AGA PDT 2026

Dale Bell
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office of Grants, HHS


Mr. Bell is a seasoned executive with over 26 years of experience in strategy, facilitation, and collaboration. He is a leader and subject matter expert in financial assistance management, enterprise performance management, strategic planning, project management, and business operations improvement. Mr. Bell has been in the federal government Senior Executive Service since 2010, and an advisor to the public sector since 1996; he became a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2024. Mr. Bell is the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Grants at the Department of Health and Human Services. He is responsible for oversight and support of the HHS $1T financial assistance portfolio, including the translation of federal policy into the HHS environment and grants workforce development. Mr. Bell leads HHS wide grants improvement and modernization initiatives, including administrative burden reduction projects, award closeout systems modernization, and policy streamlining. Mr. Bell oversees governmentwide programs and initiatives including Grants.gov, Grants Quality Service Management Organization (QSMO), GrantSolutions (largest federal cross agency grants management service provider), and Grants Data Standards as mandated in legislation. He provides leadership across the federal government in financial assistance on policy, awarding systems, and federal process improvement. Mr. Bell serves as the first agency co-lead of the Council on Federal Financial Assistance and has been the Co-Chair of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Grants Management Symposium since its inception in 2018.

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