The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - Starting Point for Federal Government Grants
All Federal Government projects, programs, services and activities that provide assistance and benefits to citizens are cataloged in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. All financial and non-financial assistance programs implemented through departments and establishments for the United States Federal government are recorded in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
In 1984 the Office of Management and Budget transferred responsibility for Federal domestic assistance program information to the General Services Administration. This transfer was mandated by the Federal Program Information Act and included requirements for distribution of the CFDA.
The General Services Administration now maintains the Federal assistance information database from which program information is obtained. The OMB serves as an intermediary agent between the Federal agencies and GSA, thus providing oversight to the necessary collection of Federal domestic assistance program data.
As the basic reference source of Federal programs, the primary purpose of the Catalog is to assist users in identifying programs that meet specific objectives of the potential applicant, and to obtain general information on Federal assistance programs. In addition, the intent of the Catalog is to improve coordination and communication between the Federal government and State and local governments.
The CFDA 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, Applicant Index, Deadlines Index, and authorizing legislation. All of this information is invaluable as resource tools that can make it easier to identify specific areas of program interest more efficiently.
Since its inception the General Services Administration has produced a printed edition of the Catalog. Legislation dating back to 1977 required free dissemination of the CFDA to designated recipients. In 2003 the General Services Administration distributed almost 10,000 copies of the Catalog.
New rulings now gives the General Services Administration discretion in what form to produce and disseminate the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. The GSA is endeavoring to move to a more paper free environment and toward that end now maintains and distributes the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance through the CFDA Website. The General Services Administration no longer prints and distributes free copies of the Catalog.