📘 Grant Glossary & Acronym Guide for Federal, Tribal, State & Nonprofit Funding Success

Navigate Grant Terms, Funding Sources & Compliance with Confidence

Whether you're writing a grant, managing post-award compliance, or preparing for closeout, understanding the language of grant funding is essential. This glossary breaks down sector-specific terms, agencies, and acronyms to help you successfully navigate funding at every stage.

📌 This is a curated reference guide—not a fully comprehensive list—designed to support organizations working across federal, tribal, state, and nonprofit sectors.

A structured overview of top agencies, their funding programs, and where to find opportunities.

✅ Where to Find Federal Grants

🟩 Grants.gov
✔ Central portal for all federal funding opportunities

🟩 SAM.gov
✔ Required registration to apply for federal grants

🟩 Federal Register
✔ Official updates on funding announcements & policy changes

✅ Key Federal Grant Agencies & Common Grant Programs

🟩 Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
✔ Head Start
✔ Health Workforce Grants
✔ Rural Health Programs

🟩 National Institutes of Health (NIH)
✔ Biomedical & Health Research Grants

🟩 Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
✔ Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
✔ Housing Choice Vouchers

🟩 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
✔ Disaster Recovery Grants
✔ Hazard Mitigation Grants

🟩 Department of Education (ED)
✔ Teacher Grants
✔ Higher Education Opportunity Grants

🟩 National Science Foundation (NSF)
✔ STEM Research Grants

🟩 Department of Agriculture (USDA)
✔ Rural Development Grants
✔ Food Security Programs

🟩 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
✔ Brownfields Program
✔ Tribal Environmental & Clean Water Grants

📌 Compliance Note: Most federal grants require adherence to 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), along with strict financial tracking, reporting, and performance monitoring.

Explore tribal-specific grant programs, tribal-serving organizations, and key federal and state resources available to tribal governments and entities.

✅ Federal Agencies Offering Tribal-Specific Grant Programs

🟩 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
✔ Tribal Economic Development Grants
✔ Indian Business Incubator Programs

🟩 Administration for Native Americans (ANA)
✔ Language Preservation Grants
✔ Tribal Governance Capacity Building

🟩 Indian Health Service (IHS)
✔ Tribal Healthcare Facility Construction
✔ Behavioral Health Grants

🟩 Department of Housing & Urban Development – Office of Native American Programs (HUD ONAP)
✔ Indian Housing Block Grants (IHBG)
✔ Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG)

🟩 Department of Energy (DOE)
✔ Tribal Energy Infrastructure Grants
✔ Renewable Energy Development Programs

🟩 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
✔ General Assistance Program (GAP)
✔ Clean Water Act Tribal Set-Aside Funding

📌 Reminder: Tribal entities can also apply for general federal grants via Grants.gov—these programs are in addition to specialized tribal funding.

✅ Tribal Organizations Providing Grant Funding to Native Communities

🟩 National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC)
✔ Housing & Infrastructure Support for Tribal Nations

🟩 First Nations Development Institute
✔ Tribal Economic Development
✔ Community Program Grants

🟩 Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF)
✔ Agricultural and Food Sovereignty Grants for Indigenous Farmers & Ranchers

🟩 Amerind Risk
✔ Tribal Housing Safety Initiatives
✔ Emergency Preparedness & Infrastructure Grants

✅ States That Offer Direct Grant Funding to Tribes

🟩 Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC)
✔ Education & Economic Development Grants

🟩 New Mexico Indian Affairs Department (IAD)
✔ State-Funded Tribal Health, Business & Community Grants

🟩 California Indian Manpower Consortium (CIMC)
✔ Workforce Development & Employment Support Grants

📌 Compliance Note: Tribal grants often require government-to-government agreements, tribal resolutions, and unique compliance tracking and documentation protocols.

State agencies distribute funding for education, infrastructure, public health, and economic development. Many state grants use federal pass-through dollars, while others are funded directly by state initiatives.

✅ Where to Find State-Level Grant Opportunities

🟩 State Government Grant Portals
✔ Each state maintains a dedicated website listing grant opportunities by category

🟩 Departments of Education
✔ K–12 and higher education grants for schools, districts, and support organizations

🟩 Departments of Health & Human Services
✔ Public health grants
✔ Social services funding
✔ Behavioral health and addiction services

🟩 Economic Development Agencies
✔ Workforce training programs
✔ Innovation & entrepreneurship funding
✔ Small business and rural development grants

📌 Compliance Note: Many state-funded grants require organizations to meet both state and federal reporting and audit standards. Be sure to review dual compliance obligations carefully.

Nonprofit organizations access funding from government entities, private foundations, corporate sponsors, and community-based initiatives. Grant success in this sector depends heavily on mission alignment and demonstrated impact.

✅ Where to Find Nonprofit Grant Opportunities

🟩 Foundation Directory Online
✔ Searchable database of private foundations and philanthropic grantmakers

🟩 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs
✔ Business-led funding initiatives that support nonprofit missions aligned with corporate values

🟩 Community Foundations
✔ Local and regional funding for community-based nonprofits
✔ Often tied to specific geographic service areas

🟩 Government Grants (Grants.gov & State Portals)
✔ Federal and state funding accessible to eligible nonprofits
✔ Often tied to service delivery and public impact metrics

📌 Compliance Note: Nonprofits must demonstrate strong funder alignment, provide clear impact measurement, and build sustainable funder relationships to remain competitive in grant cycles.

🟩 Q1: Do all organizations use the same grant terminology?
✔ No. Federal, tribal, state, and nonprofit sectors each use distinct acronyms, compliance language, and agency references. This glossary helps you decode the differences to avoid missteps.

🟩 Q2: Why is SAM.gov registration important for federal grants?
✔ SAM.gov is a required registration portal for nearly all federal grants. Without an active SAM registration, your application cannot be submitted or considered.

🟩 Q3: Are tribal entities eligible for general federal grants too?
✔ Yes. In addition to tribal-specific programs, tribal governments and organizations can apply for general federal funding through Grants.gov, provided they meet eligibility requirements.

🟩 Q4: How do I find out which grants apply to my organization?
✔ Use a combination of search platforms like Grants.gov, state portals, and foundation directories. Our Pre-Award courses walk you through how to identify, assess, and vet opportunities step-by-step.

🟩 Q5: Where can I get deeper training on navigating sector-specific funding?
✔ Enroll in our Grant Training Programs to gain hands-on instruction for each phase of the grant life cycle—covering compliance, research, proposal writing, award management, and closeout.