Grant Opportunities

I am committed to helping individuals, groups and businesses in the San Fernando Valley to apply for funding that can help accomplish important goals for community growth. For most grant requests, Congressional staff will require information in order to be of utmost assistance.

This normally includes background information on your organization, including your organization’s history, goals, activities, primary accomplishments, any letters of support you may have and if you have a 501(c)(3) status. Finally, a formal Grant Proposal Request is required.

This page can serve as a great resource for the myriad information online about how to secure a grant. Before you start, please be aware that most Federal funding goes to State and local governments, and organizations providing community service, not individuals.

So, let’s get started --

BEGIN:

Learn about different types of grants.

The reports below were prepared by the Congressional Research Service to explain more about grants.

• How Best to Find Information
• Key Federal Funding Sources
• Related Federal Sources
• Private and Corporate Funding

ELIGIBILITY:

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.

To be eligible, you may also need to obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number or register with System for Award Management (SAM).

FIND YOUR FUNDING:

To search for a grant, visit www.grants.gov, a free online 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 (NOFA) 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.

Another great site where you can find grant information is www.cfda.gov. The Catalog (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.  Please note that the grant opportunities on www.cfda.gov are both open and closed- this is helpful to see what is and has been out there, but make sure to check that the grant you are interested in is still open and the deadline has not passed.

If you are not looking for a true grant, but another source of funding, these sites might be useful:

• www.govbenefits.gov: Benefits or entitlements to individuals
• www.sba.gov: Loans to businesses
• www.studentaid.ed.gov: Assistance to students
• www.Fedbizopps.gov: Federal contracts

ONCE YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR FUNDING:

Learn how to write grant proposals: follow CFDA’s Developing and Writing Grant Proposals.

If a letter of support or a letter of interest is needed by your organization for your grant application, Congressman Cárdenas is able to assist with writing one of these letters. Please contact our office with a summary of the grant and a template letter. This will be reviewed and submitted to Congressman Cárdenas for his possible approval.

NEED MORE HELP?

RELATED RESOURCES:

A-Z Index of U.S. 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.net. 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 -- Grants Funding State, Local and Tribal Governments (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 U.S. 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 Initiatives includes information on Grants and Resources

Student Aid on the Web (Dept. of Education)
Information on funding education beyond high school, including grants, loans, and work-study assistance to qualified students.

GovBenefits.gov (via Department of Labor)
Includes information on over 1,000 government assistance programs, and how to apply. Covers direct payment, loan, 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 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 and may be printed out fulltext.

Grant 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.

The Federal Register 
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential Documents.

Federal Agency Contacts by State 

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.

Business and Nonprofit Gateway 
A network of links to Federal government information services.

U.S. State and Local Gateway 
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.