April marked an important milestone for U.S. Digital Response (USDR) as we officially transfer our federal grants tools to Nava. Over the past five years, USDR has worked in the federal grants space—including building and operating our Federal Grant Finder and Reporting Tools—which have served over 530 state and local governments nationwide. These tools have been instrumental in helping jurisdictions discover new grants and manage billions in federal funding, from emergency COVID-19 relief to essential community programs.
A legacy of impact
Our federal grants portfolio has made a tangible difference in how governments access and manage federal funding:
- 800+ users have logged on and used our tools to streamline their grants management process
- 530+ government agencies have saved valuable time and reduced administrative burden
- All levels of government including territories and tribal governments have benefited from these tools
- Built on top of the Grants.gov API, our Grant Finder tool has enabled governments to search over 70,000 different grant opportunities in a user-friendly way
These metrics represent more than just numbers—they reflect countless hours saved for public servants, millions of dollars in funding secured for communities, and a more accessible federal grants ecosystem for jurisdictions of all sizes.
Finding the right home
While USDR made significant investments in building and supporting our federal grants portfolio, we determined that finding a dedicated steward with deep grants expertise was needed so that the tools could continue their impact.
We’re thrilled that Nava has taken over operations and maintenance of these tools. As an established digital services organization with extensive grants expertise, Nava is uniquely positioned to support and grow these tools. At the federal level, Nava has been working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to build a Simpler.Grants.gov, engaging the broad ecosystem of organizations and agencies that benefit from federal grants.
Looking forward
Nava’s commitment to civic tech and public benefit aligns perfectly with the mission of these tools. Their experience building Simpler.Grants.gov combined with their understanding of the grants ecosystem makes them an ideal steward for this digital infrastructure.
“We’re honored to be working closely with USDR on transitioning their proven grant management tools to Nava,” said Sha Hwang, COO at Nava. “USDR has played a critical role in the ecosystem, and these tools have become essential infrastructure for state and local offices to coordinate grant efforts. One of our values is being active stewards, and we intend to ensure their seamless continuation. Preserving institutional knowledge and relationships that have been crucial to the tools’ success throughout the migration period is a priority for us. In the coming months, we’ll also look to accelerate the development of new capabilities to strengthen grant seeking efforts, in addition to our ongoing work to redesign Grants.gov.”
In today’s federal landscape, we know that this move may feel uncertain. Rest assured, USDR’s mission of increasing governments’ capacity to deliver effective, equitable, and secure digital services remains unchanged. This refinement of our portfolio strengthens our ability to respond to the evolving needs of our government partners.
We’re immensely proud of what our federal grants tools have accomplished and the difference they’ve made for public servants across the country. As we pass the torch to Nava, we celebrate both the impact these tools have had and the bright future they have ahead.
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