The Funding Morass

It is not news to anyone who has worked with grants that the process of applying for, receiving, and reporting on grants is a complex one.  As early as 1979, a report entitled The Organization and Dynamics of Social Services in New Jersey identified 93 separate funding sources being accessed by New Jersey Social Service Agencies.  Of these funding sources, the study identified 38 sources of federal funds, 18 sources of state funds, 10 sources of county funds, 7 sources of municipal funds, and 20 sources of private funds being utilized by New Jersey social service agencies.  When asked for a listing of the federal funding sources for New Jersey Social Services, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was unable to supply even this level of information. 

Of the 2626 agency directors interviewed in the 1979 study, many identified the complexity of the funding and reporting structure as a major barrier to service delivery.  They mentioned that each funding source had its own reporting requirements, with some asking for number of clients served, others requesting number of services delivered (e.g., number of meals served), others asking for number hours of service, and so forth.  Large agencies which received services from several funding sources were required to keep records for a given program in multiple formats.  Regional structures, fiscal years, and reporting timelines differed for each funding source. 

Small agencies, which received funds from only one source, did not face these problems, but were subject to the constantly changing “fads” in funding.  They were always in danger of losing funds from that single source and being forced to close. (County and Municipal Government Study Commission, 1979).

By 1999, the funding system had grown even more complex.  There were over 600 federal funding sources identified by PL 106-107 of the 106^th Congress. 

Finding Federal Funding

The Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 (PL 106-107 of the 106^th Congress) was passed to make the federal grant process more effective and more efficient.  The objectives of the law were to:

• Simplify the process of applying for federal grants;
• Simplify the process of reporting on the progress made on federal grants; and
• Improve the delivery of services to US citizens.

A major initiative established under this act was Grantsnet, a newly developed, and constantly emerging web site which you can access at:  http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/. 

Grantsnet has six major components: 

• Electronic Roadmap to Grants (http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/roadmap/index.html), where you will find information on funding opportunities, the application process, and how to manage grants;
• Contact Us (http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/contactus.htm), a link that provides email contact to the Office of Grants Management;
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/faqs/index.htm), a listing of the most frequent questions received by the Federal Government about grants and answers to these questions;
• Knownet (http://knownet.hhs.gov/aboutKnowNet.htm), a page where you will find links to government resources.  It, in turn, is divided into several sections.  You can access these sections via the links at the bottom of the page, which are:
  • Shortcuts (http://knownet.hhs.gov/finance/shortcuts.htm) a series of links to important government web sites, including the Executive and Legislative Branch Web Sites, Statutory Law (e.g., the United States Code), Administrative Law, Budget and Accounting, and Records (e.g., the Federal Register);
  • Feedback (http://www.knownet.hhs.gov/suggest.htm), a site where you can make comments on Grantsnet and forward them to site administrators; and
  • System Information (http://knownet.hhs.gov/systeminfo.htm), a site that provides links about Freedom of Information and about the site’s Privacy Policy.
• What’s New (http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/otherresources/kiosk.htm), a calendar of events related to grants management; and
• Search (http://www.hhs.gov/search/), a link through which you can search the Federal Health and Human Services Web Site.

As the cost of education continues to rise and the traditional sources of funding for BSW education continue to erode, we will all be forced to identify and pursue creative alternatives to funding for our programs.  Federal funds are one such source, and the Grantsnet site is an important resource for programs seeking these funds.