A Guide to Fiscal Year 1991 Federal Funding for HIV Disease: How Dollars are Spent How to Access Them

Project Grant- Funding, for specified periods,
specific projects or the delivery of particular services
or products without liability for damages for failure
to perform. Project grants include fellowships,
scholarships, research grants, training grants,
traineeships, experimental and demonstrations,
grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical
assistance grants, survey grants, and unsolicited contractual agreements.
Direct Payments for Specified Use- Financial assistance from the Federal Government directly to individuals, private organizations, or other private institutions to encourage or subsidize a particular activity dependent on the receipt of the assistance or performance by the recipient. This does not include
solicited contracts for the procurement of goods and
services for the Federal Government.
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use-Financial
assistance from the Federal Government directly to
beneficiaries who meet eligibility requirements with
no restrictions as to how the recipient spends the
money. Payments under retirement, pension, and
compensation programs are included.
Other types of assistance enumerated in the
Catalog but not related to AIDS/HIV funding include:
direct loans; guaranteed/insured loans; insurance;
sale, exchange, or donation of property and goods;
use of property, facilities, and equipment; provision
of specialized services; advisory services and counseling; dissemination of technical information; training;
investigation of complaints; and federal employment.
Within DHHS some other terms are used to define
types of AIDS/HIV assistance. They include:
Block Grant-Nearly identical to a formula grant,
but more flexible in that few or no restrictions (or
guidance)are made on how monies are spent.
Cooperative Agreement- Financial assistance
awarded in lieu of a grant when substantial Federal
programmatic involvement with the recipient during
performance is anticipated.
Competitive vs. Non-Competitive Grant or ContractAn agency can select a single source on a noncompetitive basis to perform a unique function or
task. Most grants or contracts are awarded after
groups compete for the funds available, with the proposals most in-keeping with program needs and goals
receiving funding.
Direct Assistance- A financial assistance

mechanism whereby goods or services are provided

to the recipients in lieu of cash. Direct assistance
generally involves the assignment of Federal personnel or the provision of equipment or supplies, such
as vaccines.
Matching-Refers to the value of third party inkind contributions and the portion of the costs of a
federally assisted project or program not borne by
the Federal Government. Where matching is not
required by law or regulation, matching may be
administratively required by the PHS awarding
office.
Subgrant-An award of financial assistance in the
form of money or property made under a grant by
a grantee to an eligible recipient called a subgrantee.
As you learn more about Federal funding related
to AIDS/HIV, you will understand which terms relate
to various types of funding. For example, Ryan White
monies appropriated to cities hardest hit by the
epidemic take the form of Block Grants. Social
Security benefits paid to people with AIDS fall under
the category of Direct Payments with Unrestricted
Use. Much assistance offered through the CDC's National AIDS Information and Education Program is
in the form of cooperative agreements. Once a grant
is awarded it must be funded within six months.
Some grants are approved but not funded, and may
be funded within 12 months if monies become
available.
The importance of the proper language is that the
type of assistance available determines the regulations which govern its use. There are specific
guidelines to be followed dependent on the type of
assistance received. In large part, the terminology
and guidelines take on significance once an applicant
has been awarded assistance. It is then that the recipient will learn more about reporting requirements
and other parameters which are determined by the
type of award.
As you begin the process of identifying funds which
may be available for your existing program or a project you wish to introduce, remember that each
department or agency works on its own timetable and
according to its own set of guidelines. While you may
learn that some have awarded most of their FY '91
grant or contract monies, others may still be involved
in that process. And, remember, that if you have
missed the opportunity to apply for FY '91 grant
money, ask about any contract funds that are
available. If all FY '91 monies have been awarded
in the area of your interest and/or expertise, ask
about FY '92 projected programs, funding, and

timetables for applications.

~1991 ASAP

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