2 CFR 200.454 sets 3 requirements for organizations that receive federal grants and cooperative agreements. Applies when you build your application and budget, and to every cost you charge after award.
Costs of membership in business, technical, and professional organizations, subscriptions to business, professional, and technical periodicals, and membership in civic or community organizations are allowable (the 2024 rule removed the former prior-approval condition on civic/community memberships).
Dues, memberships, or subscription lines in the budget.
Costs of membership in any country club or social or dining club or organization are unallowable.
Membership line names a country club, social club, or dining club.
Costs of membership in organizations whose primary purpose is lobbying are unallowable (see § 200.450).
Membership line names an advocacy or lobbying organization.
Upload the funding notice and your draft budget or narrative, and ask. Grantable answers from its compliance database of federal, agency and state rules, with citations.
(a) Costs of the recipient's or subrecipient's membership in business, technical, and professional organizations are allowable.
(b) Costs of the recipient's or subrecipient's subscriptions to business, professional, and technical periodicals are allowable.
(c) Costs of membership in any civic or community organization are allowable.
(d) Costs of membership in any country club or social or dining club or organization are unallowable.
(e) Costs of membership in organizations whose primary purpose is lobbying are unallowable. See § 200.450.
Source: eCFR · checked Sep 17, 2026
Costs of membership in business, technical, and professional organizations, subscriptions to business, professional, and technical periodicals, and membership in civic or community organizations are allowable (the 2024 rule removed the former prior-approval condition on civic/community memberships). Costs of membership in any country club or social or dining club or organization are unallowable. Costs of membership in organizations whose primary purpose is lobbying are unallowable (see § 200.450).
Dues, memberships, or subscription lines in the budget. Membership line names a country club, social club, or dining club. Membership line names an advocacy or lobbying organization.
Plain-English summaries for information only, not legal advice. Always check the regulation text, your award terms and your agency’s guidance.