Grants Janna Caponera, Grant Accounting & Reporting Manager Eileen Prentice, Grant Resource Administrator

MAKING THE CASE FOR FUNDING Grant Writing MAKING THE CASE FOR FUNDING

Overall Process Identify and quantify needs (determine the problem) Find grant funding opportunities Determine desired outcomes / objectives Establish evaluation plans Develop project methods Create budget Begin writing

Identify Needs & Causes Identify the problem Background Affected population / target group Community impact Provide data Size and scope of problem Effects on target population Local vs. regional / statewide

Locate Funding Foundations Government Primarily give to 501(c)(3) organizations Open / recurring application deadlines Broad areas of interest Decisions made by trustees, may be subjective Advance funding Government Broad range of recipients (non-profit, faith based, universities, etc.) Short notice, quick deadlines Funding targeted at specific programs Reviewed and score by panel Reimbursement

Locate Funding - Resources Foundations The Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org) Grantsmanship Center (www.tgcialumni.com) 990-PF tax returns (www.guidestar.org) Web searches – local companies, similar projects Government Federal (www.grants.gov) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (www.cfda.gov) Texas eGrants (txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/egrants/search.htm) State agency websites Regional Council of Governments

Review Funding Opportunities Obtain Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Application (RFA) Review important details Purpose / alignment with needs Eligible recipients Funding period Minimum and maximum award levels Submission timelines and requirements Special requirements Research other funded proposals, if available

Determine Desired Outcomes What would it look like if vision is fully implemented? What effect will it have on your target population? How do you determine and measure success? Goal Objective(s) Output(s) Outcome(s)

Desired Outcomes - Example Goal: Improve public safety in Collin County through the addition of a K9 unit Objective 1: Improve K9 response for drug-related crimes Output Outcome Measure Provide K9 patrol for at least 10 shifts (of 21 shifts) per week – measured through shift schedules Meet 75% internal requests for K9 # times requested # times responded Increase availability of K9 unit by 35% # “sniffs” for Special Operations # vehicle searches # building searches # open air searches # off duty call-outs Decrease response time by 5% (≤ 24min) Minutes to respond Objective 2: Decrease drug and drug-related crimes Output Outcome Measure Provide K9 patrol for at least 10 shifts (of 21 shifts) per week – measured through shift schedules Increase amount of drug seizures by 20% # trafficking operations disrupted/dismantled Quantity drugs seized Street value ($) seized Decrease drug flow by 10% # cases/investigations # warrants executed # arrests made Case clearance rate (%) Decrease property crime by 3% # theft / burglary cases

Establish Data & Evaluation Plans Data management Data collection and maintenance Processes and tools needed to generate data Persons responsible for data management and reporting Performance evaluation Data monitoring and analysis Benchmarks to evaluate project effectiveness Factors to determine modifications / changes to approach Document overall success

Develop Project Methods Project design and implementation Evidence-based practices Roles and responsibilities Capabilities and capacities Partnerships and collaborations Sustainability

Create Budget Reasonable, allowable, and necessary Cost details and narrative Direct costs Match Supplement, not supplant

The real work begins when the grant is awarded Begin Composition Follow formatting and submission instructions Focus on writing style Continuous narrative Clear, concise word choice Active voice and sentence structure Proofread multiple times Know your deadlines and submit early Request feedback after awards are made The real work begins when the grant is awarded

ESTABLISHING ACCOUNTING PRACTICES & SYSTEMS Managing the Grant ESTABLISHING ACCOUNTING PRACTICES & SYSTEMS

Each Award Should be Accounted for Separately To protect against co-mingling, each grant award should be accounted for as a separate cost center. Federal regulations prohibit the commingling of Federal grant funds with funds from other federal awards or other sources. Grant recipients must maintain separate accounting over grant funds to ensure the funds are used for authorized purposes only. Allows for funds to be accounted for and spent for the intended purpose of each separate award. Federal funds specifically budgeted and/or received for one project may not be used to support another. OMB Circular A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations, September 30, 1999.

Some Basic, but Critical, Rules to apply Expend funds as laid out in each approved grant budget. (Changes need to be approved through amendment process) Never expend funds that are for purposes other than the approved grant narrative. Amend the budget or narrative before expending funds that would otherwise be unallowable. Ensure that each expenditure is supported with adequate documentation. (Examples are purchase order, invoice, check copy, canceled check copy) Use a system of segregation of duties to manage grants. Programmatic functions and finance functions should be split. The finance function should be split further between accounts payable and financial reporting functions. Maintain files with all backup documentation such as receipts, invoices, monthly financial statements, and other important documentation. All files should be easily accessible. Monitor and reconcile grant expenditures monthly to ensure accurate spending and coding to the general ledger. Address any issues early on before the end of the grant period.

Review the Grant Proposal Why review the grant proposal? In the time from application to award, as many as nine months can lapse. The scope and budget need to be reviewed so that everyone can follow the scope of the grant.

Review the Award Upon receipt of a grant award, read the award thoroughly. Call a meeting of all involved in the grant award so that everyone is understanding of their roles and the grant requirements. Going through timelines, setting tasks, and planning are all a major part of grant success. Review deadlines and ensure all roles understand what is expected. The review and planning on the front end will help to avoid problems if the grant takes a different course or develops problems.

Rules and Regulations Once you receive a grant, know all rules and regulations regarding each grant. Also, ensure a thorough knowledge of all of the OMB circulars that apply to your organization. All that are involved in each grant need to know and understand all of the rules and regulations, financial and programmatic.

Schedule Reports Almost all grants require financial and program progress reports to be submitted according to a schedule. Set reminders so that all reports are submitted according to the deadlines for each. Setting a schedule up front is critical to the success of the grant.

Close Out If all of the above has been followed, close out should be an easy task. Ensure all accounts are reconciled to the grant budget. Ensure all grant reporting has been completed. Keep all grant records on hand for the required number of years for each grant.