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Glossary of Grant Terms

Allowable Cost
A cost for which an institution or agency may be reimbursed under a grant or contract with a governmental agency.

Amendment
Modification of existing legislation, e.g. Older Americans Act of 1965 as amended 1973.

Appropriation
Legislation enacted by US Congress that established a federal activity. The legislation will sometimes set limits on the amount of money that can be appropriated for the activity.

Assistance Listing Numbers (ALN)
A unique number, formally known as the CFDA Number, assigned to a program or activity within the Assistance Listings. The first two digits identify the federal agency that administers the assistance. Assistance Listings are the authoritative source of information about federal government programs that provide grants, loans, scholarships, insurance, and other types of assistance or benefits to the American public. (Source: Grants.gov)

Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR)
The individual, named by the applicant organization, who is authorized to act for the applicant and to assume the obligations imposed by the Federal laws, regulations, requirements, and conditions that apply to grant applications or grant awards. (source: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/glossary.htm#AuthorizedOrganizationRepresentative(AOR))

Award Letter
Written notification from the funding agency indicating that a project has been funded, for how long, and in what amount.

Block Grants
The grouping of many categorical grant programs into an overall functional area.

Budget
A plan for financial operation consisting of an estimate of proposed income and expenditures for a given time period and purpose.

Budget Cycle
The budget cycle covers the cost/expenditures for a single year. For the U.S. Government, that year runs from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. For JCCC, that year runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
Contains information about Federal grant and loan programs available from Federal agencies to assist the American people in furthering their social and economic progress. Each program is assigned a CFDA number.

Categorical Aid
Federal or state funds specified for a specialized area.

Conflict of Interest
A situation in which a public official's decisions are influenced by the official's personal interests.

Consortium
A group of organizations sharing in the finances and/or administration of a single grant to accomplish that which no one can do as effectively as when working together.

Consultant
A person with expertise external to an organization that is brought in to lend insight to the solution of a problem.

Copyright
A statement of legal control over a document (usually by its author) such that anyone seeking to reproduce said document must first obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Cover Sheet
Top sheet of grant summarizes information about the grant. Usually includes place for authorized signature.

Deadlines
Dates by which applications for grants or contracts must be submitted.

Demonstration Grant
Generally of limited duration which seeks to test the feasibility of an idea, approach or program.

Disadvantaged
Individuals who because of physical, emotional, social, economic or other reasons are unable to adequately compete within the context of an educational institution.

Direct Cost
Expenses which can be itemized by categories having descriptive terms for utilization of funds, e.g. salaries and wages, travel, etc.

DUNS Number
See Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) – Identification number used for federal government proposals. No longer required on federal grant application after April 4th, 2022.

Federal ID Number or Federal Entity Number
The college’s tax identification number.

Federal Register
Contains proposed and final guidelines and other administrative regulations of programs as announced by Federal agencies in precise working of the law. It can be found online at https://www.federalregister.gov/. 

Formula Grants
Funds distributed by the Federal government (usually to state agencies) for use in specified projects. The funds are awarded on the basis of data from which a formula has been computed.

Fringe Benefits
Benefits such as life and health insurance, retirement, unemployment compensation and workers compensation that are paid in addition to salary.

Full Time Equivalent
The amount of time spent or required in a less than full time activity divided by the amount of time normally spent or required in a less than full time activity divided by the amount of time normally spent or required in a corresponding full time activity during the regular school term.

Grantee
One who receives and administers a grant.

Grantor
Agency that gives funds to carry out projects.

Indirect Costs
Those costs, which cannot be identified specifically with a particular program, project or activity. They are costs that are incurred for several purposes which are necessary to the operation of the institution or agency; for example, library resources, building maintenance, and general administration.

Matching Funds
Cash or “in-kind” support contributed by the grantee to fulfill objectives of the project. Amount of needed matching funds varies with the program.

Measurable Objectives
Goals stated in such a way that the achievement or non-achievement of this goal may be determined with a relative degree of precision by objective observation and measurement.

Needs Assessment
A continuous, formal process for identifying in what area and by how much the present system is short of an ideal state.

Outreach
Contributes to eliminating artificial barriers to the use of education resources by finding new ways to serve.

Pass Through Agency
State or local agency that receives federal funds and conducts its own application and award process.

Pre-application
A prospectus following a prescribed format developed by an agency and utilized to screen proposals.

Project Program Officer
The Federal or State agency representative who has the task of monitoring the project, providing technical assistance to the project, and insuring that the objectives are carried out within the framework of regulations.

Proposal
An application submitted to a funding source seeking approval and funding.

Public Law
Classification of laws passed by Congress, e.g. P.L. 88-269 Library Services and Construction Act 1964 is translated as a public law passed by 88th Congress.

Resource Inventory
An enumeration of services, facilities, personnel, and agencies related to a particular topical area.

Revenue Sharing
Tax funds appropriated by Congress and distributed to local and state governments in sums determined by a complex formula.

Request for Proposal (RFP)
An announcement by an agency that is accepting proposals to accomplish a specific objective.

State Plan
Serves as a contractual agreement between a state and the federal government and must be administered in conformity with specific requirements of the respective federal agency.

Supplanting
Use of grant funds to pay for ongoing activities already budgeted or for the usual activities assigned to a position.

Sustainability
The continuation of a project’s goals, principles, and efforts to achieve desired outcomes following expiration of grant funding.

Title
A major section of a piece of legislation, e.g. Title I Higher Education Act, 1965.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by SAM.gov. Starting on April 4th, 2022, organizations applying for grants are required to provide a UEI on federal grant proposals.

Unsolicited Proposals
Agencies may allow institutions to submit proposals that may or may not match the priorities of those agencies. May be an offer to perform tasks that are not the results of an RFP announced by the agency.