Cost sharing and matching funds in federal grants, explained
Cost sharing, or matching, is the part of a project's cost that the grant recipient pays rather than the federal grant. A notice might require a 1 to 1 match, meaning every federal dollar must be matched by one from you. The match can often be cash or in-kind contributions such as staff time or donated space, but only what the notice and the federal rules allow.
Updated October 31, 2026
How a match works
Suppose a program funds a project of $200,000 and requires a 1 to 1 match. The grant pays $100,000 and your organization must contribute the other $100,000, in cash or in allowable in-kind contributions. The match must go to the same project, be documented like any other project cost, and usually cannot come from another federal grant.
In-kind contributions are goods and services rather than money: donated equipment, the use of a building, or volunteer and staff time. Each has to be valued and recorded. The rules for what counts are in the federal Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200.306, and the notice can add its own limits.
Reading the notice
The notice of funding opportunity says whether cost sharing is required and how much. On Grants.gov it also appears as a yes or no field, which is what our grant pages show under “Cost sharing”. If the field says no, offering a match voluntarily rarely helps; reviewers score the criteria in the notice.
Finding grants without a match
Our list of federal grants with no matching funds required collects every open and forecast opportunity whose notice says no cost sharing is needed. It is a good starting point for small organizations without spare cash.
Questions people ask
Do all federal grants require a match?
No. Cost sharing applies only when the program's law or the notice requires it. Many grants require none, and our list of grants with no matching funds required shows the open ones.
Can volunteer time count as a match?
Often, yes, valued at a reasonable rate, if the notice allows in-kind contributions. The federal rules on cost sharing are in 2 CFR 200.306.
What happens if I promise more match than required?
Once it is in your approved budget, it becomes a commitment you must meet and document, so only offer what you can deliver.