Discretionary grants definition. “Using Discretion,” Draper Group (2004). Discretionary grants permit the agency to exercise judgment in selecting recipients through a competitive grant process. May 17, 2016 · A “discretionary” grant is a grant in which a federal agency selects the awardee (i. gov, the applications are sent to the… Jul 12, 2025 · To understand these decisions, you need to grasp two fundamental categories of federal spending: mandatory spending (which includes entitlement programs) and discretionary spending. means funding approved by the Commission for a specific program designed to improve the quality of indigent defense services. e. The purpose of this guide is to detail the benefits and concerns of discretionary grantmaking. Mandatory grants are required to be awarded if the recipients meet certain predetermined conditions. Oct 20, 2020 · Discretionary Grants Guide Discretionary grants are those made at the discretion of individual trustees or other authorized individuals, without the standard approval process and/or review by the full board. This distinction shapes how programs are funded, how easily that funding can change, and the entire landscape of national policy debates. , grant recipient) based on merit and eligibility. S. A Federal grant making agency accepts applications for discretionary funding, determines eligibility, reviews the contents of the application, and determines which applicants receive Mar 4, 2014 · What is the difference between discretionary grants and mandatory (aka: formula) grants? Answer: There are two main types of grants: discretionary and mandatory. By examining their definitions, operations, typical recipients, supported projects, and inherent benefits and challenges, we aim to make these crucial government processes easier to understand. What Are Entitlement Programs? This Handbook for the Discretionary Grant Process (Handbook) provides the foundation and framework for the U. Other authorization laws establish or continue discretionary programs, which receive their funding in appropriation acts. In “Policy Central: Grantmaking and Strategy,” The National Center for Family Philanthropy states that Council of Michigan Foundations defines discretionary grantmaking as “grants distributed at the discretion of authorized individuals, usually board members or senior staff, who are given the opportunit Apr 19, 2025 · Discretionary grants permit the agency to exercise judgment in selecting recipients through a competitive grant process. A publicly available document by which a federal agency makes known its intentions to award discretionary grants or cooperative agreements, usually as a result of competition for funds. Jan 21, 2020 · Formula grants are funding programs that you do not compete for, even though you must submit an application and meet other specified requirements. Jul 12, 2025 · This guide explores four primary categories of federal funding mechanisms: Discretionary Grants, Formula Grants, Block Grants, and Pass-through Grants. They ensure that designated recipients will receive funds, and are usually administered and managed by State Administering Agencies. . The federal awarding agency may select the recipient from among all eligible recipients, may decide to make or not make an award based The Federal government issues two kinds of grants: discretionary grants and formula (or block) grants. Define Discretionary Grant. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grant process. When an authorization act provides funding directly from the Treasury (so that the program does not require an annual appropriation), that amount is classified as mandatory spending. After you apply for a discretionary grant on Grants. Some discretionary grants may be awarded on a non-competitive basis, often based on congressional direction. A discretionary grant (or cooperative agreement) is a merit-based award of funds to eligible applicants. Discretionary grants are awarded directly by Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to eligible recipients and are most often awarded on a competitive basis. Federal discretionary grant programs are created and approved by Congress. xoj oeswb b7cy27 wmiu1wm auo zjdj6og4 tavtz qiabey xjbqo1y emvp