Grant Glossary

A payment made by a federal agency to a recipient before the recipient incurs expenses for which the advance payment is made.

Costs that are permissible under the cost principles and terms of an award. May vary by funding agency and program.

Formerly known as CFDA Number, this is a unique number assigned to identify a federal assistance program. Each program is assigned a unique number (XX.XXX) where the first two digits identify the funding agency.

An individual who is authorized to submit grant applications on behalf of an organization.

A grant from the federal government to a state or local government for a specific purpose, such as health, education, or social services, with only general provisions as to how the money should be spent.

A detailed written explanation of each of the components of the budget, explaining how costs were estimated and the necessity of each cost to achieve project objectives.

The time interval from the start date of a funded portion of an award to the end date of that funded portion during which recipients are authorized to expend the funds awarded.

A government-wide compendium of federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. Now part of the Assistance Listings on SAM.gov.

The process by which the federal awarding agency determines that all applicable administrative actions and all required work of the award have been completed and the required final reports have been received and processed.

A type of federal financial assistance similar to a grant, but characterized by substantial involvement between the federal agency and the recipient during performance of the funded activity.

Federal guidelines that establish the standards for determining the allowability of costs incurred under federal awards.

The portion of project costs not paid by federal funds. May be required by law or regulation as a condition of an award.

A formal document that outlines how data will be collected, organized, stored, and shared during and after a research project.

A grant for which the federal agency has discretion, or choice, in deciding which eligible applicants receive awards based on a competitive review process.

A unique nine-digit identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet. Previously required for federal grant applications, it has been replaced by the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

A systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to track a program's implementation and measure its effectiveness against stated objectives.

A directive issued by the President of the United States that manages operations of the federal government and can affect grant programs and priorities.

Another term for indirect costs, representing expenses that are not readily identifiable with specific projects but are necessary for general operation.

A standardized report (SF-425) that grant recipients must submit to report the financial status of federal awards.

An American Indian or Alaska Native tribal entity that is recognized as having a government-to-government relationship with the United States, with the responsibilities, powers, limitations, and obligations attached to that designation.

In GrantsPath, a numerical value (1-100) that indicates how well an organization's profile matches with a specific grant opportunity based on eligibility, focus areas, and other criteria.

A grant that the federal agency is directed by Congress to make to specific entities, often states, based on a predetermined formula, such as population or poverty level.

A publicly available document by which a federal agency makes known its intentions to award discretionary grants or cooperative agreements, usually as a result of competition for funds.

A financial award provided by a federal, state, or private entity to an eligible recipient, typically with the expectation that an activity of public interest will be supported or stimulated.

A central website where federal grant-making agencies post discretionary funding opportunities and where applicants can find and apply for these grants.

Non-cash donations of goods, services, or property to a project that can count toward satisfying matching requirements. Examples include volunteer services, equipment, or supplies.

A rate, expressed as a percentage of a base amount, used to distribute indirect costs to individual federal awards. The indirect cost rate is negotiated between an organization and the federal government.

Costs incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. Also known as overhead or facilities and administrative costs.

A visual representation of a program showing the logical relationships between resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes of a program.

A requirement that a grant recipient maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive federal funds, intended to ensure that federal funds supplement rather than supplant state and local funds.

Cash or in-kind contributions that a grant recipient pledges toward the costs of a project as a condition of receiving grant funds. Matching requirements are typically expressed as a percentage of the grant amount.

A systematic process for determining and addressing needs or gaps between current conditions and desired conditions or wants.

A modification of an award that extends the period of performance beyond the original expiration date with no additional funding.

Another term for a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that announces the availability of grant funding.

A formal announcement of the availability of federal funding through a financial assistance program. The notice provides information on how to apply, eligibility, and evaluation criteria.

The time during which the non-federal entity may incur new obligations to carry out the work authorized under the federal award. Also known as the project period or grant period.

Gross income earned by the recipient that is directly generated by a supported activity or earned as a result of the award.

A staff member of a funding agency who oversees specific grant programs and serves as the primary point of contact for applicants and grantees.

The total estimated time interval between the start of an initial federal award and the planned end date, which may include one or more funded portions or budget periods.

A payment made to a grant recipient after the recipient has already spent funds on allowable grant costs.

A formal statement that solicits applications for a grant program, often providing instructions on what should be included in the application and how it will be evaluated.

A document that solicits proposals from potential applicants for funding, commonly used when the funding agency has a specific need or service that requires a more detailed technical proposal.

The standard government-wide form used as a cover sheet for applications under federal assistance programs.

A non-federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal program.

The use of federal funds to replace or substitute for state or local funds that would otherwise be available for an activity. Most federal grants prohibit supplanting.

The use of federal funds to add to, enhance, or expand existing services. Many federal grants require that funds be used to supplement, not supplant, existing resources.

A description of how the grant-funded project will continue after the grant period ends, including strategies for securing future funding or institutionalizing the project.

The official website of the U.S. Government where entities must register to do business with the federal government, including applying for federal grants.

Any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by a Tribal government, or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community for which such organization is serving.

A formal expression of the official action taken by a Tribal government expressing support for a grant application or authorizing an individual to act on behalf of the Tribe.

Expenses that cannot be included in the budget or charged to a federal grant as specified by agency regulations or award terms.

A 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by SAM.gov. It replaced the DUNS Number in April 2022 as the primary means of entity identification for federal awards.