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How to Find Information About HHS Grant Programs

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has approximately 300 grant programs, most of which are administered in a decentralized manner by several agencies. HHS does not have a single publication that describes all HHS grant programs. Instead, we use the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). The Catalog, compiled and maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), profiles all Federal grant programs, including HHS programs and lists a specific contact for obtaining additional information and application forms. It also includes a helpful section on writing grant applications. You should consult the CFDA to find the Federal programs of interest to your organization.

The CFDA is published annually and updated mid-year. If you are interested in viewing the complete, hardcopy text of the Catalog, it is available for reference in the government documents section of most major libraries and in the offices of State and local governments. It is, also, available on-line through GrantsNet. There are various ways to obtain your copy of the Catalog:

An on-line electronic text version is available for keyword searching and downloading to your own PC from the GrantsNet information service.

Available on floppy diskettes for $85 for an annual subscription and on CD-ROM version for $50 for one issue or $85 for an annual subscription can be purchased from the General Services Administration (202-708-5126).

An electronic bulletin board version of the Catalog is available through the Federal Assistance Programs Retrieval System (FAPRS). To access this system, you must have communication software and a modem in addition to a personal computer and printer. For an annual fee of $53, you may access this electronic database to search and retrieve information from the Catalog. Contact the General Services Administration (202-708-5126) for more information.

A hardcopy version of the Catalog may be purchased for $77 ($96.25 for a subscription mailed outside the U.S.) from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. (The order desk number is 202-512-1800).

Prospective applicants should consult the CFDA to find out if they qualify for sponsorship through a Federal grant program. Listed for each grant program is the specific office within a Federal grant-making agency that oversees that program. This person or office can answer any further questions about the program, as well as provide application forms.