Using Federal Grant Data to Inform State and Local Planning
“The utility of the FFATA database will be greatly enhanced with the addition of program activity codes”
Janet F. Rosenzweig MS, PhD, MPA [jfrosenzweig@comcast.net]
With Mark Ginalski, Esq., MPA
The demise of the requirements under OMB circular A-95 meant the end to the requirement for states to maintain a clearinghouse of federal grant applications. While many states are able to centralize some information, none has been able to compile and analyze data in a comprehensive and meaningful way. While engaged in a research project as mid-career graduate students at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government seeking a solution for cross-disciplinary program and service planning, the authors came across the FFATA database when it was first launched last year. While it offered extraordinarily comprehensive information, the lack of an activity code severely limits the utility for public planning.
One paper resulting from the effort has been published by the NGP at http://thengp.org/documents/Final--Dec08usingfedgrantdataforplanning%20jfr.pdf. It explores options for using federal grant data for state, local and multi-disciplinary service planning. It starts with an introduction to federal grant making and explores the federal role in facilitating local and state planning. The focus moves to the Federal Financial Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 – known as FFATA, examines the database created under that legislation and concludes that the utility of the FFATA database will be greatly enhanced with the addition of program activity codes. For example, a link from Grants.gov to the searchable database of Nonprofit Program Classification (NPC) codes maintained by the National Center for Charitable Statistics at The Urban Institute would enable applicants to identify the NPC activity code that best describes their activities under the grant for which they are applying; the NPC code can be established at the time of application and maintained in subsequent reports.
The FFATA database offers public administrators and planners a remarkable opportunity to know who is receiving federal funds. Information on the activities these funds will support can be used to forge partnerships and collaborations and expand networks when organizations with similar missions but different funding sources identify each other.
FFATA implementation – particularly for the subaward pilot – requires a great deal of work form state officials; the simple inclusion of an activity code can make this work pay dividends.
Join the discussion! Check out the FFATA database and imagine how planners could use this information to inform coordination and planning. Janet Rosenzweig can be reached at jfrosenzweig@comcast.net; inquiries regarding participation in future NGP-sponsored discussions of this topic can be directed to Bill Levis, NCCS, The Urban Institute, qrlevis@aol.com.
