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Grants and Agreements

Grants and Agreements. What’s New for FY 2011. USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. Agenda. Grant narrative format for “core” funds Award Letter Templates Subrecipient Reporting Performance Progress Report Equipment Purchases via Grants Close-out Policy.

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Grants and Agreements

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  1. Grants and Agreements What’s New for FY 2011 USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry

  2. Agenda • Grant narrative format for “core” funds • Award Letter Templates • Subrecipient Reporting • Performance Progress Report • Equipment Purchases via Grants • Close-out Policy

  3. New Grant Narrative Format for S&PF Core Funds Sherri Wormstead NA Office of Knowledge Management Sustainability & Planning Coordinator

  4. Why a Nationally-Consistent Format? To support and encourage implementation of the State Forest Resource Strategies

  5. Redesign Implementation Council Challenge: Develop a simple, flexible, standard format to incorporate State Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies into noncompetitive grant narratives.

  6. How the Format was Developed • March 2010—Held national calls to gather input • Drafted by work group of USFS and state staff • Reviewed narratives and regional templates for each S&PF Program • Sept. 2010—shared draft • Dec. 2010—S&PF Board approved the draft for “beta” use in FY11 S&PF • Tweak and finalize—Final review by S&PF Board

  7. National Data Strategy Team“Program & Planning” Work Group • Helen Cozzetto (MN) • Neil Letson (AL) • Cotton Randall (OH) • Dave Stephenson (ID) • Dana Coelho (WFLC) • Margie Ewing (R1 & R4) • Tim Mersmann (R8) • Sherri Wormstead (NA)

  8. Grant Narrative Format • Grant Narrative Summary: An overview of the work components and S&PF programs included in the grant. • Program/Project Grant Narrative: Provides information specific to an individual S&PF Program and/or project. For reference: • National S&PF Program Authorities and Guidance • Example narrative

  9. Overview • Provides instructions for narrative documentation to support SF-424 • Use in place of the NA narrative templates • For “core” S&PF Program grants to State Forestry agencies, except Forest Legacy grants • For single S&PF Program and Consolidated Payment Grants • Incorporates reference to State Forest Strategy • Flexible—you can modify as needed

  10. Overview, Continued… • New format is not required for NA S&PF competitive projects. The proposal = the narrative. • May be used for grants to other organizations • The format is for the narrative—one part of the grant application! • Standard format for reporting was not addressed.

  11. Closer Look at the Format • Grant Narrative Summary • Overarching boilerplate text • Grant Period • Grant Components and Amount Fill out once (serves as table of contents)

  12. Grant Narrative Summary

  13. Closer Look at the Format • Grant Narrative Summary • Overarching boilerplate text • Grant Period • Grant Components and Amount • Program/Project Grant Narrative • Lead Contacts • Purpose • Scope of Work • Methodology and Timeline • Accomplishment Reporting • Budget Fill out once (serves as table of contents) Fill out for each S&PF Program and/or project that is part of the grant

  14. Program/Project Grant Narrative

  15. Example Narrative

  16. Example Narrative

  17. Example Narrative

  18. Draft S&PF Authorities & Guidance Document

  19. Draft S&PF Authorities & Guidance Document

  20. Next Steps • Will post the final documents soon http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/fap.shtm • Work with your Forest Service program contact as usual • Input requested as the new format is used: spf-grant-narrative@fs.fed.us • S&PF Board will consider input • Adapt and change  aiming for a streamlined and simple process

  21. Time for Questions! Dial * 1 to be called on to ask your question or Type your question in the “Chat Panel”

  22. New Award Letter Template Zaneta Hammond NA Grants & Agreements Specialist

  23. WO Award Templates • Look very different from our letters • 3 page Award Letter (Grant Specific Information and Signatures) • Attachment A – Terms and Conditions • Attachment B – 2 CFR Part 170 • Assigned an OMB file number • Subaccount Information • Located in Attachment A • Countersignature Page • No longer one page but will now be the 3 page award letter

  24. Sub-Recipient Reporting Zaneta Hammond NA Grants & Agreements Specialist

  25. Subrecipient Reporting • Federal Funding Accountability & Transparency Act (FFATA) signed in 2006 • Effective October 1, 2010 • Code of Federal Regulation – 2 CFR 170 • OMB Memorandum dated August 27, 2010 (Federal Spending Transparency and Subaward and Compensation Data) • Reporting • Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subreporting System – www.fsrs.gov

  26. Subrecipient Reporting • If the initial award is equal to or over $25,000, reporting of subaward and executive compensation data is required. • Does not include procurement of property or services needed to carry out the project • Recipients report on executive compensation • Information must be reported within one month of obligating the funds and to the maximum extent possible • Information already collected from Federal agencies on Federal grants and prime awardees will be pre-populated to minimize duplicative reporting of the prime awardee’s entity information.

  27. Subrecipient Reporting • If the initial award is below $25,000 but subsequent grant modification result in a total award equal to or over $25,000, the award will be subject to the reporting requirements, as of the date the award exceeds $25,000. • If the initial award equals or exceeds $25,000 but funding is subsequently de-obligated such that the total award amount falls below $25,000, the award continues to be subject to the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act.

  28. Subrecipient Reporting The following are not subject to the reporting requirements: • A Federal award to an individual who applies for or receives a Federal award as a natural person (i.e., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization he or she may own or operate in his or her name); • A Federal award to an entity that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than $300,000 in the entity’s previous tax year; and • Any award if the required reporting would disclose classified information.

  29. Performance Progress Report(SF-PPR) Lori Gordon NA Grants & Agreements Specialist

  30. Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR) • SF-PPR is a standard, government-wide performance progress reporting format that will be used by Federal agencies to collect performance information from recipients.

  31. Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR) • Use for new FY2011 awards that exceed $100,000 or more per project/grant period. • Includes cover page and six optional reporting formats. NA has chosen to use: • SF-PPR (Cover Page) • SF-PPR-D (Table of Activity Results) http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms • SF-PPR will be submitted annually.

  32. Equipment Acquired via Grants Lori Gordon NA Grants & Agreements Specialist

  33. Equipment Acquired via Grants Enhanced guidance issued based on resolution of ARRA OIG audit report • Equipment – personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. • Clarifies and defines roles and responsibilities • Recipients • Forest Service Program Contacts

  34. Equipment Acquired Via Grants Recipient Responsibilities • Ensure general requirements of laws and regulations found in OMB circulars are followed • Document intended use of equipment • Provide equipment description • Evaluate costs – lease vs. purchase • Document proposed acquisition strategy • Address if equipment will be used to support another Federal award • Equipment cannot be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing requirements on any other Federal award.

  35. Equipment Acquired via Grants Forest Service Program Contact Responsibilities • Review the proposed equipment purchase • Equipment purchase is necessary • Must certify in writing

  36. Closeout Policy Terri Lopez NA Business Management Group Leader

  37. Closeout Policy • FS will implement a new financial system • November/December 2011 • Main Focus • Unliquidated Obligations • Grants with no drawdowns for 1 year or more

  38. Website References • NA Grants & Agreements Website: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/fap.shtm • 2 CFR 170 – Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Information http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=5d76508a7364b058d28dd86ea58ba080&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfrv1_02.tpl#175 • Subrecipient Reporting System https://www.fsrs.gov

  39. ANY QUESTIONS? Dial * 1 to be called on to ask your question or Type your question in the “Chat Panel”

  40. Thank you very much for your participation! Please provide comments about this training session at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/K9M8MDT

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