Our companion resource GRANT Program Extended Through 2028 outlines key changes to the Kentucky GRANT match program as enacted in the 2026 legislative session. In the webinar recording above, hear from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on the latest program updates, as well as directly from panelists who have used GRANT match funds to bring transformative projects to life in their rural communities across the Commonwealth.
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GRANT Program: Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about Kentucky’s GRANT Program? We’ve pulled together answers to the most common questions about eligibility, match requirements, application timing, funding, and what to expect throughout the process.
Program Basics
What is the GRANT program? GRANT stands for Government Resources Accelerating Needed Transformation. It helps eligible applicants (cities, counties, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits) seeking eligible federal grants secure the required local match funding.
What is the history of the GRANT Program? The program began as a 2023 pilot administered by the Department for Local Government, with a $2 million allotment. In 2024, it moved to the Cabinet for Economic Development (CED) with a $200 million allotment. By 2026, that full $200 million had been obligated, and the 2026 legislative session appropriated an additional $100 million over two fiscal years, $50 million per year.
Is the current $50 million already committed to projects? As of the webinar, no. The $50 million was available for the Cabinet to obligate, but the first meeting to approve applications under the current rules had not yet happened. CED expects additional monthly meetings as funds are obligated and publishes a publicly available, monthly report to the legislature and the governor's office covering obligations, recaptures, and disbursements.
Who Can Apply
What organizations are eligible to apply?
- City governments
- County governments
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (this is specific to 501(c)(3) status; other nonprofit designations do not qualify)
- Subdivisions of a city or county, such as a wastewater subdivision
- Other entities organized in Kentucky which provide public services, such as law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services
Are educational nonprofits eligible? Yes, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on education is eligible.
Are substance use recovery centers eligible? Only if the center is organized as a 501(c)(3). A for-profit recovery center would not qualify.
Is AmeriCorps (the Corporation for National and Community Service) on the list of GRANT Program-eligible grantors? Not currently. This was raised as a program that attendees would like to see added to the eligible agency list.
What federal grants qualify? The federal grant must come from an eligible federal agency or sponsor. Examples cited in the webinar include the Department of the Interior (which includes the National Park Service), the Department of Homeland Security (which includes FEMA), the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. The Department of Defense and Department of Justice were both newly added to this update, and no agencies were removed. The full current list can be found here.
Must an eligible federal grant require a local match? Yes. The GRANT Program can only support federal grants that explicitly require matching funds or cost share. One exception applies to Delta Regional Authority (DRA) grants. As of a 2025 legislative change, DRA projects where match only makes the project more competitive, rather than strictly required, still count toward GRANT.
How much can the GRANT Program contribute to a single application? Up to 100% of the local match amount required by the federal grant itself.
Is there a maximum number of projects or applications an organization can submit? No, there is currently no maximum.
What Counts as an Eligible Project
Does the project have to involve buying land? No. An eligible project must be located on publicly owned property, property being acquired for public ownership, or private property being used for a public interest or public purpose that benefits the community. This is about where the work or service physically takes place, not strictly about land acquisition. Service-based projects, including the location where those services are delivered, can qualify. The requirement mainly exists to keep funding away from privately owned, for-profit development.
Do programmatic or service grants qualify, and where do those costs go in the budget? Yes, programmatic grants are eligible. When completing the budget section of the GRANT application, note that programmatic costs are generally placed in the administrative costs section.
Are congressionally directed funds or federal earmarks eligible? No. A related question about congressionally designated funding tied to a USDA application was also confirmed as not eligible, since it is treated as an appropriation rather than a competitive federal grant.
We receive federal funding as a subaward through another organization (for example, a transit authority that received the prime federal award). Can we apply? Generally, no. If your organization receives funds as a subawardee rather than as the direct recipient of the federal grant, the GRANT Program is not currently able to support that application; the prime recipient would need to apply instead. One exception is a multistate project where the prime recipient is outside Kentucky. In that case, the Kentucky-based partner can work with the GRANT Program even though it is not the prime applicant.
Local Match Requirements
How much local match does my organization need to commit? Applicants must commit 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, or 10% of the requested GRANT funds, based on a five-tier scale tied to population. This doubled from the prior 1% to 5% scale. The tiered map is available on the program website, and the online application automatically calculates your required match.
How is that local match percentage calculated? It is based only on the amount you are requesting from the GRANT Program, not on the total project cost or the total federal grant amount. For example, if your project costs $1,000,000 total, you are requesting $900,000 from a federal grant, and you need $100,000 in match, your GRANT request would be for the $100,000 match. If your local match tier is 6%, you would need to commit 6% of that $100,000 GRANT request, which is $6,000.
What if my project spans multiple counties? For regional projects, the match percentage is averaged across the population tiers of the counties involved and will never exceed 10%.
Does my organization need to already have the local match funds committed when we apply? Yes. CED needs to see that the match funds are committed or approved at the time of application, typically documented through a resolution or in the project narrative. You do not need to show bank account details, but you do need to certify that the commitment is real.
Is there a minimum project score to qualify? Yes. Projects are still scored on return on investment and relative positive impact. The current minimum score threshold is 60.
Application Timing
When are applications due? Applications are due by the first of each month and should be emailed to ced.grant2024@ky.gov.
How soon after submitting our federal grant application do we need to apply to GRANT? This is one of the biggest changes in the current (2026) version of the program. GRANT applications must now be submitted within 90 days of the date you submitted your application to the federal grant program. Previously, applicants had a 12-month window measured from the expected federal award date, which offered more flexibility.
Do we need to already have the federal award before applying to GRANT? No. You do not need to know whether you received the federal grant before applying for GRANT match. In fact, given the 90-day window, it would be unlikely for a federal decision to come back that quickly.
How is the 90 day window calculated, if our federal grant application involved multiple stages, or we had to submit supplemental materials after our initial application? CED has some discretion here. For federal programs with a multi-step process, such as the Appalachian Regional Commission's two-application process, either application date can count. Submission of supplemental or revised materials in response to federal feedback may also be treated as a point of application in some cases. Anyone with a complicated timeline can reach out directly to the CED to discuss their specific project.
Our project was in process during the months the program had obligated all its prior funding and was not accepting new applications. Are we still eligible if we are now outside the 90-day window? If your application is now outside the 90-day window because of that funding pause, your project may not be eligible under a strict reading of the program rules. CED strongly encourages anyone in this situation to reach out directly, since there may be room to work through individual circumstances, particularly for federal programs with multiple submission checkpoints.
Applying for Multiple Grants on One Project
Can we apply for GRANT match more than once if our overall project needs several federal grants to be fully funded? Potentially, yes, but each federal grant needs to fund a genuinely distinct scope of work. For example, replacing water pipes and upgrading a treatment facility could be treated as two distinct projects even though they serve the same larger goal. If two federal grants would fund the exact same scope of work, you would need to choose one for GRANT Program support.
We have two separately funded federal grants covering similar work in different counties. Is that one application or two? That depends on whether it is one federal grant with two scopes of work, which would be a single GRANT application, or two separate federal grants, which would require two separate GRANT applications.
Letters of Support and Resolutions
How many letters of support do we need for a regional project? You need letters of support from counties or cities covering at least 50 percent of the counties involved in your project. For example, a 30-county project would need 15 letters. A single-county project only needs a letter from that one county.
Our organization serves the whole state, but our real footprint is a handful of counties. Do we need letters from 50 percent of all Kentucky counties? CED suggests focusing on your actual footprint or target region rather than trying to secure a large number of statewide letters. If your core activity is in four or five counties, letters from those counties matter more than a broad statewide count.
What is the resolution requirement? Applicants need a resolution authorizing submission of the GRANT application and granting authority to enter into a grant agreement if approved. A sample resolution template is available on the program website.
Funding, Awards, and Disbursement
Is GRANT reimbursement based or disbursement based? GRANT is disbursement-based, not reimbursement-based. Once you confirm you received the federal award and the grant agreement is finalized, you can request the full approved GRANT amount up front rather than waiting to be reimbursed.
When does CED draft the grant agreement? As a result of a procedural change made in October 2025, CED now waits to draft the grant agreement until after the applicant confirms receipt of the federal award, rather than drafting it immediately after GRANT approval. This is a procedural change, not a change in statute, and it allows the agreement to reflect the most current, and sometimes adjusted, version of the federal award amount.
What happens if we are approved for a GRANT match but do not receive the federal grant? Please notify CED as soon as you know. Those GRANT funds are recaptured and become available again to other applicants.
Getting Help
Who can help us with our application? Grant Ready Kentucky and the regional Area Development Districts are both resources for finding and applying for federal grants, as well as for navigating the grant application process. Grant Ready Kentucky also offers a coaching process for organizations working through their GRANT application.
Who do we contact at CED with specific questions? Applications and questions can be sent to ced.grant2024@ky.gov.
This FAQ was compiled from a recorded webinar and reflects the program rules described at that time. Program details, agency eligibility lists, and funding availability change and should be verified against the current program webpage before making application decisions.