Post-Award Requirements

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) awards two types of grants: discretionary and mandatory.

• Discretionary grants and/or cooperative agreements permit the Federal government, according to specific authorizing legislation, to exercise judgment, or "discretion," in selecting the applicant/recipient organization, through a competitive grant process.
• Mandatory grants are those that a Federal agency is required by statute to award if the recipient, usually a state, submits an acceptable State Plan or application and meets the eligibility and compliance requirements of the statutory and regulatory provisions of the grant program.

Please refer to the appropriate grant for further information regarding post-award requirements:

• Discretionary: Competitive Grants
• Mandatory: Formula, Block and Entitlement Grants