The following post is from Thompson Grants weekly delivery of grant- and audit-related news and analysis from their editors, conveniently organized in pre-award, post-award and audit categories. It also provides readers with the latest Grants Intelligence articles from experts in the grants community, responses to subscriber questions, links to their most recent newsletter issues and e-learning offerings, and upcoming webinars.
February 24 – 28, 2020
Grants Development NewsFEMA To Provide $1.2B in Homeland Security Grants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is providing $1.2 billion — some $25 million more than last year — in federal fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding to eligible applicants under the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), which is designed to help state, local and tribal governments, as well as nonprofits, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism and other threats.
Grants Management NewsGAO Calls for Accurate Medicaid Determinations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), in a recent report to Congress, noted that federal efforts to address improper Medicaid payments made due to eligibility determination errors by states could be enhanced if officials with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) coordinated their oversight responsibilities with information from state auditors.
READ MOREEDA Amends Regulations for TAAF Program
The Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) revised its regulations implementing the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program to clarify the process for U.S manufacturing, oil and natural gas production, and service firms threatened by increased imports to obtain adjustment assistance (i.e., technical assistance) through Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs).
READ MOREInput Wanted on How Best To Provide Public Access to Research Results, Data
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Subcommittee on Open Science are soliciting comments on how best to provide greater public access to the results of federally funded research.
Single Audit NewsOIG Seeks Timely Food Program Report Submissions
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plans to implement a new web-based report management system by September to ensure that Indian tribal organizations (ITOs) participating in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) submit timely reports, in response to recent recommendations in a USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit.
Grants Intelligence – February 2020Looking at the 2 C.F.R., Subtitle A Roster, and How the ‘Team’ Could Change
For those who follow sports, they are aware that some basketball teams often have one mega-superstar, surrounded by a squad of important, but not as well-known, players that fill out the rest of the roster. One could look at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance in Title 2, Subtitle A, of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) in the same way. While the uniform guidance (2 C.F.R. Part 200) gets most of the attention, other guidance within the subtitle may not get much notoriety, but it still plays a critical role in the administration of federal awards.
Ask the ExpertHow Do the Procurement Provisions Apply to Subrecipients?
Q: For a nonprofit recipient of federal financial assistance, it is my understanding that if the entity is a nonprofit and not a governmental entity that these entities would be required to meet the requirements of 2 C.F.R. 200.320, etc. This seems to me to be a major requirement in that part of any entity’s pre-award review, risk assessment and/or award process should demonstrate that the entity can document and do this, which would mean that they entity would have procedures etc. My question regards state agencies that are governed by state law and would be exempt; however, any recipient or subaward where the pass-through is using a nonprofit, they would want to this ensure this applies to the nonprofit. Do you have any guidance as to how this process should be administered to subrecipients and then made part of an ongoing review process? Mark from Ocala, Fla.
READ MOREHow Do We Handle Overload Pay?
Q: We have a faculty member that was released from teaching one course in the fall. That is 25 percent of her 100 percent IBS for the fall semester. Her normal load is 4 courses per semester. Her release from one course was granted so she could teach a class that is funded by a federal grant (25 percent of her IBS). Recently there was a payment document sent through for her to receive overload pay funded by the university (following normal university overload pay policy). This overload class raises her teaching load to five classes for the fall semester. Is this allowable since the class is outside of her normal 4 course load and IBS pay? Or would this additional overload course put her over 100 percent and the 25 percent charged to the grant not in compliance with uniform guidance? Barb in Highland Heights, Ky.
Monthly Newsletters and Recent Handbook Updates
We take all the news each month and compile into a monthly newsletter for your files, and make continuous updates to our publications to keep them current.
Federal Grants Development Handbook:
¶101 — Updated information about Thompson resources
¶102 — Updated information about Thompson resources
¶103 — Updated contact information
Federal Grants Management Handbook:
Federal Grants Management Handbook Newsletter, February 2020
¶102 — Made editorial revisions
¶473 — Changed section title and added information about the GREAT Act
¶521 — Updated the list of states with single points of contact
Single Audit Information Service:
Single Audit Information Service Newsletter, February 2020
Guidance ¶215 — Created new section entitled “Standardizing Data”
Guidance ¶603 — Updated information on Assistance Listings and made other revisions
Guidance ¶604 — Updated information on Assistance Listings and made other revisions
Guidance ¶650 — Updated information pertaining to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse
Guide to Managing Federal Grants for Colleges and Universities:
Federal Grants News Newsletter, February 2020
¶473 — Changed section title and added information about the GREAT Act
¶521 — Updated the list of states with single points of contact
¶705 — Updated information on current activities
¶740 — Information and links updated throughout
| WEBINARS AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS |
Indirect Costs and Cost Allocation Plans – An eLearning Course
Karen Norris | Self-guided course
In this eLearning course, Karen Norris, a national consultant and subject matter expert for k4rnoco, a K4ren Norris Company, and formerly with Thompson Information Services, will discuss the changes in the new uniform grant reform guidance related to calculating and charging indirect costs to federal grants. The presentations will include: an overview on indirect cost rates, including developing and submitting indirect cost rate proposals; how the rules governing indirect costs have changed; and provide practical examples how agencies can prepare for these changes.
Intro to Indirect Cost Recovery
Benjamin Sedelmeier |Tuesday, March 24, 2020 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET
Did you know that grantees can recoup overhead and administrative costs on federal contracts? Do you know how the Uniform Guidance makes it possible—and how you can recover this additional funding? Unfortunately, many federal grant recipients don’t know. They leave funding to which they’re entitled on the table. As competition for awards intensifies and funding levels shrink, it’s crucial to recover every dollar available to your organization. Here’s where to start!
Check out our newly posted video providing an update on the submission of comments to the OMB’s proposed revisions to the uniform guidance, requests for an extension to the March 23 comment deadline and other documents that would be affected by the proposed changes.
