Guidance and key resources to help eligible grantseekers find
information on federal grants, loans, and nonfinancial assistance,
as well as on private funding.
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Prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of
Congress, updated August 2011.
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How Best to Find Information
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- Find out Who is Eligible
for a Grant? Other government websites may be more suitable for personal
needs, student
loans, small business assistance,
or other business
opportunities such as government contracting. The website Government
Benefits, Grants, and Financial Aid may also be of help.
- If eligible, search for programs in
the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA). Includes grants, loans, business and
nonfinancial help.
- Contact federal office given in CFDA program description: if state or local
office is indicated, check Regional
Agency Offices at top of CFDA website for addresses.
- Go to federal websites given in each
CFDA program description for more information and for state
administering agencies responsible for managing funding.
- Check current federal grants opportunities
at Grants.gov, obtain a Dun
and Bradstreet (DUNS) number, register with Central
Contractor Registration (CCR), and apply online (links and
instructions given at the website).
Additional notices appear at FedConnect.
- Search foundations for project
funding: use the Foundation Center website or Foundation Center Cooperating Collections in libraries
to identify national, state, and community foundations.
- Learn how to write grant proposals:
follow CFDA's Developing
and Writing Grant Proposals, or take the free online 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 CFDA, issued annually and updated
continuously on the Web, describes some 1600 federal grants and non
financial assistance programs. Grantseekers can identify programs that
might support their projects and can learn the program's objectives,
requirements, application procedures and contacts. Includes a detailed
subject index; browsable listing of programs by applicant eligibility; and
Appendix VI, Developing and Writing Grant Proposals. Appendix IV gives
state, local and regional offices of federal agencies: if the CFDA program description refers to a state or
regional Information contact, grantseekers should contact them
before applying for funding to obtain the most up-to-date
information. For current notices of funding availability, see Grants.gov or FedConnect.
Grants.gov (managed by Dept. of
Health and Human Services)
Federal website that allows eligible
grantseekers (see Who is Eligible
for a Grant?) to find and apply for current competitive grant
opportunities from ALL federal agencies. Grantseekers can check on notices
of funding availability (NOFAs) posted in the last 7 days; access an RSS
feed of grant opportunities; and apply for federal grants through a
unified process by downloading the application and
submitting online. The website guides grantseekers in obtaining a Dun and
Bradstreet (DUNS) number, registering with Central Contractor
Registration (CCR), and registering with Grants.gov to apply and to
track applications. For full federal program descriptions, see CFDA
below. See also website FedConnect for additional grants and contracts opportunities.
State Single Points of
Contact (Office of Management and Budget)
Under
Executive Order 12372, some states require federal grants applicants to
submit a copy of their application for state government level review and
comment. The state offices listed here coordinate federal financial
assistance and may direct federal development. For help in
identifying state-level grants, other state government agencies websites
may be found at State
and Local Agencies by Topic.
CFDA in Local
Libraries (Government Printing Office)
Although the
Catalog is available full-text on the Internet, some may prefer a
print edition. However, only the Web Catalog is continuously
updated-- the published volume is annual with no supplements. The
Catalog is available in all states in Federal
Depository Libraries.
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Related Federal Resources
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A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments
and Agencies (General Services Administration)
To
better develop a grant proposal, search a department or agency's Home Page
to learn more about its programs and objectives. The site USA.gov also links to Government
Benefits, Grants and Financial Aid.
Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Department of
Energy)
Grants are EERE's primary funding vehicle for businesses,
industries, universities and others. Most EERE grants are awarded on merit
on a competitive basis. EERE financial assistance opportunities are listed
in the Financial
Opportunities by Audience database and on Grants.gov or FedConnect. For state-by-state
information on state, local. utility, and federal incentives that promote
renewable energy and energy efficiency, search DSIRE (Database of State Incentives
for Renewables and Efficiency).
Homeland Security Open for Business --
Grants (Dept. of Homeland Security)
Most Homeland Security
non-disaster grant programs are designated for state and local governments
and specific entities such as colleges, etc. Unsolicited applications from
individuals are generally not accepted. Includes Urban Area Security
Initiative, Citizens Corps, Medical Response System, Operation Stonegarden
(border security), Infrastructure Protection. Contact homeland security State Offices. Programs for firefighters
may be found at Assistance to
Firefighters.
USA.gov for Business
(GSA)
Includes contracting with the federal
government, international trade and exporting, and small business. See
also financial assistance links at the Small Business
Administration website.
USA.gov
for Nonprofits (GSA)
Links to federal
department and agency information and service 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. The White House Office of Faith
Based and Neighborhood Partnerships includes information on Grants
and Resources.
Student
Aid on the Web (Department
of Education)
Financial assistance for education beyond high school is
generally "needs-based" and often includes loans and work-study, in
addition to some grants. College and university applications, websites,
and brochures usually include financial aid information for prospective
and incoming students.
GovBenefits.gov (via Department of
Labor)
Government grants are not direct assistance to
individuals, but fund state and local programs providing help to those in
need. This online screening site can be used to identify state and local
government benefits and how to apply. Covers direct payments, loans,
insurance, training, or other services.
FTC Consumer
Alert (Federal Trade Commission)
The FTC warns
consumers to beware of paying "processing fees" for information that is
available free to the public. Ads claiming federal grants are available
for home repairs, home business, unpaid bills, or other personal expenses
are often a scam.
OMB Grants
Management (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 and may be printed out fulltext.
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Private and Corporate Funding Sources
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The Foundation Center
Gateway to
information about private funding sources, the grantseeking process,
guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with
grants reference collections, and links to other useful Internet websites.
The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations; produces
print and electronic directories and guides; conducts research and
publishes studies in the field; and offers a variety of training and
educational seminars.
Grants
Resources by State (Grantsmanship
Center)
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.
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Tracking Federal Funds
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- USAspending.gov
(OMB)
A free, searchable database of federal government spending
based upon Census and General Services Administration statistical
data. Use Advanced Search page to generate displays and reports by place of performance, including by congressional district; or by federal department or agency.
- Federal Aid
to States (Census Bureau)
FAS details actual
expenditures of federal grant funds to state and local governments.
Figures are presented to the state level by program area and agency.
- Consolidated
Federal Funds Report (Census Bureau)
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.