Grants.gov Notices

Grants.gov TRAINING Environment Conversion from HTTP to HTTPS

Training Environment - Supports HTTP and HTTPS
Production Environment - No changes

Grants.gov is working to strengthen the security of its website and web services to provide service only through secure connections.  

• Grants.gov updated the Grants.gov TRAINING environment from HTTP to HTTPS during its scheduled maintenance window to allow users to make updates and test their systems before these changes are made to the Grants.gov PRODUCTION environment.
• Grants.gov performed the following:
  • Opened a secure port for https://training.grants.gov and redirects HTTP to HTTPS.
  • Deployed the System-to-System (S2S) web service updates for the Schemas, Reference Implementation (RI), and WSDL files to use the HTTPS connection while keeping the HTTP connection open until February 18, 2017.

Here's how you can prepare for the changes from 12/19/2016 - 02/17/2017:

• For public (non-S2S) users:
  • Access the TRAINING website via https://training.grants.gov.
  • Update your links to the Grants.gov TRAINING environment to use HTTPS including RSS feeds and XML Extracts.
  • Update browser bookmarks for Grants.gov TRAINING.
• For S2S users:
  • Even though S2S connections are already HTTPS, please update your systems in the TRAINING environment as needed to reference the Schemas, RI, and WSDL files using HTTPS.
  • Test your system to prepare for the disabling of HTTP connections in the TRAINING environment on February 18, 2017.

Grants.gov PRODUCTION Environment Conversion from HTTP to HTTPS

Training Environment - Supports HTTPS only
Production Environment - Supports HTTP and HTTPS

Grants.gov is strengthening the security of its website and web services to provide service only through secure connections.  

• With Release 15.4, Grants.gov will be updating the Grants.gov PRODUCTION environment from HTTP to HTTPS.
• Grants.gov will perform the following:
  • Open a secure port for https://www.grants.gov and redirect HTTP to HTTPS.
  • Deploy the S2S web service updates for the Schemas, Reference Implementation (RI), and WSDL files to use the HTTPS connection while keeping the HTTP connection open until April 15, 2017.
  • Disable the port for HTTP connections to the TRAINING environment.

Here's how you can prepare for the changes from 02/18/2017 - 04/14/2017:

• For public (non-S2S) users:
  • Access the PRODUCTION website via https://www.grants.gov.
  • Update your links to the Grants.gov PRODUCTION environment to use HTTPS including RSS feeds and XML Extracts.
  • Update browser bookmarks for Grants.gov PRODUCTION.
• For S2S users:
  • Even though S2S connections are already HTTPS, please update your systems in the PRODUCTION environment as needed to reference the Schemas, RI, and WSDL files using HTTPS.
  • Test your system to prepare for the disabling of HTTP connections in the PRODUCTION environment on April 15, 2017.

Grants.gov PRODUCTION Environment Disabling of HTTP Connections

Training Environment - Supports HTTPS only
Production Environment - Supports HTTPS only

Grants.gov is strengthening the security of its website and web services to provide service only through HTTPS connections.  

• Grants.gov will disable the port for HTTP connections to the PRODUCTION environment and only HTTPS connection will be available.

Here's how you can prepare for the changes:

• For public (non-S2S) users:
  • Access the PRODUCTION website via https://www.grants.gov.
  • Update browser bookmarks for Grants.gov PRODUCTION.
• For S2S users:
  • Verify your systems continue to work after HTTP connections are disabled.

Impacts of Merged Accounts to Grantor S2S Web Services

• With merged accounts, User ID and Agency Code/DUNS is needed to uniquely identify a Profile. Agencies may need to make the following changes to their S2S interface.
• For the Create Adobe Opportunity, Update Adobe Opportunity, Delete Adobe Opportunity, Delete Adobe Synopsis, and Manage Package web services:
  • Added a new optional element: Agency Code
  • Agency Code must be specified to determine unique Agency/Opportunity for multi-profile accounts (if the specified User ID has only one profile, no changes are required)
• For the Authenticate AOR web service:
  • Added a new optional element: DUNS
  • DUNS must be specified to uniquely identify Profile and return the correct AOR Status for multi-profile accounts

Please review and update your Grants.gov web services to ensure continued operation of your services.

AORs with Multiple DUNS will need to Re-Download Packages

• With Release 15.4, applicants with multiple Grants.gov accounts will be able to combine them into one merged account with multiple profiles.
• If an applicant has merged their accounts and now has multiple profiles with the AOR role and they downloaded their application package before Release 15.4, they will need to re-download the application package to receive the latest updates to the cover pages in order to correctly display the DUNS information after submission.

Previous/Legacy XML extract format will be retired.

• Users of XML Extract should transition to using the new format

Legacy PDF Application Package will be phased out in December 31, 2017.

• Applicants will no longer be able to download the older, single PDF application package of forms.
• Applicants can apply for grants using Grants.gov Workspace, which separates the application package into individual forms. Applicants can create a workspace, complete the individual PDF forms, and submit their application workspace package.
• The new online forms interface will be added to Grants.gov and will only be accessible through Workspace in February 2017.
• For any funding opportunities where applicants have downloaded the legacy PDF application package, they will be able to continue to submit that package until March 31, 2018.
• S2S Submissions will continue to be supported.

For more information about Grants.gov Workspace, please visit our various Workspace resources:

• Grants.gov Workspace Overview
• Grants.gov Workspace Training Video Series
• Grants.gov Community Blog articles on Workspace