Where to Find U.S. Government Grants

The U.S government allocates billions of dollars every year for grant funding by each of the 26 federal agencies and sub-agencies. Government agencies have great discretion in the selection of grant awardees and typically receive far more applications than can be funded. Grants provide a way for the federal government to fund local initiatives and empower local organizations to provide public services. A grant differs from a contract, which is used to acquire property or services for the federal government’s direct benefit or use. Grant awards vary widely in scope and award amount, mainly due to the particular goals of each federal agency, as well as directives from the President and Congress.

Locations to Check for Grants

• Grants.gov: The largest database of federal funding available online, listing new opportunities on a daily basis. Applications for funding are also submitted though the site. Organizations should register on grants.gov to begin receiving daily updates on new grants: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/managesubscriptions.html. Organizations can also receive online training regarding the grant application process: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101.html.
• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: At https://www.cfda.gov/, CFDA is a clearinghouse of all past and present federal funding programs. The CFDA database can help applicants find important information on funding programs, including contact information for federal agency employees and average funding amount for various programs.
• Federal Business Opportunities: At https://www.fbo.gov/, FBO is a public database with information and application instructions for grants and contracts available to businesses of all sizes in the United States. Guidance on registering as a vendor is also included.
• FEMA Grants: Organizations working with Tactical Medical Solutions should become familiar with specific grants available from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency specifically. FEMA grants may present the best opportunity for expansion of local services and material goods: https://www.fema.gov/grants.

Check out the next post in our Grants 101 series on The 4 Steps for Getting Your Agency Registered to Receive Federal Grants.