Grants and Contracts Resources

What is the difference between government grants and government contracts?

Government grants are financial awards given by the federal, state, or local government to an eligible grantee. Grants are provided for a wide range of projects to accomplish a public purpose. Payment is sometimes made in advance or may have a defined draw down of funds schedule. The regulations that apply to grants are the OMB New Uniform Guidance. Generally, the scope of work for grants is defined by the grant recipient.

Government contracts are used to obtain goods or services that directly benefit the government. Contracts have definite tasks, milestones, and deliverables to be delivered under specific terms and conditions. Payment is made upon delivery/after receipt of a product, service, or report. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and federal agencies’ FAR supplements (e.g., the Defense Acquisitions Regulations) apply to contracts. Generally, the scope of worked is defined by the government agency.

FSCJ Links and Resources

• Grants and Contracts Administrative Handbook, 2012 Edition (PDF)
• Important Definitions to Know for Grants Administration (PDF)
• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF)
• Contracts and Other Agreements Overview (PDF)

Federal Links and Resources

• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 34 Education Department General Administrative Regulations: EDGAR (HTML)
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) NEW Uniform Guidance (HTML)
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Educational and Non-Profit Institutions Documents: OMB Circulars A-21 (HTML), A-110 (HTML), and A-133 (HTML)
• Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provides rules governing federal government's acquisition process. (HTML)
• USASpending.gov provides publicly accessible information on all federal awards made since 2006.
• Search available federal grant opportunities at Grants.gov. If you find one of interest, contact the  for more information.
• FedBizOpps.gov is where federal contract opportunities are posted.
• General Accounting Office's Chapter 10: Grants and Cooperative Agreements (PDF)

New OMB Uniform Guidance went into effect 12/26/2014. See final guidance for more information on implementation.