Grant Program
A grant program is an organized federal effort that awards grants for a defined public purpose, with its own eligibility rules, application process, and award amounts. Agencies publish their programs as funding opportunities on Grants.gov. The federal grant system distinguishes these discretionary programs from entitlements, which pay anyone who meets statutory eligibility.
A grant program is an organized federal effort that awards grants for a defined public purpose, with its own eligibility rules, application process, and award amounts. Agencies publish their programs as funding opportunities on Grants.gov. The federal grant system distinguishes these discretionary programs from entitlements, which pay anyone who meets statutory eligibility.
Example: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal grant program: HHS awards grants to states and tribes, which in turn help low-income households with home energy bills (acf.hhs.gov).
Common misconception: Being eligible for a grant program does not guarantee a grant. In discretionary programs the agency selects among competing applications within the funds available, and even formula and block grants depend on annual appropriations.
Sources: Grants 101 | Grants.gov; Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | HHS Administration for Children and Families