Federal Manager's Daily Report

Draft data standards under the President’s Management Agenda cross-agency priority goal on grants have been posted for comment through January 15, which “aim to modernize information technology solutions and contribute to a more streamlined approach to federal grants management.”

“Federal stakeholders have an important role in awarding grants, supporting positive and sustainable results, and ensuring good use of government funds in ways that benefit American taxpayers. Detailed feedback on these draft data standards help achieve the President’s Management Agenda vision of modernizing the government for the 21st century,” according to the announcement on performance.gov, which links to a dedicated site where the draft standards and other explanatory information are posted.

“Today, the federal government does not have a robust, integrated approach to use the multitude of data generated throughout the grants lifecycle. To bring grants management to the digital age and allow recipients to focus more time on performing work that delivers results, there is a need to develop and implement core grants management data standards and modernize grants management information technology solutions,” it says.

It says the goal is a future state where grants data are interoperable, there are fewer internal and public-facing grants management systems, and federal awarding agencies and recipients leverage data to successfully implement a risk-based, data-driven approach to managing grants.

“This information will be used to contribute to a future state where grants data are interoperable, there are fewer internal and public-facing grants management systems, and federal awarding agencies and recipients leverage data to successfully implement a risk-based, data-driven approach to managing federal grants. These data standards are a pre-decisional draft and should not be interpreted as setting policy or official guidance,” it adds.