Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance

GRANTS INFORMATION
for Constituents

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This Information Web page, prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of Congress, gives guidance and key Internet resources on Federal grants and nonfinancial assistance, as well as private foundation funding. [Updated August, 2003]
checkmark How Best to Find Information
checkmark Key Federal Funding Sources
checkmark Related Federal Sources
checkmark Private and Corporate Funding
checkmark Geographic Tracking of Federal Funds
checkmark Additional Sources

How Best to Find Information

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Find funding programs and learn how to write grant proposals:

  1. Search or browse the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) by Keyword or other indexes for federal grants, loans, business and nonfinancial assistance.
  2. Contact federal office indicated in CFDA program description: State or regional addresses and telephone numbers are given in CFDA  Appendix IV: Federal Agency Contacts in Region/State.
  3. Search other Web sites that access federal program and grants information for special grantseekers, for example the Business Advisor, the State and Local [government] Gateway, or the FirstGov for Nonprofits.
  4. Search also for Private Foundations that might be interested in a project. Use the Foundation Center Web site or Foundation Center book collections in libraries to identify national, state, and community foundations.
  5. Learn how to write grant proposals: follow CFDA guidelines Developing and Writing Grant Proposals, or take the Foundation Center Proposal Writing Short Course.

Key Federal Funding Sources

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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (General Services Administration)
[http://www.cfda.gov]
The Catalog (CFDA), issued annually and updated continuously on the Web, describes some 1,400 federal grants and non financial assistance programs administered by the departments and agencies of the federal government. It helps grantseekers identify programs that meet specific objectives of their projects and is intended to improve coordination and communication between the federal government and state and local applicants for federal assistance.

Catalog Indexes and Listings  (GSA )
[http://www.cfda.gov/public/faprs.htm/]
Although keyword searching is often a good place to start, also browse by broad subject, by federal department or agency, or by recipient category to identify more federal funding programs. CFDA program descriptions may provide direct links to local and regional federal office addresses, to related programs, and to Office of Management and Budget circulars.

Developing and Writing Grant Proposals  (CFDA)
[http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-writing.htm]
Guidance in formulating federal grant applicatiolns, including initial proposal development, basic components of a proposal, review recommendations, and referral to federal guidelines and literature.

Federal Agency Contacts in Region/State  (CFDA Appendix IV)
[http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-app4-index.htm]
Much of the federal grants budget moves to the states through formula and block grants -- state, regional, and local federal offices often handle grants applications and funds disbursement. Each federal agency hass its own procedures: if the CFDA program description refers to a state or regional Information Contact as listed inAppendix IV, grantseekers should contact the federal department or agency office listed here before applying for funding to obtain the most up-to-date information.

State 'Single Points of Contact'  (Office of Management and Budget)
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html]
Under Executive Order 12372 of 1962, federal grants applicants may be required to submit a copy of their application for state government level review and comment. The state offices listed here coordinate government (both federal and state) grants development and provide guidance to grantseekers.

CFDA in Print (Government Printing Office)
Although the Catalog is available full-text on the Internet, some may prefer to consult a printed version. Users should remember only the Web Catalog is updated throughout the year-- the published volume is annual with no mid-year supplements.

Related Federal Resources

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Official Federal Government Web Sites
[http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/executive/fed.html]
To better develop a grant proposal, search a department or agency's Home Page to learn more about its programs and objectives. Some government departments or agencies have Web pages specifically designed for specific types of grantseekers (see below).

Los Sitios Web Federales en Espaņol  (Oklahoma Department of Libraries)
[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/usinfo/topiclists/us-spanish.htm]
Federal Websites in Spanish describing programs of key U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, including Commerce, Small Business Administration, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Grants.gov (Dept. of Health and Human Services)
[http://www.grants.gov]
A pilot site for the federal government's E-Grants initiative (FedBizOps) which will provide potential grant applicants with a single location for finding federal funding opportunities, applying for and managing federal grants, as well as facilitating "the quality, coordination, effectiveness and efficiency of operations for grant makers and grant recipients."

U.S. Business Advisor (Small Business Administration)
[http://www.business.gov/]
Small Business Administration Web page intended to provide business with one-stop access to federal government information, services, and transactions. Covers business development, laws and regulations, international trade, work place issues, and buying and selling.

FirstGov Government-to-Government (for State and Local Governments; GSA)
[http://www.firstgov.gov/Government/State_Local/Grants.shtml]
Thousands of grants and loans are made by the federal government to state and local governments and other public entities. This site provides one-stop access to grants management and federal assistance programs, in addition to resources about acquisition and procurement, financial management, and taxes.

FirstGov for Businesses and Nonprofits (GSA)
[http://www.firstgov.gov/Business/Nonprofit.shtml]
Links to federal department and agency information and services to assist nonprofit organizations. Examples:

Federal Register (National Archives)
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html]
The Federal Register, printed each business day, publishes updates and notices affecting federal assistance programs. Scroll down to check current year; scroll down further to enter Catalog program number, or subject/keyword "AND CFDA" in Search Terms box.

Federal Funding Report  (House Information Resources)
[http://www.house.gov/ffr/]
Weekly compilation of items published in the Federal Register which affect federal domestic assistance programs. The summary consists of three parts:(1) Federal Register Summary, (2) Early Warning Grants Report, and (3) Disaster Loan Applications.

Notices of Funding Availability   (via Department of Agriculture)
[http://ocd1.usda.gov/nofa.htm]
Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) are announcements that appear in the Federal Register inviting applications for federal grant programs. This page allows you to generate a customized listing of NOFAs by date, by broad subject terms, or by department/agency.

OMB Grants Management Web Site (Office of Management and Budget)
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/index.html]
OMB establishes government-wide grants management policies and guidelines through circulars and common rules.  OMB Circulars  are cited in Catalog program descriptions: some program descriptions on the Internet version of the Catalog link directly to OMB Circulars required for program management, others just give OMB Circular numbers, which may then be printed fulltext from this Web site.

Private & Corporate Funding Sources

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The Foundation Center
[http://www.foundationcenter.org/]
Gateway to information about private funding sources (including national, state, community, and corporate foundations), the grantseeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with grants reference collections, and links to other useful Internet Web sites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations; produces print, Web, and CD-ROM directories and guides; conducts research and publishes studies in the field; and offers a variety of training and educational seminars.

The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI)
[http://www.tgci.com/]
In addition to useful links to government resources, this site includes information on community foundations and international funding. Community Foundations (by State) are often particularly interested in local projects and maintain diverse grants programs. TGCI also offers publications, training, and workshops in proposal writing, grantsmanship, and fund raising for nonprofit organizations and government.

Additional Sources

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Geographic Tracking of Federal Funds
Two U.S. Census Bureau publications are the federal government's primary printed documents detailing the geographic distribution of federal monies to States, Counties, and Congressional Districts:

  1. Federal Aid to States  (FAS) (Census)
    [http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/fas.html]
    FAS details actual expenditures of federal grant funds to state and local governments only. Figures are presented to the state level by program area and agency.
  2. Consolidated Federal Funds Report  (CFFR) (Census)
    [http://www.census.gov/govs/www/cffr.html]
    In CFFR, grants generally represent obligations and include payments both to state and local governments and to nongovernmental recipients. Data are provided for state and county levels.

Federal Funds Expre$$ (House Information Resources)
[http://www.house.gov/ffr/Grants_Other.htm]
This resource page, compiled for congressional offices, covers public and private Web links under a variety of funding categories, including: