Formally called “Congressional Directed Spending” or “Community Project Funding” requests, Federal earmarks allow cities and nonprofits to request funding for specific needs in their communities.
The application cycles for CDS/CPF requests vary from year to year but typically open in March, and the turnaround can be tight. GMA encourages cities to initiate the process in the fall of the previous year by reaching out to your members of Congress to discuss potential projects and reviewing past guidelines to know what to expect. Projects must align with certain “accounts” through different federal agencies.
FY 2025 Requests: Who to Contact
Requests through Senator Warnock’s office opened on March 8 with an extended deadline of April 5.
Requests through Senator Ossoff’s office opened March 15 and also close on April 5.
Contact your city's U.S. House member to inquire about appropriations requests through their office.
Pro Tip: When submitting a request, be descriptive about how the project will support your community. How will the funds improve people’s quality of life? How many people (or households or businesses) stand to benefit? Will the project serve a specific geographic area that is perhaps historically underserved? What are the expected (economic, educational, health, social) outcomes of the project?
As with any grantor, the congressional office wants to know they are funding a project and people, not your city government. Your description does not have to be lengthy. Just be sure to tell your story.
The FY24 funding package that Congress passed on March 8 includes more than 6,600 earmarks totaling over $12 billion for community projects nationwide. Examples of approved projects in Georgia include, among others:
- $100,000 for the Dawson Farmers Market and Community Center (Warnock)
- $8,585,737 for the Griffin-Spalding Airport Authority (Ferguson, Warnock)
- $1,000,000 for the City of Darien’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion (Carter)