	Introduction

Members of Congress receive numerous requests from grant seekers, including state and local governments, nonprofit social service and community action organizations, private research groups, small businesses, and individuals, for information and help in obtaining funds for projects. Most federal grant funds goes to state and local governments, which in turn sub-award to local entities such as nonprofit organizations. Offices organized in this way may have a full-time grants specialist or several staff members under the supervision of a grants coordinator working solely in the area of grants and projects. In some offices, all grants requests are handled in the district or state office; in others, they are answered by the Washington, DC, staff; still others divide grants and projects activity between the district or state office and the Washington, DC, office. The congressional office should first determine the priorities of its particular office:
assess the volume of incoming grants requests; determine criteria for how much attention should be given to each grants request, for example, number of people who will be affected, visibility of projects, or political implications; decide the role of the congressional office: information source or active advocacy, or sometimes even earmarking appropriations for a project that mirrors the Member's legislative agenda. Office Grants Manual

An internal grants manual is a valuable tool for grants staff to develop. It can outline office policies and procedures and ensure continuity when staff changes. Congressional grants staff can also serve as liaison between grant seekers and government executive offices, including their own state offices that administer federal grants. Some congressional offices may help grant seekers by forwarding to them descriptions and contact information on federal grants programs for particular projects. The assistance listing descriptions also link to related websites, such as federal department and agency home pages and Office of Management and Budget grants management circulars. Congressional offices can also prepare their own information packets on federal grants programs, which are requested most frequently. CRS Resources

To assist Members in their representational duties, and to help congressional offices respond to grants questions, CRS has developed two Grants web pages:
For congressional staff, the Grants and Federal Assistance web page, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed], focuses on key CRS products, available at http://www.crs.gov/resources/GRANTS . CRS automatically updates the web page for Members on the House and Senate servers. Key useful CRS reports (in addition to the current report) to assist staff undertaking grants work include
CRS Report RL34012, Resources for Grantseekers , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed], and CRS Report RL32159, How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. Grants.gov and FedConnect

More than 80% of federal grant funding is allocated to states to administer, or directly to local governments, and funding opportunities may be posted at the state level. CRS reports provide guidance to congressional staff on federal programs and funding, and may be forwarded to constituents in response to grants requests. Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance web page, by [author name scrubbed] http://www.crs.gov/resources/MEMBER-GRANTS-PAGE
Provides Internet links to free key federal and private grants and funding information, including beta.SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and other federal websites; and the Foundation Center, and other private funding resources.
Members of Congress receive frequent requests from grant seekers needing funds for projects in districts and states. The congressional office should first determine its priorities regarding the appropriate assistance to give constituents, from providing information on grants programs to active advocacy of projects. Congressional grants staff can best help grant seekers by first themselves gaining some understanding of the grants process.
Each office handles grants requests in its own way, depending upon the Member's legislative agenda and overall organization and workload. There may be a full-time grants specialist or several staff members under the supervision of a grants coordinator working solely in the area of grants and projects. In some offices, all grants requests are handled in the district or state office; in others, they are answered by the Washington, DC, staff.
To assist grant seekers applying for federal funds, congressional offices can develop working relationships with grants officers in federal and state departments and agencies. Because more than 80% of federal funds go to state and local governments that, in turn, manage federal grants and sub-award to applicants in their state, congressional staff need to identify their own state administering offices.
To educate constituents, a congressional office may provide selected grant seekers information on funding programs or may sometimes sponsor workshops on federal and private assistance. Because most funding resources are on the Internet, Member home pages can also link to grants sources such as Assistance Listings at beta.SAM.gov and Grants.gov so that constituents themselves can search for grants programs and funding opportunities. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) web page, Grants and Federal Domestic Assistance, by [author name scrubbed] (see sample at http://www.crs.gov/resources/MEMBER-GRANTS-PAGE), can be added to a Member's home page upon request and is updated automatically on House and Senate servers. Another CRS web page, Grants and Federal Assistance, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed], at http://www.crs.gov/resources/GRANTS, covers key CRS products.
Congressional staff can use CRS reports to learn about grants work and to provide information on government and private funding. In addition to the current report, these include CRS Report RL34012, Resources for Grantseekers, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed] ; and CRS Report RL32159, How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. CRS also offers reports on block grants and the appropriations process; federal assistance for homeland security and terrorism preparedness; and federal programs on specific subjects and for specific groups, such as state and local governments, police and fire departments, libraries and museums, nonprofit organizations, small business, and other topics.
An internal grants manual outlining office policies and procedures, including perhaps templates for letters of support, might be developed to help grants staff. With reductions in federal programs, and with most government grants requiring matching funds, grants staff should also become familiar with other funding, such as private or corporate foundations, as alternatives or supplements to federal grants.
This report will be updated at the beginning of each Congress and as needed.