The United States Code, Titles 13 and 31, and a 1982 designation by the Office of Management and Budget, authorize this program and provide for mandatory responses. Federal assistance award agencies fully fund the program. The 30 Federal agencies responsible for virtually all financial assistance awards to non-Federal governments, private and nonprofit organizations, and individuals. Exclusions include international transactions, Federal wages and salaries, and goods or services purchased for Federal government use. Reported data are for Federal obligations during the preceding fiscal quarter.
Data collection begins after each quarter and continues for about two months.
Agencies routinely submit assistance award data after the close of each quarter. Data are submitted in a standard format, usually electronically, and contain information for all financial assistance awards. The Census Bureau supplements agency data by adding CFDA program descriptions and titles, agency titles, places of performance, and state names. Reports contain data and text information, by state and county, for 250,000 - 350,000 financial assistance award transactions each quarter. Data files are forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration and are available for public purchase.