Standard
Form 424-A, the budget summary for non-construction
programs, is an important part of the federal
government's common grant application package.
Federal grants expert Henry Flood shows how
to fill out the form correctly.
The
"Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement
Act" promises to produce more uniform applications
and simplified reporting requirements for federal
grants. Recce Rushing of OMB Watch analyzes
the draft legislation.
Grants
and contracts are sometimes confused, creating
misconceptions about the obligations they entail.
Veteran grants manager Henry Flood explains
the difference, both legally and practically.
Grants
managers serve many masters. They must
facilitate the work of program staff while ensuring
that every obligation to a funding source is
being met. It's a job that takes on special
importance when dealing with government grants,
which have strict compliance and reporting requirements.
Veteran grants administrator Henry Flood shows
how to set up the necessary record-keeping apparatus,
quality review procedures, and other systems
needed to stay on top of the job.
In
creating his new Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives, George W. Bush continued the practice
of using federal grantmaking as an instrument
of change. Barbara Floersch looks at this
latest chapter in the ongoing saga of federal
funding and places it in historical context.
She reviews the impact of government grants
from the earliest days of the republic through
the New Deal and the Great Society, to the New
Federalism and Devolution.
Now
that "welfare reform" is a done deal, open-ended
funding for entitlement programs is being replaced
by block grants – specific appropriations that
the states can use at their own discretion within
broad federal guidelines. What will be the impact
of these historic changes? A new study by the
RAND Corporation weighs the anticipated gains
and the potential losses.
Federal grants are seldom disbursed in a single lump sum. To receive payments, grantees must submit periodic requests. They must also submit regular financial status reports, demonstrating that grant funds are being expended in a reasonable and timely way. Federal grants expert Henry Flood describes the six standard financial reporting forms and outlines their requirements.
The federal government
may not be as generous with construction funding
as it once was, but many departments still award
these grants for various purposes. Federal grants
expert Henry Flood tells what's available and
what to watch out for when applying. He also
offers a blueprint for managing the grant once
you have it.
Every
grant award requires a process for tracking
project activities and demonstrating compliance
with the grantmaker's conditions. Grants
awarded by federal agencies are likely to have
especially rigorous compliance and performance
requirements, raising numerous questions in
the minds of grants managers. Veteran
grants administrator Henry Flood has compiled
a compendium of key resources for finding the
answers.
President
Bush's plan to boost government support for
faith-based groups continues to stir controversy.
Sociologist Mark Chaves, who has studied faith-based
social services and the impact of earlier "Charitable
Choice" legislation, suggests that the
Bush initiatives may not be as groundbreaking
as they appear to be. Chaves' studies,
along with other research sponsored by the Nonprofit
Sector Research Fund, raise questions about
the willingness and capacity of faith-based
organizations to assume the increased responsibilities
now being envisioned for them.
When it was officially
launched last December, the government's cross-agency
grants portal promised user-friendly, "one-stop
shopping for information on applying for all
federal grants." Is the new site living
up to the promise?
When an Oregon-based
agency's federal grant application was rejected
solely because of a formatting glitch, the incident
sparked raillery and outrage. Susan Compo reports
on the Case of the Narrow Margins.
If
federal grant funds are used to buy goods and
services, specific policies and procedures must
be followed. Veteran grants administrator Henry
Flood explains the rules – and how to apply
them in designing a solid purchasing system
for your organization.
Many organizations
fall short when they try to recover all the
costs associated with grant-funded programs.
Henry Flood and Richard W. Phelps explain why
it's important to identify indirect costs and
they show how to calculate an acceptable indirect-cost
rate.
Entities
that receive substantial funding from the federal
government are subject to the Single Audit Act,
requiring an organization-wide review that includes
both financial and compliance components.
Veteran grants manager Henry Flood explains
the obligations that a single audit entails.
The
universal cover sheet for federal grant applications
looks simple enough. But since it's the first
thing a reviewer reads, it needs to be done
exactly right. Government grants expert Henry
Flood tells what to look out for, and why it
matters.
Every federal
grant application includes a form that binds
the applicant to comply with rules covering
management, civil rights, research activities
and other aspects of how the government's money
may be spent. Collectively known as the Standard
Assurances, these provisions are more than a
mere postscript. Veteran grants manager Henry
Flood explains what the Standard Assurances
mean— and why you should give them close attention.
