Federal financial assistance is a broad term used to refer to the various ways the U.S. government allots resources to eligible recipients, with grants being one form associated with many research and development projects.
The grant process, which may vary from organization to organization, typically involves creating the funding opportunity, application processing, award decisions, and award implementation. Each of these steps is normally made up of multiple sub-steps, each with their own rules, regulations, and timelines. Below is a list of U.S. federal agencies that routinely offer grants covering a broad range of science based initiatives.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
- U.S. Department of Education (ED)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
Because of the complexity of navigating through the grant application there are numerous online systems and tools supporting federal awards. There are websites dedicated to assisting with everything from application and processing to payment and data repository.
How the Applied Pharmaceutics Lab (APhL) Can Help
The Applied Pharmaceutics Lab (APhL) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has extensive experience participating in grant-based projects ranging from sample testing to clinical supplies manufacturing. Agencies that APhL has worked with include the FDA, NASA, NIH, and others. Specific programs include the Maryland Industrial Partnership Program (MIPS), Small Business Innovative Research Program (SBIR), and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTP). This experience translates to project efficiency across the entire process including timelines, budgeting, data and documentation.