# Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): What It Was

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*— Investopedia / Michela Buttignol*

## What Was the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance?

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) was a database of various federal assistance programs in the United States. It provided a full listing of assistance programs available to corporations, government agencies, U.S. territories, and individual citizens.

However, the CFDA no longer exists. Its information is now accessible through the System for Award Management (SAM) website. SAM continues to provide information on [government assistance](https://www.investopedia.com/government-assistance-programs-4845368) and can make it easier for users to find and apply for federal programs.

### Key Takeaways

*   The CFDA was a directory of federal assistance programs.
*   It detailed the federal grants, loans, scholarships, counseling, and other assistance programs available to the American public.
*   In 2018, the CFDA website was consolidated with other government systems. Its information is available through the Assistance Listings section at SAM.gov.
*   CFDA recipients included corporate and government agencies, U.S. territories, and U.S. citizens.
*   The SAM.gov website operates within the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) within the GSA.

## Understanding the CFDA

The U.S. federal government, through various agencies and departments, offers a range of assistance such as grants, loans, scholarships, property, and counseling.

Beginning in 1984, information about these domestic assistance programs was compiled by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which published it in the CFDA.

Many, but not all, programs provided financial assistance. [Foreign aid](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/foreign-aid.asp) was not included.  

Parties that used the CFDA included:

*   Individuals
*   State and local governments (including the District of Columbia)
*   Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
*   Companies
*   [Nonprofit organizations (NPOs)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/non-profitorganization.asp)

Listings were available through the CFDA's official website CFDA.gov. Individuals or organizations seeking to access programs through the CFDA needed authorization to conduct [business](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business.asp) with the federal government.

Each program listed online was assigned a unique number by agency and program, enabling data and funding [transparency](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/transparency.asp).

Each CFDA number contained five digits and appeared as ##.###. The first two digits indicated the agency responsible while the last three digits indicated the program itself.

> **Important**
>
> The CFDA was retired after its data was consolidated with other government systems programs to streamline the awards process. The new, single portal was intended to provide efficiency and lessen the administrative effort that people who wished to do business with the federal government had to make.

## Transition to the SAM.gov Website

The SAM.gov website operates within the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) of the GSA.

CFDA data were consolidated with nine other federal government systems in May 2018. This consolidation led to the retirement of the CFDA website, and its functions being transferred to the [SAM.gov](https://sam.gov/) website.

The primary goal of this change was to make it easier for authorized entities to do business with the government.

Now, the former CFDA data and the other integrated systems can be accessed through the Assistance Listings section at SAM.gov. There, visitors will find information on a variety of assistance programs including loans, grants, [insurance](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/insurance.asp), and [scholarships](https://www.investopedia.com/understanding-scholarships-need-and-merit-4783132).

As of the transition, the federal government offered over 2,000 domestic assistance programs. The Department of Health and Human Services had the most programs.

Other departments with a high volume of assistance programs included the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice, and the [U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/us-department-housing-urban-development-hud.asp).

> **Fast Fact**
>
> Once you identify a federal assistance listing that you’re interested in, you can link directly to grant opportunities on Grants.gov or follow up with a specific agency using the contact information provided on SAM.gov.

## How to Get Started on SAM.Gov

First, you'll need to decide whether you want to register to bid and apply for federal awards or simply obtain a Unique Entity ID without completing a full registration.

If you want to apply for federal awards or bid on government contracts, you'll need to complete a registration, which includes being assigned a Unique Entity ID.

Once you've decided on the type of registration you want, you can start the search on SAM.gov. You can check the status of your registration and find more information about the registration process on its website.

The website also has a Federal Service Desk available to help you with any technical issues or if you need further assistance.

> **Tip**
>
> Renew your SAM.Gov registration every 365 days to keep it active. Additionally, you can update your registration at any time.

### Individual Assistance Programs

There are many programs available through SAM.gov. Some of the most common ones include:

*   The Department of Education's Federal [Pell Grant](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pell-grant.asp) Program (84.063), which is designed to support undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. The program provides grants to eligible students, and unlike loans, these grants do not need to be repaid.
*   The Department of Health and Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (93.558) program (often referred to simply as welfare), which supplements the earnings of low-income families that have children. The program aims to help these families meet basic needs.
*   The Department of Homeland Security's [flood insurance](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/flood-insurance.asp) (97.022) program, which is administered through the [Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)](https://www.investopedia.com/federal-emergency-management-agency-fema-definition-5524719). This program offers coverage for flood-related damages. It's available to homeowners, renters, and businesses in communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

### Small Business Assistance Programs

Smaller programs also exist to benefit small businesses. For instance, the [Small Business Administration (SBA)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/small-business-administration.asp) offers two dozen programs, such as the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST 59.058). This is awarded "to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small business concerns in the U.S."

## Government Assistance Scams

SAM.gov has never directly offered awards or solicited applications (neither did the CFDA). Unfortunately, this transition from the CFDA to the SAM.gov website led to the creation of new scams via phone, internet, and [social media](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media.asp), falsely claiming to offer easy government grant money.

These scammers may pose as members of the nonexistent CFDA. People who perpetrate these [grant](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/grant.asp) frauds typically promise grant approval in exchange for a fee or personal information.

## What Was the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance?

The CFDA was a government-wide catalog of federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provided information about assistance or benefits available to a variety of recipients.

## What Was the Purpose of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance?

The CFDA aimed to make it easier for individuals and entities to find and access the services and support that was available to them.

## Does the CFDA Still Exist?

No the CFDA no longer exists. It was integrated with other government systems into a single portal managed by the GSA. A listing of federal government assistance programs is now accessible through the Assistance Listings section of SAM.gov.

## Is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Legit?

Yes, the CFDA was legitimate and programs now listed at SAM.gov are sponsored by the federal government. However, beware of grant scammers who may pose as the CFDA. The government warns that agents claiming to be with the "Community for Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)" or a similarly named organization, and not the former, federally-run Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), may attempt to defraud you.

## The Bottom Line

The CFDA was a comprehensive directory of federal assistance programs, including federal grants and scholarships. In 2018, it was integrated into the SAM.gov website, within the Assistance Listings section. You can apply for assistance on SAM.gov after registering and receiving a Unique Entity ID.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Sam.gov. "[About This Site](https://sam.gov/about/this-site)."
>     
> 2.  Texas Christian University. "[Core Documents of Our Democracy: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance](https://libguides.tcu.edu/core_documents/cfda)."
>     
> 3.  National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers. "[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Transition Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.nasact.org/Files/2018_05_CFDA_Transition_FAQ.pdf)."
>     
> 4.  UMCES. "[CFDA Overview](https://www.umces.edu/cfda-overview)."
>     
> 5.  SAM.gov. "[Get Started With Registration and the Unique Entity ID](https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration)."
>     
> 6.  Federal Student Aid. "[Federal Pell Grants](https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell)."
>     
> 7.  Federal Student Aid. "[Federal Need Analysis Methodology for the 2025–26 Award Year-Federal Pell Grant](https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/federal-registers/2024-09-03/federal-need-analysis-methodology-2025-26-award-year-federal-pell-grant)."
>     
> 8.  TAGGS. "[Temporary Assistance for Needy Families](https://taggs.hhs.gov/Detail/CFDADetail?arg_CFDA_NUM=93558)."
>     
> 9.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "[Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf)."
>     
> 10.  FEMA. "[National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (97.022)](https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/recovery-resilience-resource-library/national-flood-insurance)."
>      
> 11.  FEMA. "[Flood Insurance](https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance)."
>      
> 12.  SAM.gov. "[Search](https://sam.gov/search/?page=1&pageSize=25&sort=-modifiedDate&index=cfda&sfm%5BsimpleSearch%5D%5BkeywordRadio%5D=ALL&sfm%5BsimpleSearch%5D%5BkeywordEditorTextarea%5D=&sfm%5Bstatus%5D%5Bis_active%5D=true&sfm%5Bstatus%5D%5Bis_inactive%5D=false&sfm%5BagencyPicker%5D%5B0%5D%5BorgKey%5D=100037917&sfm%5BagencyPicker%5D%5B0%5D%5BorgText%5D=073%20-%20SMALL%20BUSINESS%20ADMINISTRATION&sfm%5BagencyPicker%5D%5B0%5D%5BlevelText%5D=Dept%20%2F%20Ind.%20Agency&sfm%5BagencyPicker%5D%5B0%5D%5Bhighlighted%5D=true)."
>      
> 13.  Federal Grants Wire. "[Federal and State Technology Partnership Program](https://www.federalgrantswire.com/federal-and-state-technology-partnership-program.html#.YPl1li1h0Xw)."
>      
> 14.  Grants.gov. "[Grant Scam & Fraud Alerts](https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-fraud/grant-scam-fraud-alerts.html)."
>      
> 15.  Grants.gov. "[Don't Get Fooled by Grant Scams](https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-fraud/grant-scam-fraud-alerts.html)."