Federal Grants and Unfunded Mandates in Government Policy

Intergovernmental Grants

Financial incentives for states to meet national goals.

Carrot

Metaphor for grants enticing compliance with federal objectives.

Unfunded Mandates

Federal requirements imposed without financial support.

Stick

Metaphor for coercive mandates enforcing compliance.

Land Grants

Federal land donations to support state projects.

Cash Grants

Monetary transfers replacing land grants in the 1900s.

Categorical Grants

Federal funds with strict usage and oversight rules.

Block Grants

Flexible federal funds with fewer administrative conditions.

General Revenue Sharing

Least restricted federal grants distributed to local governments.

Medicaid

Federal program providing health coverage to low-income individuals.

Food Stamp Program

Assistance program for purchasing food for low-income families.

Workforce Investment Act

Block grant program aiding job skill development.

Surface Transportation Program

Funding for maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure.

Health-Related Grant Programs

Federal funds primarily for health care initiatives.

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Program providing health coverage for children in families.

Federal Grant Growth

Significant increase in federal grant funding since 1960s.

Revenue Sharing Abolishment

End of unrestricted federal grants in 1986.

Federal Land Donations

Support for infrastructure projects through land grants.

Matching Funds Requirement

Obligation for states to contribute funds for grants.

Land-Grant Institutions

Colleges established using federal land grants.

Black Land Grant Universities

Institutions founded for black students post-1890.

Federal Grant Expenses

Health programs comprise over half of total expenses.

Federal Grants

Financial aid from the federal government to states.

Categorical Grants

Specific funds with conditions for state spending.

Block Grants

Lump sum funds with fewer restrictions for states.

Grant Increase (1960-2018)

Federal grants rose from $7 billion to $697 billion.

2018 Federal Grant Total

Total federal grants amounted to $697 billion.

Health Funding (2018)

60% of 2018 grants allocated to health.

Income Security Funding (2018)

16% of 2018 grants allocated to income security.

Transportation Funding (2018)

9% of 2018 grants allocated to transportation.

Education Funding (2018)

9% of 2018 grants for education and training.

Community Development Funding (2018)

3% of 2018 grants for community development.

Homeland Security Grants

New programs created post-9/11 for security funding.

Devolution Revolution

Reagan's policy increasing block grants from 6 to 14.

Block Grants Under Clinton

Increased to 24 by 1999 during Clinton's presidency.

Block Grants Under Obama

Increased to 26 during Obama's presidency.

Federal Accountability

Criticism of block grants for lack of accountability.

Medicaid Block Grant Proposal

1994 legislation aimed to cap federal Medicaid spending.

AFDC Block Grant Success

Aid to Families with Dependent Children converted to block grant.

National Priorities Project

Resource for understanding federal grant priorities.

Congressional Research Service

Source for historical federal grant data.

Grant Distribution (2014)

1,099 grants distributed, mostly categorical.

Vetoed Medicaid Legislation

Clinton vetoed block-granting Medicaid in 1994.

TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program established in 1996.

AFDC

Aid to Families with Dependent Children, replaced by TANF.

Block Grant

Lump sum funding provided to states with caps.

Federal Funding Cap

TANF limits federal funding to $16.489 billion annually.

Cost-Cutting Effects

Block grants reduce escalating federal program costs.

Paul Ryan

Former Speaker advocating Medicaid block grant conversion.

Estimated Savings

Medicaid block grant could save $732 billion over ten years.

Creeping Categorization

Increased federal requirements limiting block grant flexibility.

Set-Asides

Mandated allocation of funds for specific purposes.

Cost Ceilings

Funding limits imposed on various program purposes.

Unfunded Mandates

Federal laws imposing costs without full compensation.

Crosscutting Mandates

Penalties for non-compliance with federal regulations.

Penalties

Consequences for failing to meet federal mandates.

Title VI

Civil Rights Act provision allowing federal grant withholding.

Partial Preemption Regulations

Federal standards enforced by state and local governments.

Clean Air Act

Sets air quality standards, states implement plans.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Federal agency overseeing environmental regulations compliance.

National Objectives

Goals promoted by federal mandates in various sectors.

Administrative Costs

Expenses incurred by states to comply with mandates.

Federal Grant Suspension

Loss of funding for non-compliance with mandates.

Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

Federal action against states violating civil rights.

Implementation Plans

State-designed strategies to meet federal regulatory standards.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)

1995 law limiting unfunded federal mandates on states.

Federal Mandates

Rules imposed by federal government on states.

Real ID Act of 2005

Law enhancing security for driver's licenses and IDs.

Compliance Costs

Estimated $11 billion for states to reissue IDs.

Clery Act

1990 law requiring crime reporting by colleges.

Jeanne Clery

Victim whose murder led to the Clery Act.

Campus Crime Statistics

Data colleges must disclose under Clery Act.

Annual Security Report

Required report on campus crime for students.

Public Crime Log

Document of crimes accessible to the public.

Emergency Response Strategy

Plan for campus emergencies, tested annually.

Fire Safety Report

Annual report on campus fire data.

Missing Student Procedures

Protocols for addressing missing on-campus students.

Coercive Federalism

Federal strategy using mandates to influence states.

National Priorities

Federal goals often funded by state resources.

Phased Enforcement

Gradual implementation of the Real ID Act.

Legislative Calendar

Schedule for bills in the Senate.

Federal Financial Aid

Funding for students contingent on Clery compliance.

Hate Crimes

Crimes motivated by bias, reported under Clery Act.

Aggravated Assault

Severe attack requiring reporting under Clery Act.

Campus Community

Students and staff affected by Clery Act provisions.

Extensions for Compliance

Additional time granted to states for mandates.

Confrontational Interactions

Increased tensions between states and federal government.

Transparency Act HR 50

2017 legislation aimed at mandate transparency.