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S. 2260Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Grant Transparency Act of 2023

Sponsored by John CornynSen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
Introduced July 12, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 9:49 AM UTC

The Grant Transparency Act of 2023 requires federal executive agencies that issue competitive grant opportunities to disclose how they evaluate applications. It mandates that each notice of funding opportunity list the rating system, any weighted scoring methods, and other merit‑based criteria used. The rule applies to agencies (excluding the Government Accountability Office) and affects both the agencies and prospective grant applicants.

Key Provisions

  • Defines key terms such as "agency," "competitive grant," "evaluation or selection criteria," and "rating system."
  • Requires every notice of funding opportunity for a competitive grant to describe the rating system, evaluation criteria, and any weighted scoring methods, including the weight given to each criterion.
  • States that the Act does not override any existing statutory requirements for specific grant notices.
  • Specifies that no new funding is provided to implement the Act.
  • Sets the effective date as 120 days after enactment and clarifies it does not apply retroactively to notices issued before the law’s passage.

Legislative Activity

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4 earlier actions
SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 269.

December 11, 2023

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 12, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 12, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 26, 2023

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-125.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

December 11, 2023

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 269.

December 11, 2023

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued December 11, 2023

II

Calendar No. 269

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2260

[Report No. 118–125]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 12, 2023

Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Peters, Mr. Thune, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Warnock, and Mr. Kennedy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

December 11, 2023

Reported by Mr. Peters, without amendment

A BILL

To require transparency in notices of funding opportunity, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Grant Transparency Act of 2023.

2.

Notices of funding opportunity transparency

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Agency

The term agency—

(A)

has the meaning given the term Executive agency in section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and

(B)

does not include the Government Accountability Office.

(2)

Competitive grant

The term competitive grant means a discretionary award (as defined in section 200.1 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations) awarded by an agency—

(A)

through a grant agreement or cooperative agreement under which the agency makes payment in cash or in kind to a recipient to carry out a public purpose authorized by law; and

(B)

the recipient of which is selected from a pool of applicants through the use of merit-based selection procedures for the purpose of allocating funds authorized under a grant program of the agency.

(3)

Evaluation or selection criteria

The term evaluation or selection criteria means standards or principles for judging, evaluating, or selecting an application for a competitive grant.

(4)

Notice of funding opportunity

The term notice of funding opportunity has the meaning given the term in section 200.1 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations.

(5)

Rating system

The term rating system—

(A)

means a system of evaluation of competitive grant applications to determine how such applications advance through the selection process; and

(B)

includes—

(i)

a merit criteria rating rubric;

(ii)

an evaluation of merit criteria;

(iii)

a methodology to evaluate and rate based on a point scale; and

(iv)

an evaluation to determine whether a competitive grant application meets evaluation or selection criteria.

(b)

Transparency requirements

Each notice of funding opportunity issued by an agency for a competitive grant shall include—

(1)

a description of any rating system and evaluation and selection criteria the agency uses to assess applications for the competitive grant;

(2)

a statement of whether the agency uses a weighted scoring method and a description of any weighted scoring method the agency uses for the competitive grant, including the amount by which the agency weights each criterion; and

(3)

any other qualitative or quantitative merit-based approach the agency uses to evaluate an application for the competitive grant.

(c)

Rule of construction

With respect to a particular competitive grant, nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede any requirement with respect to a notice of funding opportunity for the competitive grant in a law that authorizes the competitive grant.

(d)

No additional funds

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act.

(e)

Effective date

(1)

In general

This Act shall take effect on the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

(2)

No retroactive effect

This Act shall not apply to a notice of funding opportunity issued before the date of enactment of this Act.

December 11, 2023

Reported without amendment