Unique Entity Identifiers are for organizations only. Individuals do not need to have a SAM UEI in order to apply for or receive grants.

The federal government has transitioned from the use of “DUNS Numbers” to a new Unique Entity Identifier (also referred to as “SAM UEI”, or just “UEI”) through SAM.gov as the primary identifier for tracking where federal grant dollars flow. This new SAM UEI is required of all state, regional, and local agencies, along with nonprofit organizations that receive federal funding; a SAM UEI is also required of organizations that are subgrantees of state, regional, and local agencies.

Since Virginia Commission for the Arts receives a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, it requires all VCA applicants (except individuals) to have a SAM UEI. Acquiring a SAM UEI is a free process. Be wary of scams that may try to impersonate SAM.gov or may try to scam your organization into paying for a UEI.

If you need assistance with your SAM.gov account or have other technical issues, please visit the Federal Service Desk at FSD.gov to search for frequently asked questions.

Already registered in SAM.gov?

Great – you are good to go! Organizations that are already registered with SAM.gov have automatically been assigned a new SAM UEI.

Not yet registered in SAM.gov?

To obtain your organization’s SAM UEI, you will need to request one through SAM.gov – you can do so by visiting this page and clicking the button that says “Get Unique Entity ID.” Note: you will be prompted to log in or create an account through LogIn.gov in order to proceed. Please note that you do not need to complete a full registration (“Register Entity”) with SAM.gov in order to get a SAM UEI. Acquiring a SAM UEI is a free process.

Please note that you do not need to complete a full registration (“Register Entity”) with SAM.gov in order to get a SAM UEI. Acquiring a SAM UEI is a free process. For more information about obtaining your new UEI, you can view a GSA webinar about the new SAM UEI process or view the presentation slide deck for a step-by-step walk-through – instructions for obtaining a UEI without a full registration can be found at time mark 19:47 of the video or page 20 of the presentation slide deck. Or navigate to the Federal Service Desk at FSD.gov if you need assistance with your SAM.gov account or have other technical issues.