Grants.gov Allows for Changes to Assistance Listing Numbers
Now that Grants.gov has revamped its systems to allow for a larger range of future Assistance Listings options, entities seeking to apply and manage grant awards should ensure that they can adapt to this change.
Currently, assistance listing numbers are determined by the agency and program number. The first two numbers prior to the period are for the particular agency (e.g., 20.XXX is Department of Transportation). The following three numbers refer to the particular financial assistance program under that agency. For example, 20.205 references the DOT Highway Planning and Construction program.
Some COVID-19 relief programs, such as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), had multiple “subprograms." To handle this, the Department of Education added a letter after the main HEERF Assistance Listing number to identify each of the subprograms (e.g., 84.425E).
To provide federal agencies with more flexibility for future listings, Grants.gov has updated the Assistance Listing format, shifting from numeric digits to an alphanumeric program code, which will give agencies more flexibility for future listings. Please note that existing Assistance Listing numbers will not change.
Going forward, the agency's two-digit agency number will not change. However, the format of the three-digit program code will begin to use alphanumeric character. For example, in addition to existing identifiers where the last three characters were strictly limited to numbers, Grants.gov will also support identifiers of the form 31.A1A, which include letters. According to Grants.gov, this change increases the range of possible listing numbers, enabling more supported programs without increasing the number of characters.
Applicants and recipients should be aware that such a change may require them to assess their internal systems to ensure they can handle such alphanumeric numbers. Grants.gov plans to provide more information about this change on the Grants.gov Releases page.
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