Grant Law & Legal Definition

A grant may generally refer to any gift, appropriation, donation, or advance by any donor, whether absolute or conditional, for any purpose. There are numerous grants available through state and federal agencies. Many grants are also available through private entites. The Code of Federal Regulations contains many requirements for obtaining grants from the federal agencies that administer them.

Some relevant federal laws dealing with grants include:

• "Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999"
• Annual Report
• P.L.102-589: Cash Management Improvement Act (CMIA) Amendments of 992
• P.L.90-577: Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968

Each agency or entity responsible for administering grants has specific rules and requirements governing grant applications, auditing, lobbying, and other activities associated with obtaining grants. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), compiled and maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), profiles all federal grant programs.  The CFDA is published annually and updated mid-year.

An example of the grant process and resources can be found at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. The Foundation Center also publishes grant information on the over 800 largest independent, corporate, and community foundations in the U.S. Program profiles are indexed by 28 broad subject areas, geographically, and by alphabetical order.

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