OMB Watch, the Urban Institute and GuideStar are co-sponsoring the Streamlining Grants Management Project to give nonprofits input into how the federal government streamlines its grant application and reporting process. The Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 requires federal agencies to create a uniform process. The agencies are working on common information standards, consolidating forms and making the entire process available online. Below you will find information on what is being proposed and mechanisms for getting updates and submitting your comments.

A Federal Register notice published April 8, 2003 from the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) - Notice of Proposed Requirement to Establish Standard Data Elements - proposes uniform information requirements for all federal grant applications. OFFM is seeking public comment by June 9, 2003. Their goal is to have an electronic application system operational by October 2003.

WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT OPPOSES FUNDS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT

After Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) agreed to drop the “equal treatment” portion of the Charity Aid Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act aimed at making it easier for religious organizations to get government grants, the path was cleared for the remainder of the bill (S. 476) to proceed to the Senate floor. S. 476 deals primarily with tax incentives for charitable giving and nonprofit accountability issues and was approved by the Finance Committee in February. However, controversy over the faith-based version sponsored by Santorum and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) was holding up the bill.