Welcome Representatives of Nebraska Local Governments

1. Welcome Representatives of Nebraska Local Governments July 26, 2005 Day One

2. CDBG Certification Workshop • Goal 1: Provide a basic awareness of local government’s responsibilities for administering Nebraska’s Community Development Block Grant Program.

3. CDBG Certification Workshop • Goal 2: Provide the building blocks for Certification as a grant administrator of Nebraska’s Community Development Block Grant Program.

4. Administrative Overview Certification Requirements for Administering a CDBG Project • All CDBG grantees must have a Certified Administrator. • Certified Administrator is the person in charge of the project on a day-to-day basis. • Certified Administrator: employee or a consultant procured and contracted by the grantee that is recognized as Certified by the Department.

5. Administrative Overview • Knowledge of Federal Community Development Block Grant Programs as related to the Department’s CDBG Program. • Ability to understand, interpret, and apply federal regulations. Certified Administrators Competencies

6. Administrative Overview • Basic knowledge of community-based and economic development programs. • Leadership ability. • Organization and management skills. Certified Administrators Competencies

7. Administrative Overview • Initial certification stands for 2 years. • Recertification stands for 3 years and includes mandatory courses. • A Certified Administrator may be decertified. Certification Process

8. Administrative Overview • Only written complaints against the grantee’s administration of the program will be received and acted upon by the Department. • The Department will respond to only written complaints against the state’s administration of the program. Complaints

9. Administrative Overview • Application • Congrats, your local government is successful! Administration of a CDBG Project – The Keys

10. Administrative Overview Administration of a CDBG Project – The Keys • Notice of Approval or Denial • Congrats, your local government is successful! • It notifies the grantee of the amount and type of funds awarded and the activities. • However, the grantee must not obligate or incur project costs prior to satisfying contract conditions and receiving a Notice of Release of Funds from the Department.

11. Administrative Overview • General administrative costs necessary to complete requirements such as satisfying the Special Conditions can be obligated and incurred. Administration of a CDBG Project – The Keys

12. Administrative Overview • Reasonable costs of overall program management, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation. Administrative Costs

13. 2004 CDBG Key to Success Understanding the CDBG grant agreement (contract document) Read the document prior to signing

14. CDBG grant agreement links State CDBG Program funds to local government awarded project • Designates Department as administrator • Recognizes Department approval of local government project application

15. Highlights of the CDBG Grant Agreement Timelines…………contract start date. • Contract signed by recipient & returned to Department---one month • Contract special conditions met---3 months • Project completion---24 months

16. Highlights of the CDBG Grant Agreement Amount, use and payment • total amount of CDBG funds, plus administrative • project funded as detailed in the Application • match as proportion of CDBG funds • request for payment

17. Highlights of the CDBG grant agreement National objective compliance • requirement to meet national objective • disallowment measures

18. Highlights of the CDBG grant agreement Special conditions for release of funds • requires no funds released prior to meeting specials • deadline for meeting special conditions • cancellation provisions • special conditions detailed

19. Highlights of the CDBG grant agreement Special Conditions • Grantee information sheet • Environmental Review • Authorization to request funds • Financial management • Procurement & code of conduct • Excessive force certification • Fair Housing • Implementation schedule • Other specials

20. Highlights of the CDBG grant agreement Sources and uses of funds • approved project budget from application delineated. • delineates activities

21. Sources and Uses of Funds • Application approved project budget as awarded • Grant contract budget by activities and funding sources • CDBG drawdowns are made according to the approved budget activities • Proportional match as determined by CDBG/other funds for each activity

22. Time of performance Project completion 24months

27. ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND PROCEDURES • AMENDMENTS • EXTENSIONS • WAIVERS

28. CDBG GRANT AMENDMENTS • A program amendment submitted and approved by the Department

29. Reallocation of 10% or more of the total grant amount Addition of a new activity Deletion of an approved activity Increase budgeted amount for general administration Increase budgeted amount for housing administration CDBG GRANT AMENDMENT RULES

30. PROCEDURE:Letter submitted by the chief elected official to the Department DOCUMENTATION required: • Reasons identified • Certification one public hearing on amendment • Certification local governing body approved • Revised budget

31. Possible DOCUMENTATION may be required: • If add local match, certification available • If changed, a revised implementation schedule • If new activity, certification meets national objective • If needed, re-evaluate environmental review

32. DEPARTMENT DETERMINATION FACTORS: • Effect amendment has on point selection for award • Performance and capacity of grantee • Review certification and documents

33. ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND PROCEDURES • A program extension submitted and approved by the Department

34. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS • RULE: Complete all activities within contract stated period of time…24 months. If not able, extension may be requested.

35. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS PROCEDURE: • Letter submitted by the chief elected official to the Department

36. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS DOCUMENTATION required: • Reasons identified • Certification local governing body approved • Revised implementation schedule with milestones

37. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS Possible DOCUMENTATION may be required: • If add local match, certification available

38. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS DEPARTMENT DETERMINATION FACTORS: • Extenuating circumstances prevented substantial progress in completing activities • Performance and capacity of grantee • Review certification and documents

39. CDBG GRANT EXTENSIONS • Waiver (Temporary) Proportional Match • Cannot meet proportional match contract for drawdown request • Temporary waiver request – • letter grantee signed by CEO states reasons for requests • period of time (usually specific draw request)

40. CDBG National Objectivessection 105 (a)HCDA of 1974 as amended • Benefit low-and moderate-income persons • Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight. • Urgent need

41. Activity FundabilityTest • TWO fundamental requirements a CDBG activity must meet for “fundability”. • Eligible • Meets national objective

42. Activity FundabilityTest • 1 National Objective Compliance determination based on grantee application narrative and activity source/uses of funds Part II of application. Failure to meet project national objective as stated in the grantee contract results in disallowance of CDBG funds with repayment to State of Nebraska for funds drawn.

43. Activity FundabilityTest • 2 Activity Eligibility determination based on grantee application narrative and activity source/uses of funds Part II of application. Failure to complete activity as awarded results in disallowance of CDBG funds with repayment to State of Nebraska for funds drawn.

44. How to make changes to national objective, eligible activities, performance measurements, time of performance, and budget? • During the time of performance of the CDBG grant changes can only be made through the CDBG request for amendment process.

45. How to make changes to national objective, eligible activities, performance measurements, time of performance, and budget? • Extending the time of performance for completing the CDBG project activities must be done through the request for extension process.

46. Questions???

47. Reporting Requirements

48. Reporting Requirements Project Status Reports Job Creation/Retention Reports Program Income Reports Notification of Annual Audit Final Reports Most current forms of reports must be used and are found on the CRD website at: http://crd.neded.org/publications/cdbg_forms.htm

49. Performance Measurements proposed beneficiaries are measured as persons except for housing activities, which are counted by households Proposed beneficiaries never change as submitted and approved from---unless officially amended. Applicationto agreed upon in Grantee Contractand reported semi-annually in Project Status Reportand transferred to Closeoutas reported to HUD in state performance report.

50. Project Status Reports • Reports must be submitted 10 days after each 6 month reporting period • The 6 month uniform reporting period ends June 30 and December 31 • If a report is not received by July 10 or January 10 the Department will not process a request for funds for that project until a report is submitted