Summary: The Joint Funding Simplification Act is in its fifth and final year as currently authorized; the act will expire in February 1980. Only seven new joint funding projects have been funded since the act was passed almost 4.5 years ago.
The reasons for the low level of joint funding activity as reported in the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) report on implementation of the act include: lack of adequate and timely leadership, support, and oversight; Federal agencies' limited commitment; the permissive nature of the legislation; statutory provisions in individual agency programs which prohibit participation in the joint funding process; and Federal agencies' inexperience with, improper use of, or nonadherence to OMB Circulars. The OMB report presented a reasonably complete assessment of the joint funding concept. However, OMB has not made a commitment to joint funding, staff resources have been minimal, joint funding training for Federal agency officials has been inadequate, and enforcement of its circulars and regulations has been lacking. Federal agencies generally have not made a commitment to joint funding as well. No focal point or forum exists for resolving conflicts in joint funding and no incentives or rewards for Federal agency participation exist.
