🎓 US Grants.gov Federal Funding Opportunity Change Watch

Federal funding opportunities on Grants.gov as they move: new postings, a forecast turning into a live posting, deadline amendments, changes to the award ceiling / floor / estimated funding / number of awards, eligibility changes, cancellations and withdrawals, agency or CFDA programme changes, and changes to the attached documents. Each delta is typed, and you choose which types you want. Keyed on the Grants.gov opportunity id.

## Source
    Grants.gov public Search2 and FetchOpportunity APIs (public, logged-out)
    - https://api.grants.gov/v1/api/search2

• https://api.grants.gov/v1/api/fetchOpportunity

  Public, logged-out only — no API key, login, cookie or CAPTCHA.
  
    ## The eight delta types
    | value | fires when |
    |---|---|
    | `new-opportunity` | an opportunity appears in the watched set |
    | `forecast-to-posted` | status moves `forecasted` → `posted` |
    | `deadline-amendment` | the close date or synopsis response date moves |
    | `funding-range-change` | award ceiling, floor, estimated funding, number of awards or cost sharing changes |
    | `eligibility-change` | the set of eligible applicant types changes |
    | `opportunity-cancellation` | status moves into closed/archived/withdrawn, or the record is delisted |
    | `agency-program` | the agency, agency code or CFDA programme list changes |
    | `opportunity-document-change` | the attached document set changes |
  
    Leave `delta_types` empty for all eight. Every emitted delta carries `delta_kinds`
    naming which ones it satisfied.
  
    The last three need a per-opportunity detail read. Selecting any of them narrows
    the watched set to `max_detail_reads` opportunities, newest first, and uses a
    separate baseline — so a list-mode baseline is never diffed against a detail-mode
    read.
  
    ## Pricing (staging state)
    | Event | Price (FREE tier) |
    |---|---|
    | Actor start (`apify-actor-start`) | $0.02 one-time |
    | Source check (`source-check`) | $0.10 |
  
    `source-check` ladder, GOLD-floored: **$0.10 / $0.09 / $0.08 / $0.067**.
    Charged once per run after the source enumeration terminates — seed runs and
    genuine-zero runs included. It is **not** charged when the source refused the read.
  
    The per-delta value event (`grant-opportunity-delta`) is **not priced yet**. Deltas are
    emitted unbilled until the ratified sheet is filed, and nothing is published first.
  
    ## Snapshot mode is a PREVIEW
    `watch_mode: false` returns at most **25 records**, hard-capped in code, labeled
    `output_mode: "preview"`. This actor sells change detection, not bulk export.
  
    ## Watch semantics
    The first watch run stores a private baseline and emits **zero** deltas. Billed
    deltas are capped at 500 per run; the overflow is a named PARTIAL withholding,
    never billed, and re-detected next run. When a read is truncated, `REMOVED` is
    suppressed rather than reported as a cancellation.
  
    ## Terminal states
    `NORMAL` · `SUCCEEDED-0: GENUINE_EMPTY` · `SUCCEEDED-0` (no change) · `PARTIAL` · `BLOCKED`.
    A zero with no evidence FAILS loud rather than exiting 0 quietly.
  

Output is one grant_opportunity_record row per result; billing is pay-per-event, the value event being one source check (a $0.02 start fee per run, then $0.10 per source check plus one $0.10 source check per run that reads the source). Source: api.grants.gov.

📊 Sample Output

Real rows from run RCthpFTXS3VFBP3Rb on build 0.1.12 (2026-09-17), the same input as the Quick start below — every value is as the source published it (emails masked, long text shortened):

opportunity_number	agency	cfda_list	open_date	opp_status	doc_type
DE-FOA-0003657	Office of Science	["81.049"]	09/17/2026	posted	synopsis
20261209-EDK-EDU	National Endowment for the Humanities	["45.039"]	09/17/2026	posted	synopsis
O-NIJ-2026-172757	National Institute of Justice	["16.560"]	09/16/2026	posted	synopsis
PAR-28-070	National Institutes of Health	["93.989"]	09/16/2026	forecasted	forecast
RFA-MH-27-150	National Institutes of Health	["93.242"]	09/16/2026	forecasted	forecast
PAR-29-002	National Institutes of Health	["93.351"]	09/16/2026	forecasted	forecast
PAR-29-005	National Institutes of Health	["93.859"]	09/16/2026	forecasted	forecast
PDR-2600-DC-0006	Department of Housing and Urban Development	["14.259"]	09/16/2026	forecasted	forecast

The run finished with the status message: NORMAL: emitted 10 item(s)

✅ What you get

Each row is flat JSON with these fields (from the dataset schema and the sample run; a field the source does not publish for a given row is null):

• record_key (string/null) — e.g. grants:363869
• opportunity_id — e.g. 363869
• opportunity_number — e.g. DE-FOA-0003657
• title — e.g. The DOE Quantum Genesis Q Competition
• agency — e.g. Office of Science
• agency_code — e.g. PAMS-SC
• cfda_list — e.g. ["81.049"]
• open_date — e.g. 09/17/2026
• close_date — e.g. 10/19/2026
• opp_status — e.g. posted
• doc_type — e.g. synopsis
• detail_read — e.g. False
• opportunity_url — e.g. https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/363869
• record_type (string) — e.g. grant_opportunity_record
• delta_type (string/null) — null in every sample row
• delta_kinds (array/null) — null in every sample row

⚙️ Sample inputs

1. Quick start — the Store example (this is what the sample above came from)

{
  "delta_types": [
    "new-opportunity",
    "deadline-amendment"
  ],
  "opp_statuses": "forecasted|posted",
  "max_items": 10,
  "max_detail_reads": 10,
  "watch_mode": false,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

The sample run charged exactly: 1 × $0.02 apify-actor-start + 1 × $0.10 source-check = $0.12 on the Free tier — every delivered row was billed.

2. A smaller, narrowed run

{
  "delta_types": [
    "new-opportunity",
    "deadline-amendment"
  ],
  "opp_statuses": "forecasted|posted",
  "max_items": 5,
  "max_detail_reads": 10,
  "watch_mode": false,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

Caps the run at 5 rows — about $0.62 on the Free tier ($0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 5 × $0.10). opp_statuses narrows what the source is asked for.

3. Watch mode on a schedule

{
  "delta_types": [
    "new-opportunity",
    "deadline-amendment"
  ],
  "opp_statuses": "forecasted|posted",
  "max_items": 10,
  "max_detail_reads": 10,
  "watch_mode": true,
  "baseline_id": "default"
}

The first run seeds a private baseline and emits zero deltas; every later run emits one row per change, billed at $0.10 each plus the $0.10 source check; billed deltas are capped at 500 per run.

🧾 JSON sample record

One real record from run RCthpFTXS3VFBP3Rb, exactly as it lands in the dataset (emails masked, long text shortened):

{
  "record_key": "grants:363869",
  "opportunity_id": "363869",
  "opportunity_number": "DE-FOA-0003657",
  "title": "The DOE Quantum Genesis Q Competition",
  "agency": "Office of Science",
  "agency_code": "PAMS-SC",
  "cfda_list": [
    "81.049"
  ],
  "open_date": "09/17/2026",
  "close_date": "10/19/2026",
  "opp_status": "posted",
  "doc_type": "synopsis",
  "detail_read": false,
  "opportunity_url": "https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/363869",
  "record_type": "grant_opportunity_record",
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "output_mode": "preview",
  "preview_cap": 25,
  "preview_truncated": 0
}

🔧 How it works

Source. The actor reads api.grants.gov — endpoints: https://api.grants.gov/v1/api/fetchOpportunity, https://api.grants.gov/v1/api/search2. Public pages and feeds only; nothing behind a login.

Transport. Plain HTTPS from the Apify platform, no proxy. robots.txt is read first and a disallowed path is never fetched. Every request carries an identified contact User-Agent.

Watch semantics. Snapshot mode (watch_mode: false) returns a preview capped at 25 records. Watch mode keys every record on a source-native id, stores a private baseline in a named key-value store, and on each later run emits one delta row per change (new / changed / removed). A blocked fetch is never diffed, so a source outage cannot show up as a mass removal.

Terminal states. A run ends NORMAL, CAPPED (your cap was reached), PARTIAL (something was withheld and the message says what), GENUINE_EMPTY (the source was read and truly had nothing in scope) or BLOCKED (the source refused or changed shape — the run FAILS loud and bills nothing). A zero-row run is never reported as a silent success.

Charging. Each source check is charged at the moment it is pushed (source-check); a row that fails to charge is not delivered, so the dataset count always equals the charged count. One source-check is charged per run that actually read the source.

What is not done. No login, no cookie or CAPTCHA bypass, no private or personal-account data, no browser automation.

⏰ Set it on a schedule

A single run is a snapshot. The value is the feed: open the actor in Apify Console → Schedules → Create new, add this actor with input 3 above (watch_mode: true), and pick a cadence:

• Daily — 0 7 * * * (07:00 UTC): catch changes within a day.
• Weekly — 0 7 * * 1: a Monday digest.

The baseline persists in a named key-value store between runs, so every scheduled run compares against the last one; use a different baseline_id for independent watches. Schedules can also POST results to a webhook (Console → Integrations).

💰 Pricing example

Event	Free	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Actor Start (apify-actor-start)	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02
Source check (source-check)	$0.10	$0.09	$0.08	$0.07

Worked at the live Free-tier price (watch mode, one delta per change):

• 8 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 8 × $0.10 = $0.92
• 25 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 25 × $0.10 = $2.62
• 1000 source checks: $0.02 start + $0.10 source check + 1000 × $0.10 = $100.12

A run that delivers zero rows charges the $0.02 start fee plus the $0.10 source check (the source was read and reported empty). A BLOCKED run (source refused) fails loud and charges no value event. The start fee is charged once per GB of run memory; the default run memory is 1024 MB.

Yield on the sample run: NORMAL: emitted 10 item(s). max_items is a hard ceiling on what is delivered and billed, never a target. Snapshot output is capped at 25 records regardless of the cap you set; watch mode is the full feed.

⚖️ Legal & ToS

This actor reads public, logged-out pages and feeds published by api.grants.gov. It collects only what the source publishes to any visitor, keeps to the source's robots rules (checked on every run), identifies itself with a contact User-Agent, and does not access accounts, private data or anything behind authentication. Use the output in line with the source's terms and your local law; the intended use is B2B research and monitoring.

❓ FAQ

Q: Do I need an API key or a login?
A: No. The source (api.grants.gov) is read logged-out; the input schema has no key field and the actor carries no secrets.

Q: Why did my run return 0 rows?
A: Read the run's status message. GENUINE_EMPTY means the source was read and had nothing in scope for your input (in watch mode the first run always seeds the baseline and returns zero deltas); BLOCKED means the source refused and the run failed without billing a value event — retry later or narrow the input. A zero-row run bills the start fee plus one source check.

Q: How many rows can one run return?
A: Up to max_items (default 1000); snapshot previews stop at 25. Raise the cap for a bigger run; you pay per delivered row.

Q: What does watch mode remember between runs?
A: A private baseline of source-native record ids in a named key-value store (baseline_id names it, so several independent watches can coexist). Each later run diffs the live source against it and emits only changes.

Q: How fresh is the data?
A: Every run reads the source live at run time; nothing is cached between runs except the watch baseline. Put it on a schedule for a continuous feed.

Q: What formats can I export?
A: The dataset downloads as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or RSS from the run's Dataset tab or the Apify API, and any run can push to a webhook or integration.

Q: How is this different from the other grant and research-funding watches actors?
A: Same output shape and billing model; this one covers api.grants.gov. The siblings under Related Actors cover the other sources or slices — run several on one schedule for a combined feed.

🆘 Troubleshooting

• Run FAILED with BLOCKED → the source refused the request or changed its page shape → nothing was billed beyond the start fee; retry after a while, and if it persists open an Issue with the run id.
• Status says CAPPED → your cap (max_items) was reached → raise it for a bigger run.
• Input validation error on start → a field is outside the schema's allowed values → start from the Quick start block and change one field at a time.
• Run TIMED-OUT → a very wide request on a slow day → raise the run timeout in Run options or narrow the input; what was delivered before the timeout is still in the dataset.
• First watch run shows no deltas → expected: it seeds the baseline; changes appear from the second run.

🔗 Related Actors

• US Grants.gov Award Funding Range Change Watch — Changes to award ceiling, floor, or total program funding on posted opportunities. Sourced from the public Grants.gov Search2 and FetchOpportunity AP…
• US Grants.gov New Funding Opportunity Watch — Every newly posted federal funding opportunity on Grants.gov, as it appears. Sourced from the public Grants.gov Search2 and FetchOpportunity APIs, lo…
• US Grants.gov Opportunity Cancellation Watch — Federal funding opportunities withdrawn or cancelled before close. Sourced from the public Grants.gov Search2 and FetchOpportunity APIs, logged-out,…
• US Grants.gov Opportunity Document Change Watch — New or replaced attachments on a posted federal funding opportunity. Sourced from the public Grants.gov Search2 and FetchOpportunity APIs, logged-out…
• US NSF Award End Date Change Watch — US NSF Award End Date Change Watch — one structured record per entity from the official public source, deduplicated, pay-per-record
• US NSF Award Obligation Change Watch — US NSF Award Obligation Change Watch — one structured record per entity from the official public source, deduplicated, pay-per-record
• 🏢 About NexGenData — NexGen Watch is NexGenData's fleet of 256 public monitoring and lookup actors built on official sources, pay-per-result. Browse the catalog at apify.com/nexgenwatch.

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