Myrtle Beach Leader

Congressman Russell Fry's Grant Transparency Act has been signed into law by the President of the United States. The new legislation mandates that government agencies disclose their selection methods for awarding competitive grants. This move is expected to bring clarity to the federal grant application process, which many state and local governments, as well as organizations, find complicated.

The Grant Transparency Act requires that the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for competitive grants include a description of any rating system, evaluation, and selection criteria used by the agency. It also necessitates a statement on whether a weighted scoring method is employed and details about such methods if they are used. Additionally, it demands disclosure of any qualitative or quantitative merit-based approaches used in evaluating applications.

"The passage of the Grant Transparency Act marks a significant step toward leveling the playing field for local governments and organizations seeking federal grant funding," stated Congressman Russell Fry. "With this legislation now signed into law, we can ensure that applicants will not be left in the dark about how their submissions are evaluated. This legislation brings much-needed clarity and accountability to the federal grant process, empowering local governments and organizations to access the resources they need to succeed."

The act was co-led by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett with support from Senators John Cornyn, Maggie Hassan, and Gary Peters who introduced companion legislation.

Congressman Fry is part of both the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee and serves as the Republican freshman class president.