Federal Budgets

8 Steps to the DATA Act

8 Steps to the DATA Act

8 Steps to Implementing the DATA Act The DATA Act  aims at making federal spending data accessible, searchable, and reliable. The DATA Act isn’t just about federal reform, it also provides an opportunity to have open, public dialogue on how federal dollars are spent. This information will serve as a tool to inform management decision-making, improve oversight, and give key insights that can lead to innovation both inside and outside of the government. Progress for the DATA Act Recently, on the OMB blog, the Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dave Lebryk and OMB Controller Dave Mader announced the roll out of 57…read more →

What Your Competitors Do With A Denied Grant Application

What Your Competitors Do With A Denied Grant Application

WHAT YOUR COMPETITORS DO WITH THEIR DENIED GRANT APPLICATION You’ve just received word that your grant application has been denied. After long hours dedicated to strategy, budgets, narratives, charts, tables, partners, and more, receiving a grant denial may leave you  feeling like you never, ever, ever want to apply for another grant – ever – again. You may want to forget about your ideas, your project and your hopes. But that isn’t what your competitors are going to do!  What are your competitors going to do with their denial? They are going to seize it for all its worth! They…read more →

HUD Grant Milestones

HUD Grant Milestones

Guess who is turning 50? The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is celebrating the big ‘five-oh’ this year (and so is yours truly).  I have a long history with HUD, their grant programs, their policies and their staff. I believe our greatest impact on economic development, childhood health and wellness, life-long health and wellness, workforce stability and growth, energy efficiency, and so much more – starts at home and with homes. The quality, safety and accessibility of housing, especially within our poorest communities, has a profound effect on our public systems – schools, the judicial system, medical system. I…read more →

Grant Professional Certified

Grant Professional Certified

In this our third Link Party blog, we’ll discuss the eight competencies of the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (the elements upon which the exam for GPC certification are based). Click on the links in this blog for more great information from my esteemed colleagues Jana Jane Hexter, Diane Leonard, Heather Strombaugh and Mark Whitacre. You can also read our two previous Linky Party blogs here and here for more information and additional links. What Your Grant Professional Knows Could be Worth Millions! Do you engage a grant professional – staff or consultant – when you develop your strategic plan(s)? If…read more →

Federal Grant Reform and GPC

Federal Grant Reform and GPC

Federal Grant Reform and GPC   GPC isn’t just for Grant Professional Certification, post-nominal letters I am proud to display. GPC is also the acronym for the  Grants Policy Committee.    Grant Policy Committee This GPC, a committee of the U.S. Chief Financial Officers Council, has responsibility for coordinating government-wide streamlining and simplification activities for federal grants and cooperative agreements. This GPC recommends financial assistance policies and practices to the Office of Management and Budget and coordinates related interagency activities. This GPC is moving us forward with federal grant reform. Busy GPC The GPC’s improvement efforts gained significant momentum when the committee assumed…read more →

Effort Reports & Payroll Certifications

Effort Reports & Payroll Certifications

Effort Reports & Payroll Certification – The ‘What’s and ‘Why’s  Grant makers, at all levels, are seeking greater accountability,accuracy, efficiency,transparency and timing for contracts and grant compliance activities. Federal agencies are accountable to Congress and to the public for the use of the funds they award. Many agencies require Effort Reports or Payroll Certification.  The federal government requires institutions to have a process in place to certify that salary expenses on federally funded sponsored projects represent an equitable distribution of charges based on an employee’s work activities.   As specified in applicable cost principles, at a minimum, adequate time and effort reports…read more →

Federal Grants, Where Do I Start?

Federal Grants, Where Do I Start?

Federal Grants, Where Do I Start? Are you having trouble navigating the federal grant world? You are not alone! There are over 1600 federal grant programs provided by Congress.  The scope and complexity of federal grants has increased considerably over the past decade. It can feel overwhelming when you start to seek a federal grant.  For many grant seekers, grants.gov is often the go-to source for federal grant information.  If you start with grants.gov – you are probably too late to get the grant!   See, grants.gov will provide you with information on existing grant opportunities. You want to win…read more →

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