John Prairie Discusses Federal Grants for Associations

November 3, 2015

John Prairie a partner in Wiley Rein’s Government Contracts Practice, was quoted in an October 30, CEO Update article discussing federal grants for associations. According to the article, the federal government gives out billions of dollars in grants each year to associations, giving them a way to accomplish more than their budgets may allow. Data gathered by Wiley Rein, which was included in the article, stated that in fiscal year 2015 the federal government spent more on grants ($554 billion) than on contracts ($315 billion).

“Grants, like federal contracts, really do cover every industry and every type of product or service,” Mr Prairie said. “A federal grant must benefit the public generally, and very often requires some matching funding in terms of dollars or in-kind services,” he said. Pros include the additional funds and the cachet of being selected for a project. Drawbacks can include the burden of tracking funds, allocating costs and other requirements, he added.