Grants and Appropriations PDF Print E-mail

Events


Congressman Sestak's Office Hosted Grants and Appropriations Information Sessions

 

Resources

Introduction

Government funding comes in many different forms.  Below discusses several of the more common forms, individual benefits, appropriations, grants, and procurement, but this list is far from exclusive.

  • Individual benefits: Individual benefits are often called “entitlements,” and include Social Security benefits, Medicare, VA benefits, etc.  For more information or assistance with individual benefits, please contact the Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District Office at 610-892-8623 or by mail at 600 N. Jackson Street, Suite 203, Media, PA 19063 or visit (http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal).
  • Appropriations: Often referred to as “earmarks,” appropriations are usually large projects that are specifically placed in appropriations bills for limited purposes (i.e. not on-going operations). Forms to apply for an appropriation are available beginning in January by visiting www.sestak.house.gov. contacting the District Office at 610-892-8623, or requesting by mail at 600 N. Jackson Street, Suite 203, Media, PA 19063.  The forms must be completed and returned electronically by the designated deadline (usually mid-February).  Appropriations are approved once the appropriation bill containing it passes both houses and is signed by the President.  This can happen as early as late fall, but in the last several decades,the process has often extended to the end of the year, and in some cases into the beginning of the next year.  It should also be noted that recent actions by Congress have dramatically cut funds available for appropriations
  • Grants: As the amount of money going to appropriations has decreased, more money has been funneled into the competitive grant process.  Federal grant dollars are designated for federally administered grants, but large block grants are also given to states and local governments to administer.  Even though a grant may come from a Pennsylvania department, quite often the source of the funding is a federal block grant.  In addition to government grant money, hundreds of foundations and individuals offer grant opportunities and these should not be overlooked.
  • Procurement: Whether you are a small company or a large company, there are often government procurement opportunities available to you.  One way to learn more about the procurement process is to attend the yearly PA 7th Congressional District’s procurement summit.  This event brings together government procurement officials, large government contractors, and area businesses to provide educational and networking opportunities, facilitating regional access to federal procurement dollars.  If you are interested in attending, please state so in an email by visiting http://www.sestak.house.gov/contact or contact the District Office at 610-892-8623 or by mail at 600 N. Jackson Street, Suite 203, Media, PA 19063 to ensure you are on the notification list for this event.  In the meantime, visit http://www.usa.gov/Business/Business_Gateway.shtml or https://www.fbo.gov/ to learn more about the federal government procurement process.  Additional assistance is available through the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.  To find the center closest to you, contact Clyde Stoltzfus at 215-898-1219 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Grant Basics

  • Need and Plan: Determine your need and formulate a plan for implementation.
  • Find opportunity: Search or browse the federal, state, and private catalogs for potential grant opportunities that fit your need.  This may require some creative thinking.  Often grant solicitations will describe what they do not want, but will not fully explain what they will accept.
  • Contact grant technician:  Once you have identified potential funding sources, it is often recommended that you contact the grant technician at the granting source to discuss the application process and how best to present your grant request in a way that maximizes the chances of award selection.
  • Check regularly:  Check the sites weekly for new grant postings.
  • Write proposal:  Learn how to write grant proposals. (see below for grant writing resources)

Grant Writing Resources

How Congressman Sestak can be of Further Assistance

  • Match up local groups working toward the same goals
  • Direct the applicant to grant writing aid sources
  • Review grant applications
  • Write letters of support
  • Follow-up with grant sources on the status of the grant

Federal Resources

  • Grants.gov (www.Grants.gov)  - A Federal Grants web site that allows organizations to electronically find and apply for current competitive grant opportunities from ALL Federal agencies. Grant seekers can check on notices of funding availability posted in the last seven days; sign up to receive e-mail notification of future grant opportunities; and apply for Federal grants online through a unified process. For full Federal program descriptions, see CFDA below.
  • Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html) - The Catalog (CFDA), issued annually and updated continuously on the Web, describes some 1,600 Federal grants and non-financial assistance programs. Grant seekers can identify programs that might support their projects and can learn the program's objectives, requirements, application procedures and contacts. For current notices of funding availability, see Grants.gov.  A hard copy of the catalog can be obtained through the Government Printing Office (http://bookstore.gpo.gov/ or 1-866-512-1800) or by visiting a Federal Depository Library. Some local Federal Depository Libraries include: Norristown Public Library, Ursinus College Myrin Library, Swarthmore College McCabe Library, Villanova University Law School Library, and West Chester University Francis Harvey Green Library. A complete list can be found at (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html).
  • Federal Funds Express (http://www.house.gov/ffr/resources_all.shtml) - This website lists recommended sources of information for researching grants, procurement, and other resources on the Internet.
  • USA.gov Government-to-Government (http://www.usa.gov/Government/State_Local.shtml)- Thousands of grants and loans are made by the Federal government to State and local governments, as well as 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.
  • USA.gov for Nonprofits and Businesses (http://www.usa.gov/Business/Business_Gateway.shtml) - Links to Federal Department and Agency information and services for nonprofit organizations, including fundraising and outreach, grants, loans and other assistance, laws and regulations, management and operations, online services, registration and licensing, and tax information.

State

The Small Business Advantage Grant Program administered  by the PA DEP is now OPEN for new applications. Click here for more information: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/financial_assistance/10495/advantage_grant/553249

Local/Non-Government Resources

  • The Foundation Center (http://www.foundationcenter.org/) - A gateway to information about private funding sources, the grant-seeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of State libraries with grants reference collections, and links to other useful websites. 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.
  • Regional Foundation Center (http://libwww.freelibrary.org/rfc/) - Informs the local nonprofit sector through research, resources and referrals. The RFC houses Philadelphia’s largest publicly accessible collection of print and electronic resources on fundraising, nonprofit management, general philanthropy and institutional advancement. The RFC also provides free access to the Foundation Directory Online--the most comprehensive database of U.S. grant makers and their grants. Through its comprehensive collection and professionally certified staff librarians, the RFC promotes responsible nonprofit management and successful fundraising by nonprofit groups at all levels-- from grassroots startups to established institutions.
  • Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central, 1901 Vine Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, 9am - 5 pm
    • First Saturday of each month, 1pm- 5 pm
    • Programs: Orientations may be scheduled for your group of three or more persons; appointments are not otherwise required. Learn more about attending programs, scheduling appointments, or avoiding crowds by calling in advance: 215-686-5423.
  • Delaware Valley Grantmakers (http://www.dvg.org/) - Regional resource for networking, news and information on grantmaking and philanthropy in the greater Philadelphia and neighboring regions.
  • National Association of Counties (http://www.naco.org/) - The Association’s website contains a grant clearing house of resource opportunities for counties.
  • Grant Resources by State (Grantsmanship Center) (http://www.tgci.com/funding/state.asp?statename=Pennsylvania&statefile;=pennsylvania&statecode;=PA&stateurl;=http://www.state.pa.us/) - Click on State map to find links to information about a state's foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs and the State's home page.
  • Grants for Nonprofits (http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2sgalpha.htm)
  • Philanthropic Studies Library - Subject Links: (http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/special/psl/index.html)
  • GuideStar (www.guidestar.org) - Offers a searchable database of over 700,000 U.S. nonprofit organizations.
  • Nonprofit Gateway (www.nonprofit.gov) - Provides links to Federal government information and services.
  • Philanthropy News Network (www.pnnonline.org) - Information for the nonprofit sector, also provides free e-mail alerts twice weekly.
  • Women’s Funding Network (http://www.wfnet.org/) - The Women's Funding Network is 135 organizations that fund women's solutions across the globe. The Network gives women the money and tools to transform their ideas into lasting change -- in every critical area from combating poverty to achieving advances in healthcare, education and human rights.