Earmark grants — formally called Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) — are appropriations where Congress specifies the recipient and purpose directly in legislation, bypassing the normal competitive merit review process. A member of Congress secures funding for a specific project in their district or state by including it in an appropriations bill. The funding is then administered by the relevant agency, but the selection has already been made by Congress. Earmarks were effectively banned in 2011 under a congressional moratorium, but were reinstated for fiscal year 2022 under tighter disclosure requirements. Under current rules, each member of Congress may submit up to 15 community project funding requests per year. Eligible recipients are primarily nonprofits and state and local government entities — for-profit entities are generally excluded. The amounts range from several hundred thousand dollars to a few million. Because earmarks are legislatively directed, they appear on Grants.gov as awards rather than open competitions. Organizations seeking earmarks work through their congressional delegation rather than through a standard grant application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any organization receive an earmark grant?
No. Under current congressional rules, Community Project Funding (the modern form of earmarks) is available only to nonprofits and state and local government entities. For-profit businesses are excluded. Organizations typically need an established relationship with their congressional representatives and must be able to articulate a specific, geographically bounded project that serves constituents in the member's district or state. The process involves requesting support from your representative or senators, not submitting a competitive proposal to an agency.
How do I apply for an earmark or Community Project Funding?
There is no standard grant application for earmarks. The process requires engagement with your congressional representatives. Each year, members of Congress solicit requests from local organizations in their districts, typically in the first quarter of the calendar year (January–April) before submitting appropriations requests. Organizations should contact their representative's district office to inquire about the application process and timeline. House and Senate rules require that all Community Project Funding requests be publicly disclosed on member websites before being included in an appropriations bill.
Are earmark grants reliable sources of federal funding?
Earmarks are generally one-time awards for specific projects rather than recurring funding. They can be an effective way to secure capital project funding, equipment, or a specific program initiative, but they are not a sustainable recurring revenue source. Additionally, they are subject to the appropriations process and can be cut or eliminated if the overall appropriations bill is not enacted. Organizations that rely on federal funding for ongoing operations are better served by pursuing competitive grant programs with established recurring funding cycles.
GrantMetric Intelligence Systems — Independent federal grant intelligence platform. Not affiliated with Grants.gov, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, or any government agency. Grant data is sourced from the Grants.gov API for informational purposes only; always verify opportunity details directly with the funding agency before applying. Some links on this site are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
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Last Reviewed: May 2026 ·
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