Grant Definitions

Addendum: a written clarification or revision to a Request for Applications (RFA), issued by TCDD.

(Agency) Authorizing Official: an individual authorized by an applicant organization to obligate the organization in a legally binding contractual agreement.

Apparent Awardee: an organization that was selected to receive a grant award through its response to an RFA but that does not yet have a finalized grant agreement.

Allocation (of costs): the process of assigning a cost to one or more business units or cost centers based on their appropriate share of such cost in reasonable proportion to the benefit provided to each.

Applicant: the entity responding to an RFA.

Application: the complete set of forms, documents, and attachments the applicant completes and submits in response to an RFA.

Award: funds provided to a grant recipient to carry out an approved program or project (based on an approved application). May also be referred to as “grant” or “grant award.”

Assurance: a written statement by an applicant included with the application indicating that the applicant will abide by specific requirements if a grant is awarded.

Budget: the financial plan for carrying out a proposed project. The applicant provides a proposed budget, which includes both federal awarded funds and match, as part of its response to an RFA. This may also be referred to as a “project budget.”

Cost Reimbursement: a method of funding where a grantee organization must initially pay for project activities with its own funds. TCDD then issues reimbursement payments to the grantee on a scheduled basis for reported actual cash disbursement supported by adequate documentation.

Continuation Funding: an extension or renewal of existing project funding for one or more additional budget periods that would otherwise expire.

Federal Fiscal Year: the accounting period for the federal government, which begins on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30 of the following year. 

Grant: a financial award provided to a successful applicant as a result of its response to an RFA. This may also be referred to as “award” or “grant award.”

Grantee: the recipient of a grant award.

Indirect Cost: a business expense not readily identified with a project activity but necessary for an organization’s general operations and activities.

Key Personnel: individuals who contribute to the programmatic development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they receive salaries or compensation under the grant.

Match: share of costs the applicant and any partners must contribute to accomplish the purposes of the grant and proposed project. cash match includes funds contributed by the applicant, contributed by partner organizations, or donations from third parties. In-kind match includes the value of personnel, volunteer time, goods, services, direct costs, and indirect costs. All match, both cash and in-kind, can only come from non-federal sources. This may also be referred to as “cost share.”

Outcome: measures showing benefits as a result of project activities such as positive changes to knowledge, skills, or behaviors.

Output: counts or percentages that show the amount of activities delivered.

Partner Organization: a collaborative member that helps implement the proposed project and is not the applicant. This may also be referred to as “partner.”

Project: an organized activity or series of tasks with a well-defined purpose to achieve a specific goal or outcome. During the application period and before the grant award is made, a project may also be referred to as “proposed project.”

Successful Applicant: an organization receiving a grant award as a result of its response to an RFA. This may also be referred to as “awarded applicant” or “grantee.”