Through its affiliate of federal agencies, the government makes available a list of government grants. This list, which is free, is circulated to all state and federal organizations. How do these lists come about? Congress allocates federal grants for major projects and these are given to various government agencies. The projects can be suggested by anyone, from the President to the states or the constituents and they are usually projects that are for the betterment of the community. Congress makes the final decision about how much and where it is to be allocated.

A free list of Congress-approved government grants can be found in the Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). This is a good site for those who are familiar with grant terminology and for those who are looking for huge chunks of free government grants. Otherwise, for the layperson, it can be quite confusing, especially if you are clueless about the grant application process. Before taking a look at the CFDA site, it may be a good idea to be a bit better acquainted with the whole process. This list is open to organizations as well as individuals. Each entry on the list gives you information on how the money is to be used, how to apply for it and how it will be reviewed and awarded.

A free list is just for you to take a look at what is available. It does not mean that it opens the doors of a free grant for you. The application process for a grant is no easy task. It involves a lot of preparation and specialized skills. In fact, people who are looking to get grants have special staff to oversee the whole application process to see that it goes through without any glitches.

Other government agencies also have free lists of federal grants. Here are some of the web sites where you can find free lists. The Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Education Grants and Contracts Information, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Stopping Violence Against Women and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lists over 300 programs.

FEMA or the Federal Emergency Management Agency also has free lists and helps victims who have been through natural calamities like earthquakes, storms or fires. Food and Nutrition Services are administered by the Department of Agriculture and gives lists about the Food Stamps program. The Social Security Administration features free lists of grants in four areas: survivor’s benefits, disability benefits, retirement benefits and supplemental security income. For enquiries about educational benefits, you could try at the Veteran’s Administration. Students would do well to go to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

There are other sites you could go to as well like Grantsnet, Non-Profit Gateway, GovBenefits (http://www.govbenefits.gov/) and The Foundation Center.