The Streamlining Federal Grants Act of 2026 takes critical steps to improve the grants system for communities across Georgia. The bipartisan legislation was reintroduced in the current Congress and awaits the Senate committee process.
Why it Matters
For local governments, every grant dollar can mean improved public services, better infrastructure and enhanced quality of life for residents. Yet, without accessible grant processes, many smaller cities cannot unlock these benefits.
Federal grants are an important source of funding that Georgia cities use to serve residents, strengthen local infrastructure and respond to community needs. But today, many communities — especially small, rural and less-resourced municipalities — are shut out of federal funding opportunities because of technical and confusing grant application requirements, as well as overly burdensome and complicated grant reporting requirements.
Legislation Overview
S. 3709, the Streamlining Federal Grants Act, would break down barriers to access, simplify guidance, improve coordination across federal agencies and help communities better navigate the federal grant system from application to closeout. These improvements are essential for local governments facing staffing shortages, capacity challenges and rising administrative costs. Specifically, this legislation addresses four key areas:
- Reducing Complexity and Expanding Access: One of the biggest challenges cities face when applying for federal grants is the overwhelming complexity of applications. Agencies often require applicants to sift through dozens of pages of technical language just to determine their eligibility. For smaller cities or those with limited staff, this creates significant barriers. The Streamlining Federal Grants Act addresses this issue by requiring grant notices to be clear, concise and accessible. The legislation also creates more cohesive, standardized and simplified reporting procedures for post-award grant programs, helping ensure that cities, regardless of size, are no longer left behind at any stage in the grant process.
- Improving Training and Assistance for Applicants: Federal grant programs offer significant opportunities for communities, but many miss out because they lack the experience or knowledge to navigate the system. This legislation will ensure that grant instructions clearly identify the availability of, and contact information for, training and technical assistance from application through administration and reporting. By doing so, it ensures that all communities have the information and tools they need to successfully compete for, secure, and manage federal funding.
- Identifying Barriers to Participation: A key component of the Streamlining Federal Grants Act is identifying the challenges communities face applying for and managing federal grants. Understanding these barriers will help federal agencies develop solutions that will make the grant process more accessible to all communities. This will ensure the legislation will not only aim to simplify paperwork but will focus on fixing the core barriers in the federal grants system.
- Facilitating Greater Federal Coordination: The legislation also works to facilitate greater coordination among federal grant-making agencies with the goal of creating a more cohesive and simpler grants process for both communities and the federal government. The legislation specifically will work to design and implement common data standards across all federal grants and create guidelines for simplified Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) that improve the experience for the communities applying for them.
GMA supports this legislation and encourages Georgia's congressional delegation to advance it to final passage.