The Linkages Between Federally Assisted Implementation Programs and Plans

In response to concerns about conflicting federal program planning requirements, a study was performed to determine the extent to which federally assisted planning efforts guide federally assisted implementation programs which have an impact on state and local governments. Many planning programs supported by the federal government seem to have little or no link to implementation programs. Some problems with federal programs are that: (1) federally assisted comprehensive planning is not performed in all broad governmental functions and is not linked to all implementation programs; (2) many narrow-scope programs fund both planning and implementation; and (3) a large number of implementation programs are not linked to any federally assisted plan. The updated 1977 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance was reviewed to identify and list federal programs which required a state or local government plan as a condition for assistance or could affect state and local government planning. An analysis of the catalog pointed up the lack of clear and effective linkages between federal planning and implementation programs.