The US government is probably the largest funding source for ecological research, education, and outreach in the world. However, the extramural funding programs within the different agencies have very different philosophies, priorities, and processes for reviewing and awarding grantees. Successfully negotiating the federal morass (and getting federal funding) requires knowledge of the programs and how supported research contributes towards that agency’s mission. This special session will feature representatives from five federal agencies with extramural funding programs: the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (formerly the National Research Initiative); the Department of Defense's (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP); the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Center for National Center for Environmental Research; the National Science Foundation’s Division of Environmental Biology; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Sea Grant Program.