Joint Funding Simplification Act of 1974

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Joint Funding Simplification Act - States that it is the purpose of this Act to encourage Federal-State arrangements under which local governments and private nonprofit organizations may more effectively and efficiently combine State and Federal resources in support of projects of common interest to the governments and organizations concerned.

Allows the heads of Federal agencies to take action, by internal agency order or interagency agreement, including: (1) identification of related programs appropriate for providing joint support for specific projects; (2) development and promulgation of guidelines, model or illustrative projects, joint or common application forms, and other material or guidance to assist in the planning and development of projects drawing support from differenct programs; (3) review of administratively established program requirements in order to determine which of those requirements may impede joint support of projects thereunder and the extent to which such requirements may be modified, making such modifications where appropriate; (4) establishment of common technical or administrative rules with respect to related programs to assist in the joint use of funds in the support of specific projects or classes or projects under such programs; and (5) creation of joint or common application processing and project supervision procedures or mechanisms including procedures for designating lead agencies to assume responsibilities for processing applications on behalf of several agencies and for designation of managing agencies to assume responsibilities for project supervision on behalf of several agencies.

Requires that application processing assure: (1) that reviews and approvals are handled expeditiously; (2) that full account is taken of any special considerations of timing that are made known by the applicant that would affect the feasibility of a jointly funded project; (3) a minimum number of Federal representatives are involved; (4) that applicants are promptly informed of decisions; and (5) that the applicant need not get information for one agency about another that would best be handled by interagency communications.

Allows the agencies to establish uniform technical or administrative requirements with respect to accounting, auditing, timing of Federal payments, forms of assistance, and accountability for property. Permits a review by one board for all agencies rather than one per agency. Allows agencies to delegate powers to other agencies in order to better carry out this Act. Provides for the establishment of joint management funds for these projects.