Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS)
What is Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS)? Read our article to learn more about this term, process, and details and how it relates to identity and access management initiatives within State and Local Government sectors.
What is Congressionally Directed Spending?
Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) refers to federal funding that U.S. senators request through the appropriations process for specific projects in their states or communities. Sometimes referred to as earmarks, CDS projects can support priorities such as public safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure, economic development, and technology modernization. CDS generally provides special one-time funding rather than ongoing operating funds, and eligible organizations and projects vary by appropriations account and fiscal year. State, local, and tribal governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, may qualify under applicable programs, but for-profit entities are generally prohibited from receiving Senate CDS funding. Submission requests are made through individual senators' offices, and submitting a request does not guarantee that a project will ultimately receive funding.
Congressionally Directed Spending is subject to spending caps and transparency and accountability measures that govern how projects are selected and funds are used. Individual appropriations accounts may also have project-specific eligibility criteria, spending limits, and other conditions. Senate rules and Appropriations Committee requirements mandate that senators publicly disclose their requested projects and certify that neither they nor their immediate families have a financial interest in those requests. Projects that receive funding may also be subject to applicable federal agency requirements and oversight.
How to see if my organization received CDS funding
Organizations seeking to determine if they have been granted CDS funding should understand that a project appearing on a senator's list of funding requests does not necessarily mean funding has been awarded. Final funding depends on the congressional appropriations process and enactment of the applicable legislation. Organizations can review funded-project lists, funding announcements, and other CDS disclosures from their senators and the Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as information from the agency responsible for administering the relevant appropriation. Because eligible accounts, requirements, deadlines, and limits can change between appropriations cycles, organizations should review current guidance before developing a request.
For public safety and criminal justice agencies, CDS can provide an opportunity to fund eligible modernization projects that strengthen the technology used to protect and access criminal justice information. Depending on the applicable appropriations account and project requirements, CDS for cybersecurity or software may help an agency pursue technology improvements that would otherwise compete with immediate operational priorities for limited state or local resources. This can be particularly important as agencies modernize systems while addressing applicable FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy requirements related to identification and authentication, access control, audit and accountability, and the protection of criminal justice information (CJI). CDS does support technology and cybersecurity-related projects, but organizations should confirm that a proposed software or cybersecurity investment is permitted under the specific appropriations account before submitting a request.
Beyond criminal justice, eligible CDS projects may support technology modernization across state and local government, healthcare, education, transportation, and other sectors. Depending on the appropriations account, organizations may be able to pursue cybersecurity, software, infrastructure, or other technology investments that are difficult to accommodate within normal operating budgets. These investments can help improve productivity, accessibility, and service delivery, while strengthening protection for critical systems and sensitive information.
For state and local government agencies using eligible CDS funding for cybersecurity or technology modernization projects, Imprivata State and Local Government solutions can help strengthen identity security while reducing access friction for employees, first responders, privileged users, and third parties. Imprivata supports identity and access management capabilities, including passwordless authentication, single sign-on, multifactor authentication, secure privileged and third-party access, individual accountability on shared workstations, and other controls that help organizations address requirements such as those mandated by the CJIS Security Policy. By incorporating secure access into digital transformation initiatives, agencies can use technology investments to improve productivity and simplify access while strengthening protection for critical systems and sensitive government information.