Order Code RS20514
Updated April 16, 2001
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Grants Information for Constituents
Merete F. Gerli
Information Management Specialist
Information Research Division
Summary
This report describes key sources of information on government and private grants
for state and community projects. Constituents, who know their projects best, may
search for grants information on the Internet and in printed reference sources. For
federal grants, loans, or nonfinancial help, all programs in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance can be searched by keyword and a number of browsable indexes
such as subject, department or agency, and target beneficiary. Federal Web sites provide
information and guidance, and give rules, regulations, and updates. Organization Web
sites such as the Foundation Center describe sources on private, corporate, and
community foundations. They also offer guides to writing grants proposals. This report
will be updated yearly.
Introduction
Constituents seeking funding for projects need first to gather information about what
grants assistance is available. Many state and local governments, nonprofit social service
groups and community action organizations, small businesses, and individuals approach
congressional offices for help in identifying grants. Though many hope for federal funding,
such assistance is limited. Gathering federal program information and contacting federal
agencies early in the process, before submitting formal applications, is recommended.
Grant seekers should also investigate private or corporate foundation funding: community
foundations, for example, are often especially interested in providing money for local
projects.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is the primary source of information on
federal grants and nonfinancial assistance programs, although actual funding depends upon
annual budget appropriations. For example, some programs may exist in the Catalog, but
receive no funding in a certain budget year. The Catalog in print and on the World Wide
Web can be searched using various indexes, including keyword searching, and browsable
listings by department, agency, program, subject, and recipient. The Internet version also
links to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars affecting programs.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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The printed Catalog is widely available in libraries in all states. Grant seekers can ask
for a copy at a local library; or obtain a list of government depository libraries throughout
the country via the Internet at [http://www.gpo.gov/libraries].
Both the printed and Web versions of the Catalog include “Appendix IV: Agency
Regional and Local Offices.” These offices often handle federal grant applications and
disbursement of funds. Since legislation in every Congress may significantly change
programs and their annual budgets, constituents should contact these offices early in the
process before applying for federal funds.
State government departments and agencies also fund projects and administer federal
block grants, but information on state programs is not as easily accessible as federal
resources on the Web. The printed and Web Catalogs include a “State Single Points of
Contact” for grant seekers wanting general guidance on government grants activity in a
particular state. Also, various Internet sites access state government Web pages, and
constituents may wish to search agency by agency to contact appropriate offices for
information. One example is: [http://www.nasire.org/stateSearch/]. Other sites may be
found via search engines under keywords or phrases such as: “state governments” AND
grants.
Because federal funding is very limited, sources of private funding should also be
considered. For example, the Foundation Center publications and its Internet Web site
identify state and community foundations that may be particularly interested in funding
local projects.
For those seeking printed sources, the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance,
Foundation Center directories, and other grants publications are available in local libraries.
Terms to identify relevant books include “grants,” “grants-in-aid,” “foundation grants,”
“research grants,” “block grants,” and “proposal writing for grants.”
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Washington, Government Printing Office.
Annual with midyear supplement.
General Services Administration site
[http://www.cfda.gov/]
Health and Human Services site
[http://aspe.hhs.gov/cfda/index.htm]
The Catalog describes some 1,400 federal domestic assistance programs, financial
and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by the departments and agencies of the
federal government. It is the primary source of information about federal grants programs,
although actual funding depends upon annual budget appropriations. For each program,
the Catalog defines objectives of the program, eligibility requirements, the application and
award process, post assistance requirements, past fiscal year obligations and future
estimates, program accomplishments and examples of funded projects, related programs,
and information contacts, including regional or local offices of federal agencies if
applicable. All of the program descriptions, indexes, and appendixes of the printed
Catalog are searchable electronically for free on the World Wide Web.

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Catalog Indexes
! Search by keyword
[http://www.cfda.gov/query/query.htm]
! Broad subject or topic index
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ifun.htm]
! Target or beneficiary group index
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/iben.htm]
Browse Programs
! listed alphabetically
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ialph.htm]
! by federal department
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/idept.htm]
! by independent, and other agencies
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ideptaa.htm]
Developing and Writing Grant Proposals
[http://aspe.hhs.gov/cfda/ia6.htm]
This site (Catalog Appendix VI) provides guidance in formulating federal grant
applications, including initial proposal development, basic components of a proposal,
review recommendations, and referral to federal guidelines and literature.
State Single Points of Contact
[http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-spocs.asp]
Some states require that federal grant applicants submit a copy of their application
for state government level review and comment. The offices in this Catalog Appendix I
coordinate government (both federal and state) grants development and provide guidance
to grant seekers.
Federal Agency Regional and Local Offices
[http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/ia4.htm]
Much of the federal grant budget moves to the states through formula and block
grants—state, regional, and local federal offices (Catalog Appendix IV) often handle
grants applications and funds disbursement. Each federal agency has its own
procedures—applicants should call the department or agency in question before applying
for funding to obtain the most up-to-date information.
Catalog in Print, CD-ROM, and Diskette
The printed Catalog is available to the public in local depository libraries in every state.
[http://www.gpo.gov/libraries]
It is for sale in print, CD-ROM, and diskette from the Government Printing Office:

[http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-order.htm]
Related Federal Sources
Federal Government Web Sites
[http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/executive/fed.html]
To better develop a grant proposal, search a department or agency’s Web site to learn
more about its programs and objectives. Some government departments or agencies have
Web pages specifically designed for nonprofit organizations or for seekers of state and
local government grants(see below).
Federal Benefits and Grants
[http://firstgov.gov/topics/benefits.html]
Part of a federal Web site with one-stop access to all online U.S. government
resources. This section groups grants programs by broad subject categories.

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U.S. State and Local Gateway
[http://www.statelocal.gov/]
A Web site developed in collaboration with the National Partnership for Reinventing
Government to give state and local governments easy access to federal government
information.
NonProfit Gateway
[http://www.nonprofit.gov/index.html]
A network of links to federal government information and services devised to assist
nonprofit organizations. Examples:
! USDA Nonprofit Gateway
[http://www.usda.gov/nonprofi.htm]
! Small Business Administration
[http://www.sba.gov/nonprofit/]
! Education: Funding Opportunities
[http://www.ed.gov/funding.html]
! Environmental Protection Agency [http://www.epa.gov/epahome/nonprof.htm]
! Health & Human Services GrantsNet [http://www.hhs.gov/progorg/grantsnet/]
! Housing & Urban Development: Funding [http://www.hud.gov/fundopp.html]
! Interior Dept. Nonprofit Gateway [http://www.doi.gov/non-profit/index.html]
! Justice Dept. Grants
[http://www.usdoj.gov/08community/index.html]
! Labor Dept. Information
[http://www.dol.gov/dol/public/nonprofit/main.htm]
! National Institute of Health Grants
[http://grants.nih.gov/grants/]
! Transportation Grants
[http://www.dot.gov/ost/govtaffairs/nonprofit.html]
Federal Register
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html]
Search for updates and notices affecting federal assistance programs. Scroll down
to check current year; scroll down farther to enter Catalog program number, or
subject/keyword “AND CFDA” in Search Terms box.
Today’s Federal Register
[http://www.tgci.com/resources/federal/ffed.html]
Under “Today’s Federal Register,” this Web site gives the current day’s grants
announcements, department and agency announcements of grant application review
meetings, grant awards, deadlines, requests for comments on agency procedures, new rule
reminders, and special events. The Federal Register Archives section includes grant
announcements going back one year: search by keyword/subject “AND 2000" for notices
updating the latest Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
Notices of Funding Availability
[http://ocd.usda.gov/nofa.htm]
Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) are announcements that appear in the
Federal Register inviting applications for federal grant programs. This page allows one to
generate a customized listing of NOFAs by date, by broad subject terms, or by department
or agency.
Grants Management Web Site [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/index.html]
The 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. On the Internet version of the Catalog,
sections sometimes hotlink directly to OMB Circulars, others just give OMB Circular
numbers, which may then be printed from this Web site.

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Private and Corporate Funding Sources
The Foundation Center
[http://www.foundationcenter.org/]
This gateway presents information about the grant seeking process, private funding
sources (including national, state, community, and corporate foundations), guidelines on
writing a grants proposal, addresses of state libraries with grants reference collections, and
links to other useful Internet Web sites. The Center maintains a comprehensive database
on foundation grantsmanship, publishes print and CD-ROM directories and guides,
conducts research and publishes studies in the field, and offers a variety of training and
educational seminars. Includes:
! Online Orientation: the Grantseeking Process
! User-friendly Guide to Funding Research and Resources
! Proposal Writing (online “Short Course” on developing a good grant
proposal)
! Web sites of community foundations (by state)
! Web sites of private foundations, with subject and geographic indexes
! Web sites of corporate grantmakers, with subject and geographic indexes
! Foundation books
[http://www. foundationcenter.org/collections/index.html].
Foundation Center Cooperating Collections in every state provide free funding
information for grant seekers in libraries, community foundations, and other
nonprofit resource centers.
The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI)
[http://www.tgci.com/]
In addition to useful links to government resources, this site includes information on
community foundations and international funding. Community foundations (by state) are
often particularly interested in local projects and maintain diverse grants programs. They
may also serve as a resource for grant information and may provide training and technical
assistance for local nonprofit organizations. TGCI also offers publications, training and
workshops in proposal writing, grantsmanship, and fundraising to nonprofit organizations
and government.

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