Grant News

What Recent Executive Orders and the Review of Federal Financial Assistance Mean for You

**This is a comprehensive blog that covers the key developments, implications, and strategies for grant seekers navigating the landscape of federal financial assistance under the new Administration. Updates to this blog will continue to be made as the situation develops. Blog last updated on August 11, 2025, at 1:36 pm ET**

The federal grant landscape was upended early this year by the release of several Executive Orders and Memorandum M-25-13, a sweeping directive that temporarily halted financial assistance programs for a review process aligned with the new Presidential Administration’s policy priorities. While the Administration later rescinded some of these efforts with memorandum M-25-14, grant seekers across all sectors - including public agencies and nonprofits – still face a multitude of questions and uncertainty around the effect of the President’s Executive Orders on federal funding opportunities.

By Shannon Day, Senior Grants Development Consultant (Public Safety)

A Department of Justice memo released on February 5, 2025, indicates the department’s intention of withholding federal grant funding from so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions,” furthering demands put in place by an Executive Order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025.

There is no legal definition of a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, but unofficially, it is a state, county, city, or town with policies to protect undocumented immigrants. During the first Trump administration in 2016, the DOJ withheld Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program funding from numerous jurisdictions, including New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Miami. Attorneys General from 20 states filed an appeal in 2018. It is important to note that while federal funds were tied up in various lawsuits, the Supreme Court never ruled on the legality of the Department of Justice’s actions during the first Trump term because the Biden administration overturned the policy in 2021, immediately releasing federal funds. However, lower courts have repeatedly upheld the legality of most sanctuary laws. Law enforcement agencies cannot hold a person in custody for “an unreasonable amount of time” (this is undefined in the Constitution, but most states and prosecutors define “reasonable” as 72 hours) without bringing charges against them or without a signed judicial warrant transferring custody to another jurisdiction. According to Onondaga County, New York Sheriff Toby Shelley, when asked if his department would comply with administrative warrants, “If we do things that are against the law, we will be sued, and that will cost the taxpayers…So it is important to understand the law.” (Hayes, 2025)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The agencies involved with this grant proposal will work collaboratively to increase law enforcement, prosecution, and community outreach resources to successfully reduce the illicit marijuana industry, dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking operations that are trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout the county, and will support the victims of these industries through a variety of resources funded by this grant. This project involves collaboration of two law enforcement jurisdictions, the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, a non-profit organization, and data analytics by California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The College of Saint Scholastica’s National Center for CS Education partnered with Hermantown Community School, Fond du Lac Ojibwe School, St. Louise County Public Schools, and Duluth Public Schools for this project. The goal is to increase access to and participation in computer science education. Computer science pathways for this project include early experiences in elementary and middle school that will help students establish foundational computer science knowledge and skills as well as spark their interest in taking high school computer science electives. For schools supporting the homeland of seven tribes of Anishinaabeg, the project is developing the Ojibwe language for computer science concepts and practices and developing computer science lessons that include Ojibwe language and culture.

By Sandy Trowbridge, Grants Development Associate 

A standard grants lifecycle generally consists of a pre-award phase, award phase, and post-award phase. When navigating the pre-award phase (wherein you search for and apply for grant opportunities), it is helpful to keep a few key points in mind concerning the post-award phase (wherein you implement the project and report on progress). Doing so will both help in putting forth a strong grant application and ensuring that your organization will be able to effectively implement the grant if awarded.

By Dr. Liz Shay, Senior Grants Development Consultant (Higher Education)

Whether it is through conversations with one of our grants consultants, other grant-seeking efforts, or completely outside of the grants space, organizations often realize that they should consider collaborating with institutes of higher education. These partnerships can open additional avenues to pursue different types of projects and work towards your organization’s mission-driven goals in new ways. Grant makers often favor collaborative efforts as they are seen as having a larger impact on the money invested in the project.

Regardless of why you started considering collaborating with an institute of higher education, navigating these conversations can often seem intimidating or complex. This article is a guide to the basic information you need to feel confident in pursuing partnerships with institutions.

By Ashley Schultz, Manager of Research and Consultation

In the flurried process of crafting a compelling proposal and constructing a comprehensive budget, it is important to keep track of program costs that may extend beyond your funder’s program period.

These expenses, often referred to as ongoing costs, are paid long after the initial startup costs for new programs are incurred. If, for example, your grant budget includes the purchase of new computers for program staff, your organization may be on the hook for software subscriptions on those devices – like word processing programs, email access, and cybersecurity protection – once the grant period is concluded. Ongoing costs can quickly eclipse the original grant award if you need to factor in wages for new personnel, rent for new spaces, and repair/maintenance on new equipment.

By Dr. Liz Shay, Senior Grants Development Consultant

Organizations pursuing grant funding often find budgets to be one of the most complex parts of an application. This is especially true for federal grant programs. These are also the programs that most typically have indirect costs.

In the following sections, we will break down what indirect costs are and how they work. By the end of the article, you will be able to confidently approach future budgets that require indirect costs.

By Meghan Jacobsen, Grants Development Associate

Securing grants is no small task. If you have gone through the process, you know the relief and satisfaction of completing a proposal after weeks—or even months—of effort. As you approach the finish line, one especially important step remains: the editing and review process. This step is crucial because small adjustments can transform your proposal from mediocre to competitive. While it might feel overwhelming after all your hard work, following these steps will make the process smoother and more manageable.

By Sandy Trowbridge, Grants Development Associate (Education)

What are Form 990s?

Tax-exempt organizations are required to file an informational tax form, known as Form 990, with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each year. A completed Form 990 allows the IRS to confirm that an organization continues to qualify for its tax-exempt status by detailing the organization’s governance, financial details, and activities for the year in question.

Why Do Form 990s Matter to Grantseekers?

Private foundations are tax-exempt organizations and thus are required to file Form 990s (specifically, Form 990-PF). Given that these forms are such a wealth of information, this is great news for grantseekers.

As a grantseeker, you may find yourself turning to foundation websites to verify alignment before application. But sometimes scouring a funder's website and reading their grant guidelines does not provide you with enough information to determine whether an opportunity is worth your time and effort to apply. Or, in some cases, you may find that a foundation of interest does not even have a website for you to review. This is where reviewing a foundation’s Form 990 is incredibly helpful to grantseekers looking to identify best-fit grant opportunities.

One of the most disappointing moments in the life of a grant researcher is reading about grant awards for an opportunity that you never heard about but would have been a perfect fit for an organization's needs and the funding cycle is now closed. Even though it is impossible to stay on top of all of the opportunities available to organizations due to the sheer number of grantmaking organizations at the federal, state, and foundation levels, it is difficult for grant writers and researchers to ignore the sense that perhaps there is a better way to stay informed on these issues so that future opportunities do not slip through the cracks. To ease some of that frustration, here are four steps that those who work with grants can take to work smarter and not only stay updated on grant opportunities but also help build long-term funding pipelines by staying current on funding trends.

Congressionally directed spending (also known as community project funding or earmarks) are line items in the United States federal budget specifically requested by individual legislators. There was a 10-year moratorium on these appropriations, but that ran out in 2021. Proponents of congressionally directed spending argue that it creates a more transparent appropriation process and enables local jurisdictions to more directly request and receive funds for their specific needs. Others believe that congressionally directed spending is wasteful or corrupt. Regardless of how you feel about this type of funding, they are a part of the current federal funding landscape and should be considered carefully when looking for support for your project.

In this article, we will explore the fiscal year 2024 congressionally directed spending landscape. We will evaluate where the funds are going and what types of projects they are predominantly funding. We will also reflect on where we are in the fiscal year 2025 funding congressionally directed spending process.

Last month marked the start of the U.S. federal Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) new set of rules directing the majority of federal grantmaking to nonprofits; education institutions; state, local, or tribal government agencies; and others. These rules, colloquially known as the Uniform Guidance, were first established in December 2013. Originally a consolidation of several federal rulemaking circulars, the Uniform Guidance’s policies have been periodically adjusted over the last 20 years. The most recent of these updates took effect on October 1, 2024.

When browsing through Grants.gov, you find a grant perfectly aligned with what your organization is trying to accomplish. Say you work in a university's criminal justice program and want to research police practices. You find a seemingly perfect grant, but as you read the eligibility…" Only applicants that received an official invitation letter from NIJ are able and eligible to apply." This "invitation-only" status is a common frustration for grant seekers. So, how do you crack that elusive list and get your foot in the door?

Budget justifications (sometimes referred to as budget narratives) are a key component of standard grant applications. Most grant applications will also include a cover page​, executive summary​, needs statement​, project narrative​, itemized budget​, assorted appendices, and other supporting documents​. These application components will vary slightly across funders.​ For example, for the budget portion of an application, some funders may request a complex budget spreadsheet to be accompanied by a detailed budget justification while others may ask for a simple one-page outline of your planned activities and projected total expenses. Some funders limit the budget justification length to a specified number of pages, whereas many other funders will not place a page limit on this section. Some funders may list specific budget categories to be used, while others will leave line-item organization up to your discretion.​ As such, it is important to pay close attention to the guidelines of the specific funder and solicitation that you are working on and follow those instructions exactly. ​What follows is some general advice to keep in mind when tackling the budget justification portion of your grant application, regardless of which funder you are applying to. ​

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a popular topic right now. AI tools have the potential to help organizations manage and analyze massive amounts of data to assist services and decision-making. The Stanford 2024 Artificial Intelligence Index (https://aiindex.stanford.edu/report/) notes that 55% of organizations now use AI in at least one business unit or function. The report also states that AI enables workers to complete tasks with higher quality and faster completion times. The Booz Allen Hamiton 2023 Velocity report (https://www.boozallen.com/insights/velocity.html) found that two-thirds of federal technology leaders believe AI will largely impact how missions are executed over the next several years.

All these findings suggest that AI will be a critical component of public sector and non-profit operations. Many entities are already considering the implementation of AI tools. However, high costs can be a roadblock for organizations eager to pursue these types of projects. Grant funding is a potential approach to help public sector and non-profit organizations with AI tool initiatives.

Time is an important consideration for those working on grant proposals, particularly for those new to grantseeking.

How much time does it take to apply for a grant? When do grant application windows open and how long do we have before the deadline? When will we get the money that we have been awarded?

The unfortunate answer to each of these questions is: it depends. Timelines vary considerably from funder to funder, and particularly between the federal, state, and foundation levels of grantmaking. Though there are no hard and fast answers to these questions generally, there are some common timeframe characteristics for federal grants that you as a grantseeker should know to help you prepare a maximally competitive application and allow your organization to set realistic expectations for the federal grantseeking process.

It is every grant manager’s worst nightmare: your supervisor asks you to submit a proposal to a grant program with a deadline just days away. While most writers prefer to have the lengthiest runway possible to prepare a full proposal, that does not always happen. Regardless of how last-minute proposals sometimes make their way to your plate. The following tips will help you avoid a meltdown and keep things on track.

Funders identify who may apply for their grants based on factors such as organization type, operational focus, geographic location, organization size, and mission alignment. Determining whether your organization is eligible to receive a grant is key to not wasting time and money compiling an application that will not even be considered. While terms like nonprofit, tax-exempt, and 501(c)(3) may seem interchangeable when reviewing grant eligibility statements, they have key differences that are important to understand when effectively assessing your organization’s grant eligibility.

Latin America is witnessing a rise in women's entrepreneurship as more women become more independent by taking the reins of their destinies and venturing into the business world. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Latin America and the Caribbean, the average women's entrepreneurship rate in the region was 27.9%. Despite facing unique challenges, such as gender biases, women in Latin America are breaking barriers and transforming industries. Women entrepreneurs in Latin America are involved in several types of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and social enterprises. They are active in diverse sectors such as retail, services, education, healthcare, technology, and agriculture. 

In the world of nonprofit organizations, securing funding is often a crucial part of conducting the mission and initiative of supporting communities. While there are various avenues for fundraising, building strong relationships with foundations is a vital component of the grantseeking process. Foundations exist to support social causes, and establishing meaningful connections with them can lead to successful long-term partnerships. If your organization is new to foundation grants, you may be wondering where to start. Here are a few tips to create lasting and meaningful partnerships with foundations, thus enabling your organization to flourish.

Data serves as a powerful lens through which educators and administrators gain insights into student performance, learning patterns, and overall educational effectiveness. From traditional classrooms to online platforms, institutions are increasingly relying on data to make informed decisions on how to enhance curriculum and provide targeted learning experiences for students. Data can be collected in many ways such as surveys, assessment scores, focus groups, and more depending on the type of project being implemented. In this article, I will be exploring the multifaceted role of data in education and dive into how educational institutions can harness this powerful tool for successful grant seeking.

Ethical considerations around plagiarism and intellectual copywrite aside, if you are considering outsourcing your grant writing efforts to AI, we suggest caution. There are limits to what even the most innovative AI tool can produce on your behalf. However, to appreciate the need for this advice, it may help to first understand how text generative AI tools work.

For those new to the world of grantseeking, the amount of information available can be daunting. Between the complexity of various applications, the numerous types of funders and types of projects that you can apply for, and the announcements of funding opportunities spread out among thousands of departments and their unique websites among all levels of government, individuals seeking grant funding can become overwhelmed. It can be a Herculean effort to manage all aspects of the grant application process, and if it can be avoided, it is one that should not be a one-person show. While there are many examples of individuals seeking grants, writing and submitting the application themselves, and being awarded funding, it is always better to apply for grant funding as a team. One of the best things you can do when starting your grantseeking journey is to build a team that will work together to achieve your funding goals.

While each grant proposal will have its own set of specific guidelines and required supporting documents, grant writers can save a lot of time (and spare some headaches) by maintaining a ‘Frequently Used’ file of the most requested supporting documents and materials. 

Receiving the news of a rejected grant application that you spent so much time crafting, can be disheartening, leaving you with a sense of disappointment and uncertainty about the future of your project without this funding. Unfortunately, many who are denied funding simply accept the fate of their application as the end of the road.

If there’s one thing to remember, it is that competitive grant programs are well, competitive! Your submission may tick all of the boxes that the funder requires, and have a highly developed proposal, but still get rejected.

Many grants- federal, state, and foundation, operate on cycles. Federal and state grants may be one-time, annual, or multi-year grants. Foundations may have one or more application periods per year. Grants may open for short periods or during busy times, leaving applicants with little time to plan, prepare, write, and review the proposal. Learning the funding cycle and application periods for grants of interest is necessary to enable you to apply promptly and budget the time needed to plan and apply when the grant is open.

Well-crafted and detailed responses to selection criteria are critical to successful grants applications. These criteria play a pivotal role in determining an application's merit, with varying weights assigned to reflect their significance. It is important to distinguish selection criteria from brief project descriptions or administrative details, as they form the heart of the application, showcasing project alignment to funding priorities, organisational capacity to manage the project, and the impact the activity will have on the relevant communities.

Nervous? Don’t be. You don’t need to be an academic writer or have years of experience with grants to craft compelling, well-written responses. You just need to know your organisation and the project you’re proposing super well.

Institutes of higher education have a wide variety of grant programs available to support efforts on campus. Many different federal, state, and foundation funding sources focus either specifically on higher education or fund higher education projects as part of their larger grant funding priorities. Broadly speaking, this funding for higher education predominantly falls within three categories: student learning outcomes, workforce development, and faculty research. These major types of funding programs have remained relatively consistent over the last few decades. However, within these categories, specific funding priorities tend to shift due to political and cultural priorities. Read on for a deep dive into five of the current major funding trends in higher education.

Have you been searching high and low for funding for your latest program or project? What about looking into foundation grants! With over 76,000 foundations in the United States and an estimated $47 billion given away each year, the money you need may be right under your nose.

Investments in federal grants have increased considerably over the past several years, particularly with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Knowing how to navigate the current grant funding landscape can be a challenge, and understanding how grant funds are awarded can help organizations when they decide to apply for grant funding. There are four main types of grant funding at the federal level: competitive grants, pass-through grants, formula grants, and continuation grants.

ELIGIBILITY: The program is open to application from all institutions of higher education and associated organizations.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible lead applicants are Nonprofit Organizations, Labor Unions, Labor-Management Organizations, and Worker Organizations, Education/Training Provider(s), Workforce Development Entities, Economic Development Agencies, and Native American Tribal Governments.

ELIGIBILITY: Awards are made to State Education Agencies (SEAs). Local education agencies (LEAs) and nonprofit organizations may apply to states for subgrants.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are: (A) A State; (B) a political subdivision of a State; (C) a Tribal government; (D) a public transit agency or authority; (E) a public toll authority; (F) a metropolitan planning organization; and (G) a group of 2 or more eligible entities described.

Applying for grants to support infrastructure development and innovative solutions to meet the needs of communities can be a challenging process with strict requirements and intense competition. To improve your chances of success, you must create an outstanding application that showcases your proposal's strengths while adhering to the application guidelines. The following tips provide valuable insight into preparing an effective grant application that stands out.

Access to the internet is critical for so many daily activities (such as reading this article, for instance). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, recognizes the importance of broadband for Americans and provides significant funding to implement solutions. Through the Internet for All initiative, this funding is being distributed to states, territories, and other eligible recipients through various grant programs. Even before IIJA, federal agencies such as the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture were and continue to fund broadband grant programs. States have also started to make their own contributions to broadband efforts. Now is a great time to be pursuing grant funding for your broadband projects.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants include:

• Incorporated organizations
• Federally recognized Tribes
• State and local units of government
• Any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.

ELIGIBILITY: The eligible lead applicant must be a community college that is a public institution of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act and whose most common degree awarded is an associate degree.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are federally recognized Indian Tribes (or a consortium of Indian Tribes).

With grant applications being detailed documents, even the most experienced grant professionals must meticulously review each application thoroughly to ensure they are addressing everything the funder wants. As a grant writer, you are typically working on multiple grants at the same time, which only adds to the need for increased attention to detail. It can be overwhelming to compile and write all the necessary sections of a grant application so we, the team at Grants Office, suggest you set aside some time early in your project timeline to organize your materials. In the last issue of FUNDED, we discussed common documents you will likely need for most grant applications. In this issue, we are focusing on the common elements of grant applications and best practices on collecting and organizing that information. Preparing your material ahead of time will allow you and your organization to focus more time on the overall project and highlighting funder specific details, increasing your chances of being awarded funding.

It is important to note that every grant application is unique. Some of the below elements may be titled something different in an application or may not be included at all. This list serves as a starting point on your organizational journey.

Grant applications can be overwhelming to even the most experienced grants professionals. They often require a laundry list of items, requiring interaction with multiple individuals across your organization. Because of this, many nonprofits find themselves scrambling at the last minute to collect all documentation, limiting their ability to apply any finishing touches to their grant applications. The best way to combat that last minute scramble is by taking initiative and incorporate organizational time. A little organization early on can help your next application process be the smoothest yet.

Collaboration can be key to the success of your grant application. Detailing how the efforts and expertise of others contributes to the delivery of your project reduces duplicative efforts, improves overall outcomes and develops important relationships within the community of involved organisations. In order to formalise and demonstrate the validity of these partnerships within a grant application, a Letter of Support is often mandatory or highly encouraged.

Part of a comprehensive grants strategy for any organisation is knowing what to do with a grant when you win. Applications can be a gruelling process, and even after submission, it is often months before you’ll hear an outcome. So, before you start applying for grants en masse, it is critical that your organisation is set up to handle grants agreements; to understand what they are, what you’re committing to and how to curate healthy relationships with your funders!

In this article, we’ll look closely at what funding agreements look like, what’s involved in the execution process, common reporting requirements and how to submit a timely and satisfactory acquittal. First off…

Partnerships play a huge role in the success of a grant application. They can provide new perspectives, resources, and a competitive edge. Below, you’ll find answers to a series of questions about partnerships and how to navigate them.

Picture this…

You’ve just submitted a grant application and you feel you made a compelling argument for your project and have a good chance for being funded. You wait patiently to hear back and when you open your email one morning you see a message from the funder. You open it with a smile on your face but as you begin to read it your smile slowly turns to a frown. “Thank you for your application, however we are sorry to inform you that your project was not selected for funding this round.” As you skim through the rest of the email you think “What happened? Our application was great!” and then your mind moves to “Well what do we do now….”

No matter what type of public sector or nonprofit entity you are, foundation grants are a unique opportunity for you to receive funding support. According to Cause IQ there are over 132,000 private foundations within the United States.  As that number continues to grow, nonprofits have an opportunity to diversify their funding and create new partnerships between themselves and foundation funders.