What Is an ALN Number? The Assistance Listing Explained
The Number That Identifies Every Federal Program
Every federal assistance program — grant, loan, loan guarantee, insurance, direct payment — has a unique identifier called an Assistance Listing Number (ALN). You may also see it called a CFDA number (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance), which was the old name before the system was updated.
An ALN looks like this: 93.243. The first two digits identify the federal agency (93 = Department of Health and Human Services). The three digits after the period identify the specific program within that agency.
Why ALN Numbers Matter
ALN numbers are the connective tissue of the federal grant system. Once you know the ALN for a program you care about, you can:
- Find all current and historical funding opportunities for that program on Grants.gov
- Look up the program's authorizing legislation, funding history, and eligible recipients in the official SAM.gov Assistance Listings
- Search USASpending.gov to see who received awards under this program, for how much, and in which locations
- Check the federal audit clearinghouse to see how prior recipients managed the funds
- Reference the correct program in your grant application and financial reports (federal award recipients must cite ALN numbers in their Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards)
Using ALN Numbers in Research
If you find a grant on GrantMine or Grants.gov that looks interesting, note the ALN number. Then go to SAM.gov/content/assistance-listings and search for that number. The listing will give you the full program description, eligibility, types of assistance, application and award process, and contacts — often more detail than the specific opportunity announcement.
More usefully: if you know HHS program 93.243 (the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant) funds work in your area, you now have a specific target. You can search for all opportunities under that ALN, find the program officer's contact, and track the program's funding history.
ALN Numbers in Financial Reporting
If you receive federal grant funds, you'll see ALN numbers constantly in the compliance and reporting context. The Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) — a required part of your annual audit if you spend $750,000+ in federal funds — lists every federal award you received by ALN number and dollar amount. Your auditors and federal program officers use these numbers to track how federal money flows through your organization.
The Takeaway
You don't need to memorize ALN numbers, but you should recognize them and know how to use them. When you find a program you want to pursue, grab the ALN and use it to research the program's history, past recipients, and funding trajectory. It's one of the most underused research tools in the grant writer's toolkit.