How to Find / Apply for Federal Funding

Some of the most commonly-asked questions of Georgia State Clearinghouse staff are "How can I find federal money to start up my small business, enhance the community's after-school program, get housing rehabilitation assistance...? etc." Although the Clearinghouse functions as the state central review point for federal assistance applications requiring Executive Order 12372 Review, it is not directly involved with the federal application process and does not maintain current information on upcoming federal deadlines, specific grant requirements, etc. The following suggestions are offered to those who are in search of federal assistance but are unsure of where to begin. These sites are not maintained by the Clearinghouse and are subject to change without notice.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) https://www.cfda.gov/ provides a full listing of all Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi- public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals. Click on the "General Info" tab on the website to get an overview.

The Federal Register (FR) http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/, published daily, announces newly authorized and/or funded programs, and announces annual application deadlines and award amounts for continuing programs.

Another official website to visit is www.grants.gov. This website allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov is the single access point for over 1000 grant programs offered by all Federal grant-making agencies. The U.S. Department on Health & Human Services is proud to be the managing partner for Grants.gov, an initiative that is having an unparalleled impact on the grant community.

For information on grants which have previously been awarded, you may wish to consult the Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS), which is a codified report by quarter of all federal assistance grants.  FAADS can be accessed online at http://www.census.gov/govs/www/faads.html.

You can also check a particular Federal Agency's website for additional information.