Grants/Foundations
Congressional offices are frequently asked for guidance by constituents planning projects of benefit to their community. With federal funding cutbacks and competition for grants becoming more intense, proposals need to be carefully thought through to increase the likelihood of their getting funded. Sufficient time should be allowed for all stages of proposal development.
While money is the primary concern of most grant seekers, thought should be given to the kinds of non-monetary contributions that may be available. In many instances, academic institutions, corporations and other nonprofit groups in the community may be willing to contribute technical and professional assistance, equipment or space to a worthy project. Not only will such contributions reduce the amount of money being sought, but evidence of such local support will be viewed favorably by most grant making organizations. If you need immediate assistance, please contact my Kew Gardens office at (718) 520-9001.
Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance
Information web page prepared by the Congressional Research Service for Members of Congress that provides guidance and Internet resources on Federal grants and non-financial assistance, as well as on private foundation funding. The slide show "Grant Information for Constituents" provides an overview and tips, reviews key sources, and demonstrates the process behind a typical grant request. [Updated March 2007]
How Best To Find Information
Find funding programs and learn how to write grant proposals:
Search or browse the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) by Keyword and other indexes for grants, loans, business and non-financial help.
Contact Federal office given in CFDA program description: if indicated, use CFDA Appendix IV: Federal Regional or Local Office Addresses (by Agency or by State). Search federal web sites provided in each CFDA program description for more information, and for State Administering Agencies responsible for managing these programs.
Check current federal grant postings at Grants.gov and apply online. Also, search foundations for project funding: 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's Developing and Writing Grant Proposals, or take the Foundation Center Proposal Writing Short Course.
Key Federal Funding Spots
Grants.gov 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 complete federal program descriptions, see the CFDA below.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 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 may support their projects, and learn the program's objectives, requirements, application procedures and contacts.
Catalog Indexes and Listings Although keyword searching is often a good place to start, you could also browse by broad subject (functional area), by Federal department or agency, or by beneficiary to identify more federal funding programs. CFDA program descriptions refer to local and regional federal office addresses, related programs, and to Office of Management and Budget circulars, all available in full text on the internet.
Developing and Writing Grant Proposals (CFDA) Guidance in formulating federal grant applications, including initial proposal.
Related Federal Resources
A-Z Index of U.S. Departments and Agencies (CFDA) 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 has Government Benefits, Grants and Financial Aid, Homeland Security State Contacts & Grant Award Information (Department of Homeland Security) (Scroll down for state map and programs), and information on federal homeland security and public safety grants. Includes Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Program (UASI), Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), and Assistance to Firefighters.
USA.gov for Business (General Services Administration) Includes contracting with the U.S. government, international trade and exporting, and small business. See also Business.gov and the Small Business Administration web sites.
Disaster Assistance (Federal Emergency Management Agency) FEMA disaster assistance falls into three general categories: Individual and Households; Public Assistance for emergency services and repair or replacement of damaged public facilities; and Hazard Mitigation funding to reduce future losses to public and private property.
USA.gov Government-to-Government (General Services Administration) 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.
USA.gov for Nonprofits (General Services Administration) 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.
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives) The Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, and Labor operate a number of programs to serve Americans in need for which faith-based and community organizations may apply.
FTC Consumer Alert (Federal Trade Commission) Ads claiming the availability of federal grants for home repairs, home businesses and unpaid bills are often a scam. Most sources of grants don’t give money to individuals for personal need (except in disaster situations). The FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, also warns consumers to beware of paying “processing fees” for information that should be free.
OMB Grants Management Web Site (Office of Management and Budget) OMB establishes government-wide grant management policies and guidelines through circulars and common rules. OMB Circulars are cited in Catalog program descriptions and may be printed out in full text.
Private and Corporate Funding Sources
The Foundation Center Provides a gateway to information about private funding sources, the grant-seeking process, guidelines on writing a grant proposal, addresses of state libraries with grant reference collections, and links to other useful Internet web sites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database on foundations, produces print, web and CD-ROM guides and directories, conducts research and publishes studies in the field, and offers a variety of training and educational seminars.
Guide to Funding Research An overview of the funding research process for those seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and grant-making public charities.
