Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance
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This information page, prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of Congress, gives guidance and key links to information on Federal Grants and non-financial assistance, as well as to private foundation funding.
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Grants Overview Program
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Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance: Information for Grant seekers
(Slide show, 20 min. Use headphones or speakers). |
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How
Best to Find Information |
Find funding programs and learn how to write grant proposals:
- Search or browse the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) by keyword
or other indexes for federal grants, loans,
business and non-financial assistance.
- 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.
- Search other Web sites that
access Federal program and grants information
for special Grant seekers, for example the
Business Advisor, the State
and Local [government] Gateway, or the Non-Profit
[organizations] Gateway.
- 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.
- Learn how to write grant proposals: follow
CFDA guidelines Developing
and Writing Grant Proposals, or take the Foundation
Center Proposal
Writing "Short Course".
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Key Federal
Funding Sources (top of page) |
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Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance
[http://www.cfda.gov]
The Catalog (CFDA), published twice a year by the
General Services Administration (GSA), describes some
1,400 federal grants and non financial assistance programs
administered by the departments and agencies of the
federal government. It helps users identify programs
that meet specific objectives of applicant projects
and is intended to improve coordination and communication
between the federal government and state and local
applicants for federal assistance.
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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.
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Developing
and Writing Grant Proposals (CFDA) [http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-writing.htm]
Guidance in formulating federal grant applications,
including initial proposal development, basic components
of a proposal, review recommendations, and referral
to federal guidelines and literature.
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Federal
Agency Contacts in Region/State (CFDA
Appendix IV) [http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-app4-index.htm]
Much of the federal grant 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 has its own procedures: if the CFDA program description refers to a state or regional Information Contact as listed in Appendix IV, constituents/applicants should contact the federal department or agency office listed here before applying for funding to obtain the most up-to-date information. |
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State
Single Points of Contact (CFDA) [http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ispocs.htm] 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 grants seekers.
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CFDA
in Print, CD-ROM, and Disk (Government
Printing Office, GSA) [http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-order.htm]
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Related Federal Resources (top of page)
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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 grant seekers
(see below).
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Federal
Commons [http://www.cfda.gov/federalcommons/]
Part of a federal Web site with one-stop access to
all online U.S. government resources for grants. This section groups programs by broad subject categories.
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U.S. Business Advisor [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.
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U.S.
State and Local Gateway [http://www.statelocal.gov/]
Web site developed to give state and local governments
easy access to federal government information. Includes
federal partnership programs links for states, city
management, counties, legislatures, governors, cities, and mayors.
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U.S.
Government Nonprofit Gateway [http://www.nonprofit.gov/index.html] Links to federal department and agency information and services to assist nonprofit organizations. Examples:
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Federal Register (National Archives) [http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.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.
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Today's Federal Register & Archives (Grantsmanship Center) [http://www.tgci.com/resources/federal/ffed.html] Under section Today's Federal Register,
gives current day's grants announcements, department
and agency announcements of grant application review
meetings, grant awards, deadlines, requests for comments
on agency procedures, new rule reminders, and special events.
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Notices
of Funding Availability (via Department of Agriculture) [http://ocd.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.
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OMB
Grants Management Web Site (Office
of Management & 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
from this Web site. |
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Private
& Corporate Funding Sources (top of page) |
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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 grant seeking 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.
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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.
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Additional
Sources (top of page) |
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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:
- Where to Find Federal Grants
- How to Apply for Grants
- Help with Managing the Grant Process
- Foundations
- Nonprofit Charitable Organizations
- Corporate Charitable Giving
- Small Business Resources
- International Trade & Development
- State & Local Govt. Funding Resources
- Disaster Assistance
- Money for College
- Scholarships - Specific Fields of Study
- Internships/Summer Employment
- Computers for Schools and Communities
- Other Educational Resources
- Surplus & Unclaimed Property
- Consumer Protection
- Demographic and Statistical Resources
- Other Helpful Resources
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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.
Federal Aid to States (FAS) U.S. Dept. of Census [http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/fas.html]
The publications are issued approximately 6 months after the close of a fiscal year. 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.
Consolidated Federal Funds Report (CFFR) U.S. Dept. of 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 is provided for state and county levels.
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Last updated 7/14/02. |