Federal glossary · Process
NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) is the announcement published on Grants.gov inviting applications for federal grants and cooperative agreements. Replaced the older term FOA (Funding Opportunity Announcement).
Reference record · Sources: Grants.gov · Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Covers definition, governing source
Notice of Funding Opportunity
Also known as
NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) is the announcement published on Grants.gov inviting applications for federal grants and cooperative agreements. Replaced the older term FOA (Funding Opportunity Announcement).
(Notice of Funding Opportunity) is a process concept federal contractors and grant writers run into across solicitations, regulations, and award filings
NOFO is a step or workflow in the federal-procurement lifecycle. Knowing where NOFO fits in the larger acquisition arc — from market research through award through performance — helps contractors time their engagement, identify the right contracting officials, and avoid showing up too late to influence the requirement. Many proposal failures trace back to misunderstanding when NOFO occurs, who owns it, and what artifacts it produces. The related terms above name the adjacent process steps that most commonly precede or follow NOFO, and tracking those transitions over time is one of the more reliable ways to build pipeline visibility ahead of formal solicitations.
Meaning in practice
NOFO is a step in a government workflow or procurement lifecycle.
Where you’ll see it
You will see it in NOFOs, solicitations, evaluation sections, award letters, and procedural instructions.
Common confusion
People often confuse the document that describes the process with the process itself.
What to do next
Identify the deadline, owner, and artifacts the process produces before you move forward.
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