Introduction to Grants.gov and Federal Registrations
July 22, 2025; 10 a.m. (Mountain)
Whether you’re looking to support tribal tourism, cultural preservation, or community development initiatives, federal funding opportunities may be for you! But first, you’ll need to understand the systems and registrations in seeking and applying for federal grants. Join us for this introductory webinar to learn how to navigate Grants.gov and complete the essential federal registrations required for grant applications. This session will demystify the grant-seeking process, define the “alphabet soup” of terms you’ll need, explain how to register with systems like SAM.gov and Grants.gov, and provide key tips to help you position your organization or tribal entity for future funding success. Whether you’re new to federal grants or need a refresher, this webinar will equip you with the foundational tools to get started.
Aly Sanchez, GPC – Director of Strategy and Organizational Development, The Grant Plant
Aly has more than two decades of grant writing experience including planning, request preparation, and reporting for complex private, state, and federal awards. In addition to direct proposal preparation, she specializes in proposal strategy development, project design, and staff and organizational development for The Grant Plant. Aly also leads the company’s capacity-building services, in which she develops learning materials, workshops, and trainings. Aly holds a BA in Psychology and an MBA focused on executive leadership.
Laurel Meister Schmuck, GPC – Senior Resource Development Officer, The Grant Plant
Laurel crafts competitive funding proposals, manages client portfolios, and helps grow local grant seeking capacity. Previously, she served as the Development Manager for Explora Children’s Museum, helping secure important grant funding and individual donations. Laurel is a graduate of Leadership Albuquerque, Pivotal New Mexico’s grant writing Talent Academy, and served as a 2016 Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Weimar, Germany. With a BA in English from Trinity University, Laurel is passionate about language and the craft of writing.
Hannah Peterson – Program Development Director, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)
Hannah Peterson is the Program Development Director for AIANTA, bringing to the role extensive experience in fundraising and program development. In her role as Program Development Director, Hannah works to advance the mission of AIANTA through strategic fundraising and program development. Hannah spent more than five years with J Murphy & Associates working as a consultant and grant writer and two years as grants manager for Urban Homeworks, Inc. For more than nine years, she worked as a paralegal working on business litigation, intellectual properties, worker’s compensation and insurance. She was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and received a degree in English from the University of Washington, Seattle and a Master of Public Administration from Hamline University, Minnesota.