponsor. Learn more about fiscal sponsorship.
2. Register in the New York Statewide Financial System (SFS): Obtain a Login
It is MANDATORY that all applicants be registered in the Statewide Financial System and prequalify to receive a grant. We recommend starting this process as SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Existing grantees and former applicants, proceed to step 3. If you need help retrieving your login information, please contact the SFS Help Desk.
NEW applicants should follow the instructions on the New York State Grants Management Website at: https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/register-your-organization where you can find the registration form, instructions, and related documents.
3. Verify your organization’s grant profile in SFS
From the homepage, navigate to the following tiles and verify your organization’s:
- Address: View Your Information > View Address Information
- Contact Information: View Your Information > View Contact Information
- Charities Registration No.: View Your Information > View Grants Information
Review the information above and if changes are needed, enter the information directly or initiate a Supplier Change Request for address and banking changes.
4. Submit a Prequalification Application
Only accounts assigned the Prequalification Processor role in SFS will be able to navigate to the Tiles described below to submit an application. If these functionalities are not available when you log in, please consult the SFS Reference Guide for help adding user roles or click on the links below to watch a video tutorial on how to:
Log onto the SFS Vendor Portal
- Navigate to the prequalification application by clicking the Grants Management Tile then the Prequalification Application Tile
- On the Welcome Page, select the applicable option under Select an Activity Below to Initiate, Collaborate or Update a Prequalification Application and click the Next button.
- Enter ART01 in the State Agency field.
- Complete questions shown about your policies and practices and upload key documents including IRS determination letters, audits, board information, leadership resumes, and more.
Find basic instructions and checklists here: https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/get-prequalified. Consult the SFS Reference Guide to find answers to frequently asked questions or refer to the Grantee Manual for detailed instructions.
For technical help with SFS including login and password information, please contact the SFS Help Desk at [email protected] and identify yourself as a "NYSCA Applicant" in the email subject line or call 518-457-7717 / 855-233-8363 (toll-free) and identify yourself as a NYSCA applicant. The SFS Team provides live help desk support weekdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Organizations who selected ART01 as their agency in their prequalification application in SFS can contact [email protected] if they need further assistance.
Your prequalification expires annually. You are required to update your application and upload new documents to maintain prequalified status for your application to be considered.
5. Submit a Grant Application on the NYSCA Application Portal