Federal Government Grants

What are Federal Government Grants?

• Federal government grants are funds disbursed by the federal government of the United States to a recipient (typically a nonprofit entity, educational institution, company or individual). The federal government will deliver such funds if the recipient needs financing to produce an altruistic or broad benefit to the American public. In order to obtain a federal government grant, the entity in question must submit some form of “Grant Writing”—often referred to as a proposal or an application.

• Federal government grants are offered to the aforementioned entity classifications to fund a specific project; the projects typically require some form of compliance and reporting to ensure that federal funds are spent responsibly. Additionally, these funds are considered to be socially beneficial in some way; the majority of federal grants are used for educational purposes or for the formation of small businesses.

• In the United States, the federal grant writing process involves the applicant to submit a proposal stating why the underlying project is necessary and what the funds will be used for. In addition to funding such projects, federal government grants may be also given to communities or individuals who have recently suffered from natural disasters or other calamities.


How are Federal Government Grants Delivered?

• In the United States, federal government grants typically come from a number of Government departments. The majority of federal government grants are issued to students through the completion of post-secondary educational institutions. In certain situations, a government loan may be issued as a grant; in these instances, the federal government will provide additional funding to promising students seeking financial support for educational purposes.


What are the Rules Associated with Federal Government Grants?


• The issuance of federal government grants requires an adherence to the government’s reporting and compliance regulations; these rules will vary depending on the type of grant offered. The inclusion of these agencies is to ensure that federal grants are being used for the purpose outlined in the application.

• Federal government grants are offered by a number of government departments or agencies (40 agencies offer federal grants); the issuance of federal grants is organized based on specialty. For instance, the Department of Energy will issue federal grants for projects involved with alternative energy sources.

• The United States Department of Health and Human Services maintains and updates a list of federal grants on their government website.


Who is Eligible to Receive Federal Government Grants?

• The majority of federal government grants are available to organizations; a large percentage of federal government grants are awarded to state and local government bodies or organizations as incentives to provide clean, efficient and safe services. Other federal grants will be delivered to educational institutions, public housing organizations, or nonprofit companies. The rest of federal grants are delivered to small business owners; the obtainment of this money will depend on the service or good provided by the particular small business owner.