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Researching Grant Opportunities

Learn about federal funds distribution, budget breakdown, types of federal aid, finding grant opportunities, useful websites, and more.

charlesbennett
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Researching Grant Opportunities

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  1. Researching Grant Opportunities Government Grants and Program Assistance Conference Federal Funds Information for States www.ffis.org

  2. Overview • Understanding how federal funds are distributed • Budget breakdown • Types of federal aid • Looking for grant opportunities • Useful websites and ways to search • Finding out more information about a program • Priorities and selection criteria, rules and regulations, funding history and previous grantees • Deciding whether to apply for a grant • Eligibility, MOE and matching requirements, staff infrastructure, deadlines

  3. Where the Money Goes: Pieces of the Federal Budget Pie

  4. Where the Money Goes: Type of Assistance U.S. Financial Assistance (dollars in thousands) Source: U.S. Census FAADS Data, 2009

  5. Where the Money Goes: Type of Assistance Project grants make up only 5.1% of total assistance Source: U.S. Census FAADS Data, 2009

  6. Where the Money Goes: Program Area Composition of Major Federal Grants, FY 2011

  7. Types of Federal Aid • Mandatory Spending • Spending that is not subject to annual appropriations • Spending levels dictated in authorizing legislation • Discretionary Spending • Funded through annual appropriations process • Programs created or authorized through legislation

  8. Types of Federal Aid, cont. • Formula Grants • Noncompetitive awards based on a predetermined formula • The amount distributed depends on various factors (i.e. population, amount of tax effort, per capita income, housing density, rate of infant mortality, etc.) • Project Grants • Awarded on the basis of competitive applications for fixed or known periods of specific projects, or the delivery of specific services

  9. Researching Grant Opportunities • Looking for grant opportunities • Searching Grants.gov and the Federal Register • Finding out more information about a program • Using agency websites and the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) • Deciding whether to apply for a grant • Meeting eligibility guidelines, MOE and matching requirements, staff infrastructure capabilities, deadlines

  10. Grant Notices • Where to look for grants • Grants.gov: www.grants.gov • Database listing all federal grants (formula and competitive) • Links and information about the application process • Federal Register: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ • Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFA) • Opportunity to comment on priorities/selection criteria • Agency websites • Email Updates

  11. Using Grants.gov to Find Opportunities • Glossary of terms • http://www.grants.gov/help/glossary.jsp • Search for grants by keyword, category, agency, funding opportunity number (FON), CFDA number, etc. • Grant Email Alerts

  12. Grants.gov: Ways to Search (Basic)

  13. Grants.gov: Ways to Search (Advanced)

  14. Grants.gov: Email Alerts and Notices • RSS feed • Email Updates • Daily notifications of new grant opportunities • Receive notices based on criteria or FON • http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription.jsp

  15. Grants.gov: Applying for a Grant • Download the application and apply direction from the funding announcement • Check software requirements for online application

  16. Grants.gov: Tracking Applications • “Track my application” • https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/checkApplStatus.faces • Track up to five grants using application tracking numbers

  17. Federal Register • Published NOFAs, grant priorities, and criteria • http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=FR • Sign up for daily Table of Contents email • Opportunity to submit comments

  18. Agency Websites: Grant Listings • Some agencies provide comprehensive grant listings • Education: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html • Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/grants/ • Others separate listings out by office or department • Energy • Science and Technology: http://science.doe.gov/grants/index.asp • Energy Efficiency: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/financing/ • Transportation • FTA: http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/grants_financing_263.html • PHMSA: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/grants-state-programs • NHTSA: http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Programs+&+Grants

  19. Agency Websites: Press Releases • Searching an agencies’ press releases is another way to find grant opportunities • Ex: Department of Agriculture • List of latest releases: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=LATEST_RELEASES • Funding opportunity example: Housing Preservation Grants

  20. Agency Websites: Press Releases • Example: Housing Prevention Grants http://tinyurl.com/3m2qoeu

  21. Agency Websites: Press Releases, cont.

  22. Getting More Information: Agency Websites • Additional information about grants can be found in agency guidance documents and reports • Often provided at the program or office level • Can include: • Program overviews • Rules and regulations for a given program • Reports on best practices • Summaries of previous grantee projects for existing programs • Audit findings and OIG reports

  23. Agency Websites: Funding History • Overall budget tables • Annual appropriation levels • Ex: Department of Education Budget Tables (http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/tables.html?src=ct) • Previous grant awards and grantees • Ex: HHS Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) • http://taggs.hhs.gov/

  24. Searching for Awardees allows you to see how much organizations have received for grants in the past

  25. Agency Websites: Congressional Justifications • Program overview • Performance measures • Proposed program changes • Ex: Round II of Race to the Top competition proposed in president’s FY 2012 budget

  26. Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) • CFDA (www.cfda.gov) provides additional background information on grants • Type of grant • Previous award levels • Agency contacts • MOE and matching requirements • Eligibility • Look for upcoming announcements in print edition • “Applicant Eligibility Index” provides grants by eligibility

  27. CFDA: Applicant Eligibility Index

  28. Things to Keep in Mind • Are you eligible? • Eligibility can be found in the funding announcement • Read priorities and selection criteria carefully; sometimes preference is given to previous grantees • Does the federal program meet your needs? • Do you have adequate resources to manage the grant/meet the requirements? • Staff/infrastructure • Matching and MOE requirements • Project deadlines/post-award management

  29. Questions?

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