As your Congressman, I often have the opportunity to help folks in the 3rd District obtain information on federal grant money that can be used for various local and private projects. Please print the Grant Request Form below and mail or fax it to my district office nearest you. You may also send a letter detailing your project(s) or proposal(s) including your name, address, phone number and the type of grant information you are seeking. Additionally, you may conduct your own search by going to the online version of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at www.cfda.gov or visiting your local library.

Mail or fax all forms to:

RELEASE FORM IN HTML
Link: http://www.house.gov/wamp/grants_form.shtm
The HTML format requires you to print out the release form and hand write the requested information before mailing it in. If you have an older computer use this format.

RELEASE FORM IN INTERACTIVE PDF FORMAT
Link: http://www.house.gov/wamp/grants_form.pdf
The interactive format allows you to type in the requested information on your computer screen so that when you print it out, everything is filled in. All you have to do is sign and mail it to one of my district offices. I encourage you to use this format whenever possible.

Grant Information

Where To Find Information

The key source for information about federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, published annually with a mid-year supplement. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and agencies of the federal government.

Program information is available, such as: the federal agency administering a program, the legislation which authorizes the program, the objectives and goals of program, the types of financial and nonfinancial assistance provided, the uses and restrictions on that assistance, eligibility requirements, application and award process (including deadlines), the criteria for selecting proposals, the information contacts, and information on formula and matching requirements, where applicable.

Updated information on federal programs also appears in the daily Federal Register http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.

Useful Terms

There are many types of assistance available. The list below will define some of the commonly used terminology.

Grants. Grants are generally considered desirable since they are an outright award of funds.

• Formula Grants - allocations of money to states or their subdivisions for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project
• Project Grants - funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects or the delivery of specific services or products, including fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, construction grants, and unsolicited contractual agreements
• Direct Payments for Specified Use - federal financial assistance provided directly to individuals, private firms, and other private institutions to encourage or subsidize a particular activity
• Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use - federal financial assistance provided directly to beneficiaries who satisfy federal eligibility requirements with no restrictions as to how the money is spent

Loans. Since loans must be repaid, they are often viewed by applicants as less desirable than grants. However, with the reduction of federal funds available for grants and the increasing level of competition for such funds, loans are often the only form of assistance available.

• Direct Loans - the lending of federal funds for a specific period of times, with a reasonable expectation of repayment; may or may not require the payment of interest
• Guaranteed/Insured Loans - programs in which the federal government makes an arrangement to indemnify a lender against part or all of any defaults by those responsible for repayment of loans

Insurance. Some federal programs provide financial assistance to assure reimbursement for losses sustained under specified conditions. Coverage may be provided directly by the federal government or through private carriers and may or may not require the payment of premiums.

Goods and Properties.

• Sale, Exchange, or Donation of Property and Goods - programs which provide for the sale, exchange, or donation of federal real property, personal property, commodities, and other goods including land, buildings, equipment, food, and drugs
• Use of Property, Facilities, and Equipment - programs which provide for the loan of, use of, or access to federal facilities or property wherein the federally-owned facilities or property do not remain in the possession of the recipient of the assistance

Services, Information, Training, and Employment.

• Provision of Specialized Services - programs which provide federal personnel to directly perform certain tasks for the benefit of communities or individuals
• Advisory Services and Counseling - programs which provide federal specialists to consult, advise, or counsel communities or individuals, to include conferences, workshops, or personal contacts
• Dissemination of Technical Information - programs which provide for the publication and distribution of information or data of a specialized technical nature frequently through clearinghouses or libraries
• Training - programs which provide instructional activities conducted directly by a federal agency for individuals not employed by the federal government
• Investigation of Complaints - federal administrative agency activities that are initiated in response to requests, either formal or informal, to examine or investigate claims of violations of federal statutes, policy, or procedure
• Federal Employment - programs which reflect the government-wide responsibilities of the Office of Personnel Management in the recruitment and hiring of federal civilian agency personnel

Grant Writing

The Foundation Center and other organizations publish guides to writing grant proposals. The Foundation Center also offers a mini "Proposal Writing Course" on its web site, www.fdncenter.org. Computer software templates are for sale and can be found by searching the Internet under terms such as "grant proposal" AND template.

Below are some suggestions for writing a proposal:

Allow sufficient time to prepare a thoroughly documented proposal, well before the application deadline. If possible, have someone outside the organization critique the proposal prior to submission.

Follow the instructions given in the application form or in other material provided by the agency or foundation. Answer questions as asked.

See that the proposal is clear and brief. Avoid jargon. Take pains to make the proposal interesting. Reviewing panels have limited time to devote to any single proposal. Whenever possible, fit the style of the proposal to the style of the agency or foundation being approached.

When no form or instructions for submitting grant proposals are provided, the proposal should include:

1. A cover letter on the applicant's letterhead giving a brief description of the purpose and amount of the grant proposal, conveying the applicant's willingness to discuss the proposal in further detail.
2. A half-page summary that includes identification of the applicant, the reasons for the request, proposed objectives and means to accomplish them, along with the total cost of the project, an indication of funds already obtained, and the amount being requested for this grant.
3. An introduction, in which the history, credentials, and accomplishments of the applicant are presented briefly (supporting documents can be included in an appendix).
4. A description of current conditions demonstrating the need for the proposed project.
5. A statement of the project's objectives in specific, measurable terms.
6. A description of the methods to be used to accomplish these objectives.
7. A description of the means by which the project will be monitored and evaluated.
8. A discussion of plans for continuing the project beyond the period covered by the grant.
9. A detailed budget.

More Grant Information