Congressionally Directed Assistance
Active
- Assistance listing
- 12.599
- Agency
-
Washington Headquarters Service
Department of Defense
- Grant awards
- 85 $1,286,338,436 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Annual Congressionally Directed Assistance
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Block Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 97-0100-0-1-120
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Defense Washington Headquarters Service implements Congressionally Directed Assistance (CFDA 12.599) to fund priorities identified in DoD's annual appropriations acts, with the most recent award dated August 3, 2026. This program remains moderately active, averaging 3–4 awards per year over the past five years, with 85 total awards since 2008. The program funds concrete Congressional priorities spanning environmental restoration, military community support, infrastructure, national security research, and memorial education. Recent awards include $12 million for the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center, $80.1 million for the Defense Innovation OnRamp to establish innovation hubs and commercial technology partnerships with DoD, and $26.4 million for environmental site cleanup and restoration activities.
The assistance-type mix is split evenly between Cooperative Agreements and Project Grants (39 percent each), with Block Grants making up 22 percent. Funding concentrates heavily in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which has obligated $583.5 million across 43 awards, followed by DOD Washington Headquarters Service at $383.6 million across 15 awards, and the Army Corps of Engineers Engineering and Support Center at $313.3 million across 18 awards. Combined federal dollars obligated total $1.29 billion.
Award magnitudes vary widely. Typical project-level awards range from under $1 million to $3 million, while infrastructure and strategic initiative awards can reach $12–26 million. Mega-awards above $50 million include long-term environmental restoration and supply-chain resilience projects. Recipients span federal agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofits such as the American Red Cross and United Service Organizations, and academic institutions.
No open solicitation currently exists in the recent-opportunities block. The most recent posted opportunity—the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center (posted April 23, 2026, due July 10, 2026)—has passed its deadline. Access to this program requires Congressional direction in appropriations language; applicants cannot self-nominate. The Grants Officer provides pre-application assistance on a case-by-case basis, and award procedures are subject to competition rules unless Congress waives them in the relevant appropriations act.
Objective and description
- Objective
To implement Congressionally directed assistance for the purposes identified in the Department of Defense ("DoD") annual appropriations act. The resulting assistance instruments support a variety of Congressional priorities. DoD awards the appropri
- Description
To implement Congressionally directed assistance for the purposes identified in the Department of Defense ("DoD") annual appropriations act.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Types of organizations that may apply vary with the statutory requirements and appropriate sources of supporting information. Examples of organizations that have received assistance include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, memorial organizations, local governments and cultural organizations. Merit-based or competitive processes are followed when applicable.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiary Eligibility (082): Eligible beneficiaries are determined in accordance with the applicable statutory authorization.
- Uses of assistance
Uses and use restrictions may vary in accordance with the nature of the assistance identified in DoD's annual appropriations act. DoD takes appropriate account of other appropriate sources of supporting information consistent with its authority, such as related conference report(s), committee print(s), and explanatory statement(s).
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The terms of the assistance shall be determined at time of award. The length and time-phasing of the assistance will be stated in the assistance instrument and appropriately limited by the lawful availability of funds.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
The responsible DoD Grants Officer generally will engage in appropriate pre-application assistance on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs of the applicant and nature of the subject assistance. Generally the purposes of the directed grants are not of the nature to require environmental impact information. However, in the event that a grant is directed to a purpose that is environmentally sensitive an EIS could be required.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
These are congressionally directed grants and any selection criteria will be indicated in the announcements.
- Award procedure
Although assistance awards for Congressionally identified purposes typically are not implemented in the context of existing DoD programs, award procedures may be subject to statutory requirements governing competition for such awards, as implemented in DoD regulations. DoD will administratively evaluate the adequacy of the applicant's plan to fulfill the Congressionally specified purpose. If the plan is adequate, and relevant audit(s) do not disclose any issues, DoD will proceed with award.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approval time varies and depends in part on how quickly DoD obtains the required information and forms. Awards may be made at any time throughout the year(s) for which funding is lawfully available.
- Renewals
None, unless authorized by Congress in the relevant or subsequent appropriations acts.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National September 11 Memorial and Museum and 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center | Closed | ||
| Defense Innovation OnRamp | Closed | ||
| Semiconductor supply chain and cybersecurity assessment | Closed | ||
| Standing Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities and National Security Needs | Closed | ||
| Barriers to Home Ownership for Members of the Armed Forces Study; Report | Closed | ||
| American Red Cross 2023 Award | Closed | ||
| The United Service Organizations 2023 Award | Closed | ||
| American Red Cross | Closed | ||
| United Service Organizations | Closed | ||
| Women in Military Service for America | Closed | ||
| WWII 75th Celebration | Closed | ||
| ARC Congressional Grant | Closed | ||
| Red Cross Grant | Closed | ||
| USO 2015 Grant | Closed |
Show all 14
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 85 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The American National Red Cross | $434,987,352 | 34% |
| 2 | United Service Organizations, Inc. | $302,300,000 | 24% |
| 3 | Point Stratford Renewal LLC | $83,597,880 | 6% |
| 4 | Applied Research Institute Inc. | $80,091,904 | 6% |
| 5 | City Of Riverbank | $61,845,029 | 5% |
| 6 | Clark County | $52,250,767 | 4% |
| 7 | Grayling Township | $51,400,000 | 4% |
| 8 | City Of Waterbury | $29,538,400 | 2% |
| 9 | Great Plains Development Authority | $22,256,370 | 2% |
| 10 | The National World War II Museum, Inc. | $19,777,570 | 2% |
10 of 47 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $93,550,188 |
| FY2025 | $215,846,696 |
| FY2024 | $98,253,906 |
| FY2023 | $50,985,547 |
| FY2022 | $54,518,804 |
| FY2021 | $53,072,906 |
| FY2020 | $51,936,820 |
| FY2019 | $60,108,238 |
| FY2018 | $5,336,195 |
| FY2017 | $51,940,606 |
| FY2016 | $86,094,789 |
| FY2015 | $36,160,868 |
| FY2014 | $99,056,710 |
| FY2013 | $93,112,860 |
| FY2012 | $63,435,250 |
| FY2011 | $54,188,000 |
| FY2010 | $88,971,000 |
| FY2009 | $53,168,293 |
Show all 18
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 12.599?
Assistance Listing 12.599 is Congressionally Directed Assistance, a federal grant program run by Washington Headquarters Service (Department of Defense).
What is the CFDA number for Congressionally Directed Assistance?
Its CFDA number is 12.599: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 12.599 awarded?
85 grant awards under 12.599 have obligated $1,286,338,436 in federal funds to 47 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 12.599?
The recipients obligated the most under Congressionally Directed Assistance are The American National Red Cross ($434,987,352), United Service Organizations, Inc. ($302,300,000) and Point Stratford Renewal LLC ($83,597,880).
How much did 12.599 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 12.599 obligated $215,846,696 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 12.599?
No opportunity listed under 12.599 is open now. The latest, The National September 11 Memorial and Museum and 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center, was posted on April 23, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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