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Grant Management. South Dakota Community Foundation Convened Meeting July 2009. Congratulations!. You have just been awarded the grant. You can hire the much needed staff position. You can call your contractors to start the project…now! You can kick-off your brilliant project.
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Grant Management South Dakota Community Foundation Convened Meeting July 2009
Congratulations! You have just been awarded the grant. • You can hire the much needed staff position. • You can call your contractors to start the project…now! • You can kick-off your brilliant project. Be careful for what you wish for… it just might come true.
Yikes! This is a lot of work! Today we will discuss: • Grant Management Preparation • Contract Negotiation • Compliance • Reporting • Future Grants • Peer Advice
First, let’s rewind to the proposal When writing the proposal, keep your grant reporting in forefront: • Scope of work • Be very clear on the scope of work. Draw a “fire wall” around the grant project and the rest of your work. • Keep your objectives SMART. Try not to have too much duplication in your objectives. • Define tangible deliverables for each objective. Know when they start and end. • If asked to define milestones in proposal, be aware your funding may be tied to milestone completion. Keep milestones realistically aligned within budget periods.
Rewinding to the proposal, cont. • Budget • Budget items that can be measured. • Understand budget periods…periodic or tied to project phases/stages. • Understand cost sharing implications. • Timeline • Define a reasonable timeline. • Allow flexibility and contingency. • Team • Devote project team members’ time. Be realistic. • Ensure they have the appropriate skill set and tools to complete objectives.
If you are serious about grants, start preparing before the award. • Identify your grant administrator. • Ensure your financial systems are compliant to grant reporting. • Identify a project manager if not the same person as the project director. • Establish contractual arrangements or MOUs with collaborators.
Grants = Gifts Grants are forms of investments for funders. • Government • Deploy research, service and resources • Disperse geographically • Disperse to target populations • Corporations • Market to target audience • Enhance corporate mission • Foundations • Empower others to employ their core mission and focus areas
After the award and before the storm, get organized. • Final grant submission • Grant contract • Correspondence • Budget • Original • Each reporting period • Periodic Reports • Final Report
The Grant Cycle Grant proposal Wait! Grant search Project Idea Award Announcement Project Execution /Reporting Contract Negotiation Contract Execution
Don’t trip or the cycle will break! If you only get one message from this presentation: The manner in which you manage your grant will determine if you will receive future grant funding. …independent of whether the project itself was successful or unsuccessful.
Contract Negotiation • Do you understand all terms and conditions? • Have you taken the time to check/review references? • Do you understand reporting requirements? • Is there a pre-award clause? • Has your project changed substantially? Now is the time to negotiate changes. • Do not be surprised if the funder requests changes to your proposed project plan.
Do you want to be a federal contractor? • If you have already received a federal grant, your government project manager is your best source of advice. Ask him/her for webinar links or guidelines. • If you have not received a federal grant but are curious of reporting requirements, the OMB webinars held the week of July 20 (they will be archived) for potential Recovery Act awardees may be beneficial. Please refer to the following website: http://www.recovery.gov/?q=node/658.
Count your Nickels and Dimes Prior to contract execution, ensure your financial management system is in compliance: • Generally allowable accounting practice (GAAP) is typically a required standard. • Allowable indirect costs may be negotiated during contracting phase if not already established. • Unallowable indirect costs such as marketing and lobbying are not allowed. • Total costs as well as cost share of each funding source shall be carefully documented as well as summarized in reports generated by applicant or provided by the funding agency. • Time tracking may be required. If so, establish a time tracking policy (minimum) and invest in time tracking software.
So…are you doing what you said you would do? The Reports. • Scope of Work • Actual work completed versus proposed • Results and deliverables • Anticipated progress between current and next report • Timeline • Actual progress versus proposed progress • Interventions to get back on track • Budget • Actual versus proposed budget
Reporting Tips • Turn your reports in on time. Create an electronic or hard copy file to compile documentation. • Give them what they ask for – do not second guess. If it doesn’t make sense, ask. • Stuff happens. Do not hide problems. For example, if your timeline shifts, be clear why it did. Create a risk mitigation plan and share it with your project manager. • If your scope of work changes, call your program manager and discuss. They will likely want you to submit a letter of request with a new written scope of work, budget and timeline. In turn, they will send you a formal letter approving or denying this request. Save this letter! • Sometimes program managers will not know what they want to see until they see it. Thus causing iterative work. Be patient!!
Have you made an impact? Most grant proposals require an evaluation plan. Your evaluation plan should be implemented concurrent to the project itself. • How will you measure each objective? How will you know if you accomplished what you set out to do? • How will you obtain feedback from the target audience? Surveys, interviews? • How will you evaluate the project implementation? Timelines, tasks? • Did you need to make interventions? If so, were they effective? • Will you use quantitative or qualitative methods or a combination? • Will you use an internal or external evaluator? Typically ~5 – 10% of your budget can be allowed for evaluation.
Be the Pillar of Integrity Establish a good working relationship with your project manager (government) or foundation representative and implement the following: • Live the Golden Rule. • Establish sound procurement procedures. • Don’t even think about it…construction kick-backs, conflict of interest. • Cultivate research integrity. • Set high expectations for reporting integrity.
When to ask for HELP! • Accounting • Financial System • Reporting • Independent Auditing • Legal • Contract • Intellectual Property • Independent Contractor (university, service firm) • Evaluation • Grant reporting or editing
Your project: Phase 2 Now that you have attained the grant, implemented a successful project and managed the grant with integrity, you are ready for next phase. • Outline the next project phase (e.g., expansion of service area or provided services, development of a pilot scale to a demonstration scale) using compelling data from current phase. • Engage and market to current funding sources. • Research new funding sources.
Your turn If the clock were turned back, I would do the following when managing my grant:
Thank you! Sharon L. Chontos Chontos Consulting, LLC sharonchontos@ yahoo.com
