The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance – Where to Begin to Look for Federal Grant Money
If you are interested in researching federal government grant opportunities, a great place to start is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide collection of Federal services and activities, including programs and projects that provide benefits or assistance to residents of the United States. The CFDA non-financial and financial assistance programs managed by departments and other entities within the Federal government.
In 1984, Public Law 98-169 authorized the transfer of responsibilities of the Federal Program Information Act from the Office of Management and Budget to the General Services Administration. The transfer took place in July 1984. These responsibilities include the dissemination of Federal domestic assistance program information through the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act, Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law 98-169.
The General Services Administration is responsible for the database of Federal assistance. The Office of Management and Budget acts as the conduit agency between the Federal agencies and the General Services Administration delivering the required oversight to the program data related to domestic assistance.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is the basic reference manual providing information on all Federal domestic activities. Its most critical function is allowing users to identify programs of particular interest. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance also is a tremendous resource for basic information on Federal assistance programs. Additionally, the CFDA endeavors to improve communications and enhance coordination between State and Local entities and the Federal government.
The Catalog lets grant seekers access all domestic programs managed by Federal agencies and departments in a single resource. All information is cross referenced by functional classification, Subject Index, Applicant Index, Deadlines Index, and Authorization Index. All of this information is invaluable as research tools that can make it easier to identify specific areas of program interest more efficiently.
Since 1977 the GSA has published printed editions of the CFDA. Legislation required free dissemination of the Catalog to specific recipients. In 2003 the General Services Administration distributed close to 10,000 copies of the CFDA.
Current legislation, however, authorizes General Services Administration to determine in what form to prepare and publish the Catalog. Consistent with the Administration’s Electronic-Government initiatives, the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, and a move to a paper free environment, GSA will now disseminate the Catalog electronically through the CFDA website on the Internet. As a result, effective immediately, GSA will no longer print and distribute free copies of the Catalog.
Michael has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He edits a site on federal government grants and is president of Information Organizers.
