Federal Grants
SF-424B: Assurances for Non-Construction Programs
Grant Writing Service Editorial Team
August 13, 2026 · 6 min read
Table of contents
Key takeaways
- The SF-424B is a one-page list of 19 assurances you accept as a block; there is nothing to fill in except the signature block, applicant name and title.
- Since 2019 the same commitments are made in SAM.gov registration, and many agencies, including NIH and EPA, no longer collect the form.
- The form is still maintained by Grants.gov under OMB number 4040-0007, and some notices still require it, so check your application package.
The SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, is a one-page federal form on which an applicant's authorized representative certifies that the organization will meet 19 standard conditions of federal funding, from financial capability and access to records to civil rights and environmental laws. It is signed as a block; you cannot accept some items and decline others. Since 2019, the same assurances are also collected through SAM.gov registration, so many agencies no longer include the form in their application packages.
Do you still need to submit the SF-424B?
Check your application package, not general advice. The history explains why the answer varies:
- 2018: OMB directed agencies to phase out the SF-424B by moving its standard assurances into SAM.gov, so applicants would certify once a year at registration instead of with every application.
- February 2, 2019: SAM.gov began collecting financial assistance certifications and representations during registration and renewal.
- January 1, 2020: NIH treated SAM.gov as the central repository for these certifications. NIH research packages do not use the SF-424B; applicants acknowledge the standard certifications when they register in SAM.gov.
- February 3, 2020: EPA stopped collecting the SF-424B, stating that the SAM.gov certifications satisfy its requirements.
The form was never retired government-wide. Grants.gov still maintains it under OMB number 4040-0007, the current copy carries an expiration date of July 31, 2028, and some agencies and programs still include it in their packages or ask for a signed copy. If the SF-424B appears in your Grants.gov Workspace or the notice lists it, complete it. If it does not, your annual SAM.gov certification covers the same ground.
Either way, the commitments apply. Our walkthrough of SAM.gov registration covers where the certifications sit in the registration process.
Filling it in
There is very little to complete. The assurances are fixed text. You enter the applicant organization's name, and the authorized certifying official's name and title. In Grants.gov, the signature and date are applied when the Authorized Organization Representative submits the package, the same submission that signs item 21 of the SF-424. If you find a fillable copy on an agency website, use it only to read; submit the copy from your own Workspace.
The form itself notes that some assurances may not apply to your project, such as those on flood insurance or relocation, and that agencies may add their own. Ask the awarding agency if you are unsure whether an item applies.
What the 19 assurances commit you to
Grouped by what they mean in practice:
| Assurance | What you are agreeing to |
|---|---|
| 1 | Legal authority to apply, and the institutional, managerial and financial capability, including any required match, to plan, manage and complete the project |
| 2 | Access to all records related to the award for the awarding agency, the Comptroller General and, where appropriate, the state; and an accounting system that meets accepted accounting standards |
| 3 | Safeguards against employees using their positions for personal gain or creating conflicts of interest |
| 4 | Starting and finishing the work within the approved timeframe |
| 5 | Merit system standards for personnel, for programs under specific statutes |
| 6 | Federal nondiscrimination statutes, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Age Discrimination Act |
| 7 | Uniform Relocation Act requirements when people are displaced or property is acquired |
| 8 | Hatch Act limits on political activity by employees paid with federal funds |
| 9 | Davis-Bacon and related labor standards for federally assisted construction subagreements |
| 10 | Flood insurance purchase where required |
| 11 to 13 | Environmental, wild and scenic rivers, and historic preservation laws |
| 14 and 15 | Protection of human research subjects and laboratory animal welfare |
| 16 | Lead-based paint restrictions in residential construction or rehabilitation |
| 17 | Required financial and compliance audits under the Single Audit Act |
| 18 | All other applicable federal laws, executive orders, regulations and policies for the program |
| 19 | Trafficking Victims Protection Act prohibitions for recipients and subrecipients |
Item 17 still cites OMB Circular A-133, which no longer exists. Audit requirements now sit in Subpart F of 2 CFR 200, and the single audit threshold is $1,000,000 in federal expenditures in a fiscal year. Our single audit guide explains what that involves.
The assurances that create ongoing work
Most items are commitments a well-run organization already meets, or do not apply to a non-construction project. Four create real ongoing obligations:
Financial capability (item 1). If your accounting system cannot track costs by budget category and separate federal from non-federal funds, you have made a false statement to the government. The financial management standards in 2 CFR 200 spell out what an adequate system looks like.
Access to records (item 2). An auditor or the agency can ask for anything related to the award, and you must produce it. Record retention itself comes from 2 CFR 200.334, not the form: generally three years from submission of the final financial report, longer if litigation, claims or audit findings are open, and three years after final disposition for equipment. Deleting a project mailbox in a routine cleanup can put you in breach.
Conflict of interest (item 3). A written conflict of interest policy that people actually follow is the expected evidence.
Nondiscrimination (item 6). These statutes generally apply to the whole program or activity receiving federal funds, not only the federally paid portion, so policies, notices and accessibility have to cover everything the award touches.
Who can sign
Only the Authorized Organization Representative signs, and in Grants.gov that is whoever submits. Two separate things must be true:
- The person holds the Authorized Organization Representative role in Grants.gov, assigned by your E-Business Point of Contact.
- The person actually has authority to bind the organization, under your bylaws, a board resolution or a delegation of authority policy. The SF-424 instructions require the governing body's authorization to be on file.
A grants manager with system access but no delegated signing authority can technically submit, but that creates a compliance problem rather than a valid commitment. Confirm both well before deadline week.
Construction programs: the SF-424D
Construction programs use the SF-424D, Assurances for Construction Programs, which covers similar ground plus obligations specific to real property and facilities, such as title, use and disposition of the property, and construction oversight. Like the budget forms, the choice is made by the package: A and B for non-construction, C and D for construction. Our SF-424 overview maps the whole family.
Use the list as a readiness check
The most useful time to read the assurances is before you decide to apply. Go through them against how your organization actually operates and ask whether you could produce evidence tomorrow: a written conflict of interest policy, an accounting system that segregates federal funds, a records retention schedule someone follows, current nondiscrimination policies. Where the answer is no, the gap exists whether you sign the SF-424B or certify in SAM.gov. Our compliance readiness checklist covers the same ground in plainer language, and the obligations come back after award in day-to-day grant management.
