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Omni Circular The CNCS Basics. Session Goal. Raise awareness of the Omni Circular key concepts that will impact AmeriCorps Grantees. Implementation of the new requirements is a work in progress. OMNI Circular. Omni Circular Overview. What:
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Session Goal Raise awareness of the Omni Circular key concepts that will impact AmeriCorps Grantees. Implementation of the new requirements is a work in progress.
Omni Circular Overview What: • OMB published a single set of regulations that replace the eight separate circulars which govern grant-making across the Federal government. When: • December 26, 2013: Rules are applicable for Federal agencies. • June 26, 2014: Deadline for Federal agencies to submit exemptions of regulations to OMB for review. • December 26, 2014: • Deadline for Federal agencies to implement the policies and procedures applicable to federal awards. • Rules apply to audits of FYs beginning on/after this date. • Rules apply to all grants and amendments awarded on/after this date.
What is changing for AmeriCorps Grantees • Pre-award Assessments • Single Audits (A-133 audits) • Indirect Costs • Time and Activity
Pre-Award Financial Review What’s Current: Grantees should conduct a financial review to determine if sub-grantees have the capacity to manage federal funds. What’s coming: Grantees are encouraged to also confirm sub-grantees financial stability.
Single Audit Act Requirements (A-133) What’s Current: Grantees who expend $500,000 of Federal funds in a year must conduct an A-133 audit. What’s coming: The threshold for A-133 audits goes up to $750,000. It applies to the grantee’s fiscal year that begins after December 26, 2014. Example: Fiscal year is July 1 – June 30. Threshold begins for fiscal year July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.
Performance Measures What’s coming: • The regulations place an emphasis on outcomes and community impact as opposed to outputs. • CNCS is exploring if there are additional requirements that we must implement for this regulation.
Indirect Costs What’s Current: • Grantees must have an established Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NIDCR) from their cognizant agency or elect to use the CNCS 5%/10% option for AmeriCorps. • NIDCR must be renewed annually. What’s Coming: • All Federal agencies must allow grantees to claim indirect cost rates. • Grantees without an NIDCR can choose to accept a 10% de minimis rate. For AmeriCorps grantees this becomes a 5%/5% option. • Grantees with a current indirect cost rate may elect to apply for a one-time extension for a period of up to 4 years. • AmeriCorps grantees continue to be capped at 5% of CNCS share. • AmeriCorps grantees that use the CNCS 5%/10% option and do not have an NIDCR will see a decrease in the amount they can claim as match.
Additional Change for Commission • Limits now apply to the 1% or 2% of administrative costs commissions can hold back. • Grantees that choose the de minimis 10% can only apply it to the first $25,000 of any passthrough funding. • Commissions that choose to retain 1% or 2% should work with subgrantees to establish indirect cost rates. The limit does not apply to subgrantees that have negotiated indirect cost rates.
Time and Activity What’s Current: Nonprofit organizations must have a time-keeping system in place that - • Tracks time and activity on an after-the-fact basis that accounts for total time. • Is signed by employee or supervisor. • Is prepared at least monthly and coincides with one or more pay periods. What’s coming: Time and activity can be supported by - • A system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. • A system that is incorporated into the official records of the grantee. Rules around member time keeping remain the same.
Time and Activity - Continued Required Internal Controls Organizations must have: • Documented policies and procedures for their time and activity systems. • Procedures to trace back the allocated time to source documents that can be verified as complete and accurate. • Clear separation of roles and responsibilities from those who establish or approve payroll for those eligible for payroll, and those who process payments.
CNCS Implementation • CNCS will revise the AmeriCorps application instructions related to applying the new indirect cost to reflect the new requirements. • The AmeriCorps grant Provisions (now called Terms and Conditions) will be revised as needed to reflect the new requirements and changes will be highlighted. • CNCS is making some changes to eGrants to better track the new requirements, e.g. track grantees who have been given a 4-year extension on their indirect cost rate. • CNCS will train Commissions on any changes they may need to make to their subgrant agreements related to the new requirements