HHS accomplishes much of its mission through the services provided by state, local, and tribal governments, hospitals, universities, and non-profit organizations, to name a few, using a variety of funding instruments such as grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts. Each instrument is unique and has a specific purpose and application, thus creating different relationships between the parties.
Grants
The principal purpose of a grant is to
transfer of money, property, services, or anything of value from a federal
agency to the recipient in order to accomplish a public purpose of support.
There is no substantial involvement between the federal agency and the recipient
during the performance activity. HHS is the awarding agency, providing financial
assistance and thereby supporting an organization with minimal involvement. The
purpose of a grant is to benefit some identified segment of the public rather
than the government. For more information about the different types of grants,
see "Types of
Grants ."
Cooperative Agreements
In a
cooperative agreement, HHS provides financial assistance to the recipient and is
a partner in the relationship.
Contracts
A contract is used to acquire property or services for the Federal government's direct benefit or use.
