This Information Web page, prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of Congress, gives guidance and Internet resources on Federal grants and nonfinancial assistance, as well as on private foundation funding.
The Audio/Slide show "Grants Information for Constituents" provides overview and tips, reviews key sources, and demonstrates doing a typical grants request. [Updated March 2004]
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How Best to Find Information |
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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 nonfinancial help.
- Contact federal office indicated in CFDA
program description: see also Federal Agency Contacts in Region/State.
- Search Federal Web sites for special grantseekers, for example the Business Advisor, FirstGov for Government to Government, or FirstGov
for Nonprofits.
- 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 |
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Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (General Services
Administration)
The Catalog
(CFDA), issued annually and updated continuously on the
Web, describes some 1500 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 )
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)
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)
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)
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.
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Related Federal Resources |
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Official Federal Government Web
Sites (via Library of Congress)
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
(via Oklahoma Department of
Libraries)
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)
Federal grants website that allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all federal grant-making agencies. It enables grant seekers to search for federal government-wide grants and to receive notification of future grant opportunities; and it allows organizations to apply for federal grants online through a unified process.
Homeland Security Grants and Training (Dept. of Homeland Security)
Provides information on federal homeland security and public safety grant
opportunities, whether administered by DHS or other departments and agencies.
Critical state and local missions supported through these grants include the
preparedness of first responders and citizens, public health, infrastructure
security, and other public safety activities.
U.S. Business
Advisor (Small Business Administration)
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)
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)
Links to federal department and agency information and services to assist
nonprofit organizations. Examples:
Federal Register (National
Archives)
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)
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)
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)
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.
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Private & Corporate Funding Sources |
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The Foundation
Center
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)
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 |
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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)
(Census)
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)
(Census)
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.
Grants and Other Funding Sources (House Information Resources)
Resource page, compiled for congressional offices, covering public and
private Web links under funding categories such as:
- 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