What You Need to Know About Managing a Grant at WNMU

1. What You Need to Know About Managing a Grant at WNMU Pre-Award Post Award

2. Pre-Award

3. Types of Awards • WNMU receives funding through federal, state, and local grants for projects. • Instruction, Researchand Public Service • Direct Costs – Personnel, Benefits, Supplies, Equipment, Travel • Indirect Costs – assist with costs not tied to one project. I.E. – cost of supplies associated with monthly invoicing, computer use, etc.

4. Types of Awards • Federal – Very stringent with reporting expenditures, allowable costs. • State – Reporting is still stringent but may have more flexibility with spending policies. • Local – Funds may be received in advance. May be less stringent with reporting.

5. Requirements • Written Proposal with recognition of any matching funds required. Source of matching funds (if any) is required and must be identified • Working Budget • Fill out and submit the External Grant Application to the WNMU Grants Office two (2) weeks prior to the grant due date to the funding agency. https://www.jotform.com/wnmu_forms/WNMU-ExternalGrant-Application • Once the Application and Budget have been approved by Grants Office, the Proposal can be submitted to the Funding Agency

6. Post-Award

7. Before You Get Started • Notify the Business Office that your proposal has been approved and provide necessary documentation, i.e. grant agreement, contract,etc.. • Make and appointment to finalize the Budget and to review policies on hiring practices, salaries, benefits, and procurement procedures for purchasing. • Review your budget in Banner – make sure you have access to your budget (FOAP)

8. Funds cannot be spent unless a fully executed grant agreement signed by all parties is filed in the Business Office. • Purchasing, personnel and travel policies are located in the Canvas shell under Business Office modules.

9. Federal Cost Requirements • Allowable – An allowable cost is one that meets the criteria for authorized expenditures specified in the Code of Federal Regulations (2CFR200). • Necessary – A cost that is required for the performance of the scope of work for the Federal Award.

10. Reasonable – A cost is considered reasonable if it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the cost. • How does the cost compare to market prices for similar goods and services? • Did the PI/PD act with prudence, considering the University, the Funding Agency, the public and the government?

11. Before Spending Grant Funds • All purchases using grant funding must be pre-approved by the Grants Accountant to ensure that: • the purchase is allowable by the Funding Agency as well as the procurement policy for the University • the purchase is aligned within the scope of the grant • there are funds in the budget line associated with the purchase

12. P-card Requests • P-card requests to use grant funds for the following expenditures: • Airfare • Registration fees • Hotel • Supplies • Non-capital equipment with a single purchase price less than $1,000.00 *Note: Before using your P-card for travel, make sure that your Travel Request has been approved by Materials and Resources Management.

14. Budget Revisions • Must be approved by Funding Agency and signed by the Department Chair prior to being entered into Banner • Must be within the same fund • Must be entered into Banner before expenses can be approved.

16. Requests for Reimbursement • Requests for Reimbursement may be submitted to the Funding Agency monthly or quarterly as specified in the Grant Agreement and copies are provided to the Principal Investigator/Project Manager. • Payments are receipted and reconciled by the Business Office. Principal Investigators/Project Directors can request copies of receipts from the Grants Accountant.

17. Spending Deadlines • Spending Deadlines are emailed in late Fall to each Principal Investigator/Project Manager to get familiarized with the deadline dates. • Spending Deadlines are sent to assist with planning to spend down for the remainder of the year. • Spending deadlines assist the Business Office with closing out the fiscal year and ensuring that all supplies and equipment are received within the appropriate fisca year.

18. Time Distribution Reports • Time Distribution Reports are required by WNMU. • They are sent out at the end of each fiscal year to be verified and signed by the Principal Investigator/Project Manager and are kept in the grant files in the Business Office.

19. Record Retention • Grant documents including all grant agreements, financial records and all supporting documents are held in the Business Office for a minimum of three (3) years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report or from the date of submission of the final quarterly or annual report.

20. Closeout • Final Invoices will be sent for reimbursement no later than ten (10) days after the prior month end. • Any balances of non-obligated cash paid in advance will be sent back to the Funding Agency no later than thirty (30) days after the grant period ends. • All equipment purchased with grant funds will become the property of the University unless the grant agreement specifies that the equipment reverts back to the funding agency.