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Researching Grant Opportunities

Researching Grant Opportunities. Government Grants and Program Assistance Conference. Federal Funds Information for States www.ffis.org. Overview. Understanding how federal funds are distributed Budget breakdown Types of federal aid Looking for grant opportunities

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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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