What Was the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance?
Let me explain what the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) was. It served as a database listing various federal assistance programs in the United States, offering a complete directory of aid available to corporations, government agencies, U.S. territories, and individual citizens.
That said, the CFDA no longer exists in its original form. All its information has moved to the System for Award Management (SAM) website, where you can still access details on government assistance, making it simpler to find and apply for federal programs.
Key Takeaways
The CFDA functioned as a directory of federal assistance programs, detailing grants, loans, scholarships, counseling, and other forms of aid for the American public. In 2018, the CFDA website merged with other government systems, and now you find its information in the Assistance Listings section at SAM.gov.
Recipients of CFDA-listed programs included corporate and government agencies, U.S. territories, and citizens. The SAM.gov site operates within the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) managed by the GSA.
Understanding the CFDA
The U.S. federal government, through its agencies and departments, provides assistance like grants, loans, scholarships, property, and counseling. Starting in 1984, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) compiled this information into the CFDA.
Not all programs offered financial aid, and foreign aid was excluded. Users of the CFDA included individuals, state and local governments (including the District of Columbia), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, companies, and nonprofit organizations.
You could access listings on the official CFDA.gov website, but to engage with programs, you needed authorization to do business with the federal government. Each program had a unique five-digit number in the format ##.###, where the first two digits identified the agency and the last three the specific program, ensuring transparency in data and funding.
Importantly, the CFDA was retired after consolidating its data with other systems to streamline the awards process. This created a single portal to reduce administrative efforts for those doing business with the government.
Transition to the SAM.gov Website
SAM.gov operates within the GSA's Integrated Award Environment (IAE). In May 2018, CFDA data merged with nine other federal systems, leading to the retirement of CFDA.gov and the transfer of its functions to SAM.gov.
The main goal was to simplify business with the government for authorized entities. Now, you access former CFDA data and other integrated systems through the Assistance Listings section at SAM.gov, which covers loans, grants, insurance, scholarships, and more.
As of the transition, the federal government offered over 2,000 domestic assistance programs, with the Department of Health and Human Services having the most. Other departments with many programs include the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Justice, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Once you spot an assistance listing that interests you, link directly to grant opportunities on Grants.gov or contact the agency using info from SAM.gov.
How to Get Started on SAM.gov
First, decide if you want to register to bid and apply for federal awards or just get a Unique Entity ID without full registration. If applying for awards or bidding on contracts, complete the registration to get your Unique Entity ID.
After deciding, start your search on SAM.gov. You can check registration status and find more details on the process there. The site offers a Federal Service Desk for technical issues or further help.
Remember to renew your SAM.gov registration every 365 days to keep it active, and you can update it anytime.
Individual Assistance Programs
SAM.gov lists many programs. For example, the Department of Education's Federal Pell Grant Program (84.063) supports undergraduate students with financial need through grants that don't require repayment.
Another is the Department of Health and Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (93.558), often called welfare, which helps low-income families with children meet basic needs.
The Department of Homeland Security's flood insurance program (97.022), run by FEMA, provides coverage for flood damages to homeowners, renters, and businesses in participating NFIP communities.
Small Business Assistance Programs
Smaller programs target businesses, like the SBA's two dozen offerings, including the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST 59.058), which strengthens the technological competitiveness of U.S. small businesses.
Government Assistance Scams
SAM.gov never directly offers awards or solicits applications, and neither did the CFDA. The shift to SAM.gov sparked new scams via phone, internet, and social media, falsely promising easy government grants.
Scammers might pretend to be from the nonexistent CFDA, demanding fees or personal info for supposed grant approvals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the CFDA? It was a government-wide catalog of federal programs, projects, services, and activities providing info on assistance for various recipients.
What was its purpose? The CFDA made it easier for you to find and access available services and support.
Does the CFDA still exist? No, it was integrated into a single GSA-managed portal; listings are now at SAM.gov's Assistance Listings.
Is it legit? Yes, the CFDA was legitimate, and SAM.gov programs are government-sponsored, but watch out for scammers posing as CFDA or similar entities to defraud you.
The Bottom Line
The CFDA was a comprehensive directory of federal assistance, including grants and scholarships. In 2018, it integrated into SAM.gov's Assistance Listings. Register there, get your Unique Entity ID, and apply for assistance.
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