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Difficulty Submitting an Application

I am having difficulty submitting my application and have received the following error messages:

  • Error 500.
  • Username ID and password do not match credentials provided.
  • We cannot register you as a user.

I am having difficulty submitting my application. Do you have any suggestions that might help?


Application Attachments/ Uploads/Downloads

What type of document is supposed to be attached to the Research and Related Sub-Award Budget Form?

Must I fill out all the mandatory fields within the Sub-Award Budget Attachment?

Are there any restrictions on what your file name for the Sub-Award Budget Attachment?

What happens if I attach a blank document or a file that doesn’t have any information to the application package?

What type of documents and files can be uploaded to an application package?


Entering Information

Are there any field limitations (example: limit on the number of characters) regarding my contact information?

What is the field limitation for the organization name in the R&R Senior/Key Person Form?

How important is it to enter the correct dates for the length of the program and the budget information?


Restrictions

Are there restrictions on file names for any attachment I include with my application package?


Email Notifications

I received an email stating that an application package I downloaded has been changed; what does that mean?


Pure Edge

Can I submit the new version of Microsoft Office 2007 XML documents to Grants.gov?




Difficulty Submitting an Application

I am having difficulty submitting my application and have received the following error messages:

  • Error 500.
  • Username ID and password do not match credentials provided.
  • We cannot register you as a user.

Try submitting your application using this method:

  • Close all browser(s) and running applications.
  • Open Internet Explorer
  • From the tool bar, click File => Open
  • The Open window appears. Click the Browse button located at the bottom of the right of the window.
  • A Browse menu opens. At the bottom of this screen there is a Files of type: drop down menu. Click the drop down arrow and click All Files.
  • At the top of the screen there is a Look in: drop down menu. Click the drop down arrow and browse to the physical location where the application file is located on you hard disk. Select the application.
  • Double click the application or click Open and then click OK.
  • Internet Explorer will open the application. This might take a couple of moments. Be patient.
  • Once the application is completely open, click the Submit button, and then click Sign and Submit.
  • Next, enter your username ID and password.
  • Lastly, click Login.

I am having difficulty submitting my application. Do you have any suggestions that might help?

Grants.gov - Browser Setting Correction

  1. Please close all your browser windows.
  2. Save the .xfd file to your desktop
  3. Open a browser window
  4. Click FileOpenBrowse
  5. Navigate to the .xfd saved on their desktop and double click to open it
  6. Click Submit button.

Grants.gov - Browser Setting Correction Modified

Since everything appears normal, you can try one last thing:

  1. Save the grant application on the DESKTOP
  2. Open Internet Explorer (IE)
  3. Midsize IE by clicking on the middle button in the upper right-hand corner
  4. You should be able to move the IE screen around by clicking on the top IE “blue” bar. Move the IE screen until the desktop, and the icon for the grant application is visible.
  5. Click on the grant application and drag it
  6. Drop the grant application (release the left-mouse key) inside IE screen
  7. The application will now open in an IE window
  8. Proceed as usual.


Application Attachments/ Uploads/Downloads

What type of document is supposed to be attached to the Research and Related Sub-Award Budget Form (R&R Sub-Award Budget Form)?

The R&R Sub-Award Budget Form specifies that a Sub-Award Attachment, a PureEdge file (.xdf extension), must be attached. This attachment is available within the Sub-Award Budget Form.

When you have opened the form, simply click the Click here to extract the R&R Sub-Award Budget Attachment button to download, save and fill-out the Sub-Award Budget attachment. When completed, click the Add Attachment file within the Sub-Award Budget form to find the attachment and attach it to the form. Make sure that all the mandatory fields have been completed in the attachment – if they are not, then the application package could get rejected.

Please note that you will ONLY be able to add this Sub-Award Attachment within this form. Any other file type, including any other .xdf files, other than the expected R&R Sub-Award Budget Attachment, will cause the system to reject your submission.

Must I fill out all the mandatory fields within the Sub-Award Budget Attachment?

Yes. In order to submit your application, you are required to fill-out the mandatory fields (each symbolized by a yellow field and an asterisk), as well as any other applicable fields.

Like the “Check Package for Errors” button at the top of your application package, there is also a “Check Form for Errors” button on the Research & Related Sub-Award Budget Attachment. Make sure that you use this button to check for any errors. You should do this for each and every Sub-Award Budget Attachment included in your application. If you do not fill-out each mandatory field, your application will be rejected by Grants.gov.

Are there any restrictions on what your file name for the Sub-Award Budget Attachment?

Yes. Avoid using any special characters (example: %,/,#, -, &, *) in any file name. Do not include spaces in the file name. Also, keep the name of the attachment short.

What happens if I attach a blank document or a file that doesn’t have any information to the application package?

The empty file, such as a Word document opened and saved without entering any data, will cause problems as the system processes your application package. Make sure attached files contain data. Empty files can create delays in Grants.gov processing your package, and the empty file will be included as part of your official application submission to the federal agency.

What type of documents and files can be uploaded to an application package?

While using the compatible version of Adobe Reader, any type of file can be attached to an application package. While using PureEdge you may attach most file types except files saved in Office 2007.Please read the application instructions, in many cases an agency will place restrictions on the types of files it wishes to accept. You can only attach documents to an application if the forms in the applications allow you to do so.

Note: Although Grants.gov does not restrict types of file attachments, if more than one attachment is included in a grant submission and two or more files have the same name, the grant application cannot be processed without manual intervention. To correct this, you should:

  1. Rename attached files with the same name so that no files share the same name.
  2. Reattach the files.
  3. Resubmit the application package.

TIP: Do not save your entire application package as a PureEdge file (.xfd) and upload it as an attachment.

*Please note at this time Grants.gov is experiencing compatibility issues with all MS Office 2007 XML attachments. PureEdge is not compatible with Microsoft Office 2007. File extensions currently not compatible include: .pptx, .xlsx, .docx, .docm, .dotm, .dotx, .potm, .potx. Click here to learn more about Office 2007 attachments Adobe PDF.



Entering Information

Are there any field limitations (example: limit on the number of characters) regarding my contact information?

Yes. There is a 30-character limit on the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) name field on the SF-424 Signature page. This field is populated by the system using the user’s full name (last name and first name combined) from your AOR account at the time of your submission. Please ensure that your name in your login credentials does not exceed 30 characters. You can edit your name in your account by logging is as an Applicant and clicking the Manage Applicant Profile link in the menu in the left frame.

What is the field limitation for the organization name in the R&R Senior/Key Person Form?

There is a 60-character limit on the R&R Senior/Key Person Form for the organization name field. Please be aware that if you exceed the 60-character limit your application will get stuck in the system and not be processed. If your application gets stuck, you will be contacted by the Grants.gov Contact Center to help you correct the problem.

How important is it to enter the correct dates for the length of the program and the budget information?

The dates you enter regarding the length of your proposed project and your budget information are very important. Verify dates because it is possible in the MM-DD-YYYY format to enter invalid dates, such as 06-30-0000. Double-check the entries. While your application may be accepted by Grants.gov, the federal agency receiving the application may not accept it based on invalid dates.

Restrictions

Are there restrictions on file names for any attachment I include with my application package?

File attachment names longer than approximately 50 characters can cause problems processing packages. Please limit file attachment names. Also, do not use any special characters (example: &,–,*,%,/,#) or spacing in the file and for word separation, use underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) in naming the attachments. Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application may be rejected.


Email Notifications

I received an email stating that an application package I downloaded has been changed; what does that mean?

An agency may modify a grant opportunity after it is published. An application before the change may not include new required forms. You can catch this by signing up to be informed of modifications to a package. On the package download page there is a field where you can enter your email address to be informed of these possible changes. You can also verify that the forms are included in your package before submitting the application, by downloading the same package again and reviewing the required attachments for changes.

Remember, if a package has been modified and you submit the original application without the changes, your application may be rejected.


If you have any questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518-4726.


Pure Edge

Can I submit the new version of Microsoft Office 2007 XML documents to Grants.gov?

Currently you can only submit Microsoft Office 2007 XML attachments with the compatible versions of Adobe Reader.

If you are using PureEdge Viewer you cannot attach Office 2007 documents, there are compatibility issues that will cause errors in the submission.

There are no plans to support Office 2007 documents with PureEdge forms, since they are being phased out in the near future. File extensions currently not compatible include: pptx, .xlsx, .docx, .docm, .dotm, .dotx, .potm, .potx

If you are unsure of your application type, it is suggested to avoid using Microsoft Office 2007 attachments at this time.

Click here for more information about Vista and Office 2007 compatibility Adobe PDF.

Click here for more information about Adobe Reader vs. PureEdge Adobe PDF.


 
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