Alphabet Soup
Government Acronym Guide
August 2010
Alphabet Soup
Government Acronym Guide
Updated by
Kathryn Murphy
Research Associate
August 2010
About NACo – The Voice of America’s Counties
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization
that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo
provides essential services to the nation’s 3,068 counties. NACo advances issues with
a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding
of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions
through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties
and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org.
Do you know what CAVE, LULU and WDB mean? Would you be
able to tell someone what CERCLA and FMLA, two important federal
laws, stand for? Have you ever felt like you needed a dictionary or
translator just to attend a government meeting? Are you a newly
elected official who is baffled by the language of government? Well,
do not panic, NACo’s Research Division has developed this guide to
help you decipher the secret code of government.
A
AAAArea Agency on
Aging - agency
AAPCC
Adjusted Average
Per Capita Cost –
legislation (program
of Medicare)
ABEAdult Basic
Education–
legislation (program
of COABE)
ACFAdministration
for Children and
Families- agency
ACHPAdvisory Council on
Historic Preservation
- agency
ACYFAdministration for
Children, Youth, and
Families - agency
ADAAmericans with
Disabilities Act of
1990 - legislation
ADDAdministration on
Developmental
Disabilities - agency
2
ADEAAge Discrimination
in Employment Act legislation
ADHAdult Day Health program
ADLActivity of
Daily Living–
legislation (tool of
measurement)
ADRAlternative Dispute
Resolution–
legislation
(technique)
ADTAverage Daily
Traffic– legislation
(tool)
AFHAdult Family Home –
legislation (program)
AFISAutomated
Fingerprint
Identification System
– legislation (tool)
AFOAnimal Feeding
Operations –
legislation (program)
AFVAlternative Fueled
Vehicle - program
National Association of Counties
AHCPR
Agency for Health
Care Policy and
Research - agency
AHERA
Asbestos Hazard
Emergency Response
Act - legislation
AWTAdvanced
Wastewater
Treatment –
legislation (process)
AYLArbitrage Yield Limit
– legislation (tool)
AHRQAgency for
Healthcare Research
and Quality - agency
AIPAirport Improvement
Program – legislation
(program)
ALJAdministrative Law
Judge - agency
ANAAdministration for
Native Americans agency
AOAAdministration On
Agency - agency
AODAlcohol and Other
Drugs – legislation
(program)
APAAdministrative
Procedures Act legislation
ARRA
American Recovery
and Reinvestment
Act – legislation
ATFBureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and
Firearms - agency
ATODAlcohol, Tobacco,
and Other Drugs agency
AUMAnimal Unit Month legislation
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
BABs
B
Build America Bonds
– program
BACTBest Available
Control Technology –
legislation (program)
BANBond Anticipation
Note – legislation
(program)
BATBest Available
Technology legislation
BEABureau of Economic
Analysis - agency
BIABureau of Indian
Affairs - agency
BJABureau of Justice
Assistance - agency
BJSBureau of Justice
Statistics - agency
BLMBureau of Land
Management agency
BLSBureau of Labor
Statistics - agency
BMPBest Management
Practice - legislation
3
BNABureau of National
Affairs - agency
BOPFederal Bureau of
Prisons - agency
BOSBalance Of State –
legislation (program)
BTOP
Broadband
Technology
Opportunities
Program - program
C
CAComprehensive
Assessment legislation
CAAClean Air Act legislation
CABCommunity Action
Board - agency
CABOConcentrated Animal
Breeding Operation legislation
CAERCommunity
Awareness and
Emergency Response
– legislation
CAFOConcentrated Animal
Feeding Operation legislation
CAFRComprehensive
Annual Financial
Report - legislation
CAOChief Administrative
Officer - agency
4
CADComputer-Aided
Dispatch or
Computer-Assisted
Drafting - legislation
CAMA
Computer-Assisted
Mass Appraisal legislation
CAVECitizens Against
Virtually Everything agency
CBDCentral Business
District - area
CBOCommunity Based
Organization agency
CCBDG
Child Care
Development Block
Grant - legislation
CCDCensus County
Division - area
CCFCongregate Care
Facility – legislation
(program)
CCRCommission on Civil
Rights- agency
CDBGCommunity
Development Block
Grant - legislation
CDCUCommunity
Development Credit
Union - agency
CDFICommunity
Development
Financial Institution
– legislation
(program)
National Association of Counties
CDLCommercial Drivers
License – legislation
(program)
CHASComprehensive
Housing Affordability
Strategy - legislation
CD-ROM Compact Disc-Read
Only Memory –
legislation (tool)
CICConsumer
Information Center agency
CEOChief Elected Official
or Chief Executive
Officer – agency
(single official)
CIOChief Information
Officer – agency
(single officer)
CERCLA Comprehensive
Environmental
Response,
Compensation
and Liability Act
(a.k.a. Superfund) legislation
CESCooperative
Extension Service legislation
CIPCommunity
Improvement Plan legislation
CMCase Management
– legislation (type of
practice)
COBClose Of Business –
legislation (type of
practice)
COBRA
CEUContinuing Education
Units - agency
CFOChief Financial
Officer – agency
(single officer)
CFRCode of Federal
Regulations legislation
CFSAN
National Center for
Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition agency
CHAMPVACivilian Health and
Medical Program
of the Veterans
Administration legislation
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
Comprehensive
Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act legislation
COCSCost of Community
Service - legislation
COGCouncil Of
Government agency
COLACost-Of-Living
Adjustment legislation
COPCertificate Of
Participation legislation
COPS
Community Oriented
Policing Services –
program
5
CPSCConsumer Product
Safety Commission agency
DEADrug Enforcement
Administration agency
CRACommunity
Reinvestment Act legislation
DHS
CRLCounty Reinsurance
Limited - agency
DINCDouble Income No
Children - program
CRPConservation
Reserve Program legislation
DMSDispatch
Management System
– program (system)
CSBCommunity Services
Board - agency
DOADepartment Of
Agriculture - agency
CSEChild Support
Enforcement legislation
DOCDepartment of
Commerce - agency
CSOCombined Sewer
Overflow – legislation
(program)
Department of
Homeland Security agency
DODDepartment of
Defense - agency
DOEDepartment Of
Energy - agency
CWAClean Water Act legislation
DOIDepartment Of
Interior - agency
CYCalendar Year –
legislation (program)
DOJ
CZMACoastal Zone
Management Act legislation
DOLDepartment of Labor
- agency
D
DAREDrug Abuse
Resistance Education
– legislation
(program)
Department of
Justice - agency
DOSDepartment of State
- agency
DOTDepartment Of
Transportation agency
DSFDelivery Sequence
File – legislation
(service)
DDDevelopmental
Disability or Dually
Diagnosed –
legislation (tool)
6
National Association of Counties
DUIDriving Under the
Influence (of AOD)
– legislation (term,
practice)
DWIDriving While
Intoxicated –
legislation (term,
practice)
E
EAPEmployee Assistance
Program – legislation
(program)
EDIElectronic Data
Interchange legislation
EECBG
Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block
Grant -program
EEOEqual Employment
Opportunity legislation
EISEnvironmental
Impact Statement legislation
EITCEarned Income Tax
Credit - legislation
EASEssential Air Service
– legislation (service)
E-MailElectronic Mail legislation
EBTElectronic Benefit
Transfer – legislation
(program)
EMSEmergency Medical
Service - legislation
ECEnterprise
Community - agency
ECABureau of
Educational and
Cultural Affairs agency
ECABEmployees’
Compensation
Appeals Board agency
ECOSOC Economic and Social
Council - agency
EDAEconomic
Development
Administration agency
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
EMTEmergency Medical
Technician – agency
(single person)
EOCEmergency
Operations Center –
legislation (program)
EOPEmergency
Operation Plan legislation
EPAEnvironmental
Protection Agency –
agency
EPPEnvironmentally
Preferable
Purchasing legislation
7
EQIPEnvironmental
Quality Incentive
Program – legislation
(program)
ESAEndangered Species
Act - legislation
ESLEnglish as a
Second Language –
legislation (program)
ETIEconomically
Targeted Investment
- legislation
EZEmpowerment Zone
- agency
F
FAAFederal Aviation
Administration agency
FACAFederal Advisory
Committee Act legislation
FAIRFederal Agriculture
Improvement and
Reform Act - agency
FASTFamilies Achieving
Self-Sufficiency
Together – legislation
(program)
FCCFederal
Communications
Commission - agency
FFSFee For Service –
legislation (service)
FGDCFederal Geographic
Data Committee agency
FHAFederal Housing
Administration agency
FHWAFederal Highway
Administration agency
FICFederal Information
Center – legislation
(service)
FIFOFirst In First Out –
legislation (service)
FIFRAFederal Insecticide,
Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act legislation
FIPSFederal Information
Processing Standards
- legislation
FJCFederal Judicial
Center - agency
FLPMA
Federal Land Policy
and Management Act
- legislation
FLSAFair Labor Standards
Act - legislation
FMAP
Federal Medical
Assistance
Percentages
FEMAFederal Emergency
Management Agency
- agency
8
National Association of Counties
FMISFinancial
Management
Information System legislation
FUPCFixed Unit Price
Contract - legislation
FMLAFamily and Medical
Leave Act legislation
FYFiscal Year –
legislation (term/
practice)
FWC Fish and Wildlife
Service - agency
FMRFair Market Rent legislation
FNMAFederal National
Mortgage Association
(Fannie Mae) agency
FOIAFreedom Of
Information Act legislation
FPGFederal Poverty
Guideline - legislation
FRFederal Register agency
FRMPFederal Revenue
Maximization
Program – legislation
(program)
FSAFamily Support Act legislation
FSETFood Stamp
Employment and
Training Program legislation
FSSFamily SelfSufficiency –
legislation (program)
FTEFull-Time Equivalent
Employee –
legislation (tool)
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
G
GAGeneral Assistance –
legislation (program)
GAAFR
Governmental
Accounting Auditing,
and Financial Report
- legislation
GAAPGenerally Accepted
Accounting Principles
- legislation
GAGAS
Generally Accepted
Governmental
Accounting
Standards legislation
GAINGreater Avenues
for Independence –
legislation (program)
GASBGovernmental
Accounting
Standards Board agency
GATTGeneral Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade
- legislation
9
GEDGeneral Equivalency
Diploma – legislation
(program)
HHSDepartment of
Health and Human
Services - agency
GISGeographic
Information System
– legislation (system)
HISHospital Information
System – legislation
(system)
GNMA
HMDA
Government National
Mortgage Association
(Ginnie Mae) agency
GOGeneral Obligation
(Bond) – legislation
GPERF
General Purpose
External Financial
Statement legislation
GPFSGeneral Purpose
Financial Statement legislation
GPOGovernment Printing
Office - agency
GPRAGovernment
Performance Results
Act - legislation
GPSGlobal Positioning
System – legislation
(system)
HazMat
H
Hazardous Material legislation
HCFAHealth Care
Financing
Administration agency
10
Home Mortgage
Disclosure Act legislation
HMTAHazardous Materials
Transportation Act legislation
HMOHealth Maintenance
Organization agency
HOMEHOME Investment
Partnerships –
legislation (program)
HOPWA Housing
Opportunities for
Persons With AIDS –
legislation (program)
HOVHigh Occupancy
Vehicle – legislation
(system)
HRHuman Resources or
Home Relief - agency
HTMLHypertext Markup
Language –
legislation (tool)
HTTPHypertext Transfer
Protocol - legislation
HUDDepartment of
Housing and Urban
Development agency
National Association of Counties
I
IADLInstrumental Activity
of Daily Living –
legislation (tool)
ITA Individual Training
Account - legislation
IVHSIntelligent Vehicle
Highway System –
legislation (system)
IAPIndoor Air Pollution legislation
ICFIntermediate Care
Facility – legislation
(program)
J
JAGJustice Advocate
General - agency
IDBIndustrial
Development Bond legislation
JAG
IFBInvitation For Bid legislation
JCSCJoint Center
for Sustainable
Communities agency
IFPInvitation For
Proposal - legislation
I/MInspection/
Maintenance legislation
INSImmigration and
Naturalization
Service – legislation
(service)
IPAIndependent Practice
Association - agency
IRCAImmigration Reform
and Control Act legislation
ISTEAIntermodel Surface
Transportation
Efficiency Act legislation
ITInformation
Technology –
legislation (system)
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
Byrne Justice
Assistance Grants program
L
LANLocal Area Network –
legislation (system)
LEALocal Education
Agency - agency
LEOLocally Elected
Official – agency
(single person)
LEPLimited English
Proficiency legislation
LIFOLast In First Out –
legislation (method)
LIFTLeveraged
Investments For
Tomorrow - agency
11
LIHEAP
Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance
Program – legislation
(program)
LISLand Information
System – legislation
(system)
LMILabor Management
Information System
and Labor Market
Information legislation
Minority Business
Development
Agency- agency
MBEMinority Business
Enterprise legislation
MCHMaternal and Child
Health - legislation
MCLMaximum
Containment Level legislation
LPRLawful Permanent
Resident - legislation
MEPMaximum Extent
Practicable legislation
LTCLong Term Care legislation
MHMental Health legislation
LUCCLarge Urban County
Caucus - agency
MICAMentally Ill Chemical
Abuser - legislation
LULULocally Unwanted
Land Use - legislation
MISManagement
Information System
– legislation (system)
LUSTLeaking Underground
Storage Tank legislation
LVRLow-Volume Road legislation
M
MAMedical Assistance legislation
MACTMaximum Achievable
Control Technology legislation
MAFMaster Address File legislatio
12
MBDA
MOAMemorandum
Of Agreement legislation
MOEMaintenance Of
Effort - legislation
MOUMemorandum Of
Understanding legislation
MPOMetropolitan
Planning
Organization agency
MRBMortgage Revenue
Bond - legislation
National Association of Counties
MRMental Retardation legislation
MRFMaterials Recovery/
Recycling Facility –
legislation (program)
MS4Municipal Separate
Stormwater System
– legislation (system)
MSAMetropolitan
Statistical Area legislation
MSAGMaster Street
Address Guide legislation
MSWMunicipal Solid
Waste or Masters
in Social Work legislation
NABCO
N
National Association
of Black County
Officials - agency
NACANational Association
of County
Administrators agency
NACAP
National Association
of County Aging
Programs - agency
NACBHD National Association
of County Behavioral
Health Directors agency
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
NACCA
National Association
of County Civil
Attorneys - agency
NACCED National Association
for County
Community/
Economic
Development agency
NACCHO National Association
of County and City
Health Officials agency
NACENational Association
of County Engineers
- agency
NACHFA National Association
of County
Health Facility
Administrators agency
NACHRA National Association
of County Human
Resources
Administrators agency
NACHSA National Association
of County
Human Services
Administrators agency
NACIO
National Association
of County
Information Officers
- agency
13
NACIRO National Association
of County
Intergovernmental
Relations Officials agency
NACITA National Association
of County
Information
Technology
Administrators agency
NACoNational Association
of Counties - agency
NACo FSCNational Association
of Counties Financial
Services Center agency
NACPNational Association
of County Planners agency
National Association
of Hispanic County
Officials - agency
NASANational Aeronautics
and Space
Administration agency
NATAT
National Association
of Towns and
Townships - agency
NAVPLG National Association
of Volunteer
Programs in Local
Government agency
NCCAE
National Council of
County Association
Executives - agency
NCECE
National Council
of Elected County
Executives - agency
NACPRO National Association
of County Parks and
Recreation Officials agency
NCGANational Council
on Government
Accounting - agency
NACRC
NCRCO
National Association
of County Recorders,
Election Officials and
Clerks - agency
NACSNational Association
of County Surveyors
- agency
NACTFO National Association
of County Treasurers
and Finance Officers
- agency
NAFTA
14
NAHCO
North American Free
Trade Agreement legislation
National Conference
of Republican County
Officials - legislation
NDCONational Democratic
County Officials agency
NEPANational
Environmental Policy
Act - legislation
NFMANational Forest
Management Act legislation
National Association of Counties
NHSNational Highway
System – legislation
(system)
NRDCNational Rural
Development Council
- agency
NIINational Information
Infrastructure –
legislation (program)
NRDPNational Rural
Development
Partnership - agency
NIMBY
NSDINational Spatial
Data Infrastructure legislation
Not In My Back
Yard – legislation
(program)
NOAANational Oceanic
and Atmospheric
Administration agency
NOBCO
National
Organization of Black
County Officials, Inc.
- agency
NOFANotice Of Funds
Available - legislation
NOINotice Of Intent legislation
NOPENowhere On Planet
Earth - legislation
NPDES
National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination
System – legislation
(system)
NPSNonpoint Sources legislation
NRCNuclear Regulatory
Commission or
National Recycling
Coalition - agency
NRCSNatural Resources
Conservation Service
- agency
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
NTIA
National
Telecommunications
and Information
Administration agency
NVRANational Voter
Registration Act
(a.k.a. motor voter) legislation
NWA National Workforce
Association - agency
O
OAAOlder Americans Act
- legislation
OALJOffice of
Administrative Law
Judges - agency
OASOrganization of
American States agency
OBEMLA Office of Bilingual
Education and
Minority Languages
Affairs - agency
15
OCSOffice of Community
Services - agency
OCSEOffice of Child
Support Enforcement
- agency
ODOrganizational
Development legislation
OECDOrganization
for Economic
Cooperation and
Development agency
OERIOffice of Educational
Research and
Improvement agency
OFAOffice of Family
Assistance - agency
OIGOffice of the
Inspector General agency
OJJDPOffice of Juvenile
Justice and
Delinquency
Prevention - agency
OJPOffice of Justice
Programs - agency
OJTOn-the-Job
Training – legislation
(practice)
OLMSOffice of Labor
Management
Standards - agency
O/MOperations/
Maintenance legislation
16
OMBOffice of
Management and
Budget - agency
OPHSOffice of Public
Health and Science agency
ORHPOffice of Rural Health
Policy - agency
OSDBU
Office of Small and
Disadvantaged
Business Utilization agency
OSHAOccupational Safety
and Health Act legislation
OVCOffice of Victims of
Crime - agency
OWBO
Office of Women’s
Business Ownership
- agency
OWCPOffice of Workers’
Compensation
Programs - agency
P
P2Pollution Prevention legislation
PATHProjects for
Assistance in
Transition from
Homelessness legislation
PALSProgram for Address
List Supplementation
- legislation
National Association of Counties
PCPersonal Computer
or Politically Correct legislation
PEPNET Promising and
Effective Practices
Network – legislation
(program)
PERSPublic Employee
Retirement System legislation
PHAPublic Housing
Authority - agency
PHSPublic Health Service
- legislation
PSAPlanning and
Service Area or
Public Service
Announcement legislation
PSEPublic Service
Employment legislation
PUDPlanned Urban
Development legislation
PYProgram Year legislation
R
PILTPayment In-Lieu of
Taxes - legislation
PIOPublic Information
Officer –
agency (single
representative)
PMSPavement
Management System
- legislation
POTWPublicly Owned
Treatment Works –
legislation (program)
PPOPreferred Provider
Organization –
agency (type of
agency)
PRIAPublic Rangelands
Improvement Act legislation
PRPPotentially
Responsible Party legislation
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
RACRural Action Caucus
- agency
RACTReasonably Available
Control Technology legislation
RANRevenue Anticipation
Note - legislation
RATB
The Recovery
Accountability and
Transparency Board agency
RAWReplenishment
Agricultural Worker
– agency (single
representative)
RCFResidential Care
Facility – legislation
(program)
17
RCRAResource
Conservation and
Recovery Act legislation
RECDRural Economic
and Community
Development legislation
RFARequest For
Agreement legislation
RFIRequest For
Information legislation
RFPRequest For Proposal
- legislation
RFQRequest For
Qualifications legislation
RHSRural Housing
Service - legislation
RICHSRural Information
Center Health
Service - legislation
RIFReduction In Force legislation
RLFRevolving Loan Fund
- legislation
RRTFRural Renaissance
Task Force - agency
RSVPRetired and Senior
Volunteer Program legislation
RUSRural Utilities Service
- legislation
18
RZEDBs Recovery Zone
Economic
Development Bonds
- program
S
SAMState Association
Meeting - legislation
SARASuperfund
Amendments and
Reauthorization Act legislation
SASSubstance Abuse
Services - legislation
SAWSeasonal
Agricultural Worker
– agency (single
representative)
SDSustainable
Development legislation
SDAService Delivery Area
- legislation
SDWASafe Drinking Water
Act - legislation
SESSocio-Economic
Status - legislation
SHPOState Historic
Preservation Office agency
SIPState
Implementation Plan
- legislation
National Association of Counties
SLAPP
Strategic Lawsuit
Against Public
Participation legislation
SNFSkilled Nursing
Facility – legislation
(program)
SRDCState Rural
Development Council
- agency
SRFState Revolving Fund
- legislation
SSBGSocial Services Block
Grant - legislation
SSDISocial Security
Disability Insurance legislation
SSISupplemental
Security Income legislation
SSOSanitary Sewer
Overflow - legislation
STDSexually Transmitted
Disease – legislation
T
TANTax Anticipation Note
- legislation
TANFTemporary
Assistance to Needy
Families – legislation
(service)
TDDTelephone Device for
the Deaf - legislation
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
TDRTransfer of
Development Rights
- legislation
TEA21Transportation Equity
Act for the 21st
Century - legislation
TELTax or Expenditure
Limitation –
legislation
TIFTax Increment
Financing legislation
TIGERTopographically
Integrated
Geographic Encoding
and Referencing legislation
TIGER
Transportation
Investment
Generating Economic
Recovery Grants –
program
TIPTIGER Improvement
Program – legislation
(program)
TISETake It Somewhere
Else - legislation
TMDLTotal Maximum Daily
Loads - legislation
TODTransit Oriented
Development legislation
TPSTemporary Protected
Status - legislation
TQMTotal Quality
Management legislation
19
TSITransportation Safety
Institute - agency
TRANTax and Revenue
Anticipation Note legislation
USGSUnited States
Geological Survey agency
USTUnderground Storage
Tank - legislation
TRIToxic Release
Inventory legislation
TTYTelecommunications
Device for the Deaf legislation
U
UCUnemployment
Compensation legislation
URLUniform Resource
Locators - legislation
USDAUnited States
Department of
Agriculture - agency
USDA-
United States
Department of
Agriculture - agency
CSREES Cooperative State
Research, Education
and Extension agency
USDA-REE United States
Department of
Agriculture Research, Education
and Economics agency
20
V
VADepartment of
Veterans Affairs legislation
VBAVeterans Benefits
Administration agency
VDTVideo Display
Terminal - legislation
VETS Veterans’
Employment and
Training Service legislation
VHAVeterans Health
Administration agency
VMTVehicle Miles
Traveled - legislation
W
WANWide Area Network –
legislation
WARN
Worker
Readjustment
and Retraining
Notification legislation
National Association of Counties
WB Women’s Bureau agency
WIRWestern Interstate
Region - legislation
WBEWomen Business
Enterprise –
legislation (program)
WONWomen Officials in
NACo - agency
WIAWorkforce
Investment Act legislation
WIBWorkforce
Investment Board agency
WICWomen, Infants and
Children Program legislation
WINWomen In Nutrition legislation
WRPWetlands Reserve
Program - legislation
WTEWaste to Energy legislation
WWWWorld Wide Web legislation
Y
YTDYear To Date legislation
Need a definition of an acronym not included in this guide?
Search the online acronym and abbreviation database at
www.AcronymFinder.com.
August 2010 • Alphabet Soup
21
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