The Grant Transparency Act (S 2260 & HR 5536) is likely to pass Congress this year, and we consider this legislation critical because it enhances transparency and fairness in the process of awarding competitive grants by U.S. government agencies. It is a bipartisan bill with nearly unanimous support in the Senate. More than half of Ascend's partners are grant clients, and we have been grateful to secure more than $11M in federal and state funding just in the last 12 months on their behalf. Because of this we have seen firsthand how organizations dedicate valuable hours and resources to try to win this funding and the importance of transparency in the grant selection process - especially as the leadership of the federal agencies changes vastly with different Presidential Administrations.
The Grant Transparency Act mandates that notices of funding opportunities for these grants must clearly explain the criteria and processes used to evaluate and select grant recipients. This includes:
1. Rating Systems: Agencies must describe how they rate and score grant applications, including any merit-based criteria and point scales used.
2. Weighted Scoring: If an agency uses a weighted scoring method, they must explain how each criterion is weighted and how it affects the overall evaluation.
3. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches: Agencies must disclose any additional methods used to assess applications.
Additionally, it will direct OMB to develop data elements pertaining to grant applications to ensure common reporting by each agency with respect to applications received in response to each notice of funding opportunity of the agency to include:
- The number of applications received
- The city and state of each organization that submitted an application
By making these evaluation processes transparent, the Grant Transparency Act ensures that applicants have a clear understanding of how their applications will be judged, promoting greater fairness and accountability in the allocation of public funds.
Ascend has officially endorsed this legislation, and we encourage you to endorse this legislation as well. Sign up through THIS LINK by October 18th, and we will send your organization's name to the leadership offices to keep you updated about its passage into law.
nonprofit strategy, grant funding, federal grant writing, government relations, appropriations