Farm Grants Get Another Paperwork Snoozefest Review
Published Date: 9/9/2026
Notice
Summary
Under 2 CFR parts 200 and 400. For assistance agreements awarded on or after December 26, 2014, 2 CFR part 400 implements OMB regulations in 2 CFR part 200. FAS grant programs plan to collect the information from grant applicants needed to evaluate and rank applicants and protect the integrity of the grantee selection process. All FAS grant programs will be eligible but not required to use the uniform grant application package (concept papers, full application, terms and conditions, agreements, amendments as well as performance report). The authorities for these grants vary. The term "grant" in this submission refers only to non-entitlement discretionary competitive and non-competitive grants or cooperative agreements. The uniform grant application package will include general information and instructions; requirements for the program narrative statement describing how the grant goals, objectives, and outcomes will be reached, as well as a description of the budget; the Standard Forms SF- 424 series, and SF-LLL, which request basic information, budget information, and disclosure of lobbying activities certification, respectively. In addition, grantees will also be required to submit Standard Form SF-425, Federal Financial Report form, M&E Reports, SF- 270 Claim (4040-0012)). If FAS decides to use the uniform grant application package, FAS will note in the grant solicitation that applicants must use the uniform grant application package and that the information collection has already been approved by OMB. If FAS chooses not to use the uniform grant application package or finds it necessary for grant applicants to submit extra information not included in the uniform package, FAS will issue a notice of at least 30 days inviting public comments on its plan to gather different or additional information be making a grant solicitation, unless this has already been addressed in earlier published notices. Need and Use of the Information: The primary users of the information collected from the applicant are FAS and other Federal staff who will serve on a panel to systematically review, evaluate, and approve the competitive and non-competitive grant/cooperative agreement applications and recommend the applicants most likely to meet program objectives and most responsive to the solicitation. The selection criteria will be contained in the grant application package. Without this information, FAS will not have adequate data to select appropriate grantees or evaluate which grants should be continued or monitor financial reporting requirements. Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not for profit institutions. Number of Respondents: 628. Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting; Quarterly. Total Burden Hours: 25,306.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Uniform Grant Application Requirement
If the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) decides to require it, you must use a uniform grant application package for non-entitlement discretionary competitive and non-competitive grants or cooperative agreements. That package includes the SF-424 series, SF-LLL (lobbying disclosure), SF-425 (Federal Financial Report), SF-270 Claim (4040-0012), program narrative and budget details, and M&E reports. If FAS uses the package, the grant solicitation will note that the collection is already approved by OMB.
Paperwork Burden for Grant Applicants
The information collection estimates 628 respondents and a total burden of 25,306 hours, with responses required for recordkeeping, reporting, and on a quarterly frequency. Businesses and not-for-profit institutions that apply for these FAS grants will share in this reported time burden.
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Key Dates
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