Ready to get laser-focused about what absolutely, positively needs to be in place for the implementation of the new grant regulations?

(Remember the new uniform guidance for grant recipients goes into effect on December 26th 2014.)

I know that there are so many things going on out there.

It’s hard to know what part to focus on.

Want my secret?

I want to share the same techiniques that I use with our implementation clients.

This is the same approach I would use if I was sitting there…right beside with you.

You can use this method whether you are just getting started, or you’ve already launch the implementation of the new grant regulations.

Where To Focus?

There are really 7 areas for you to focus on with the new grant regulations.

(Don’t panic. We are going to break this into a couple articles so you don’t get overwhelmed. )

Here they are:

1. Begin With The End In Mind

2. Identify What Has Changed

3. Determine Who and What Is Impacted

4. Create an Implementation Team

5. Understand and Plan for Milestones

6. Communicate With Others

7. Launch Implementation

First, some “expectation-setting.”

Walking through these focus areas doesn’t mean that everything will be 100% complete by the implementation date.

But with this framework, you will build the solid foundation for grant management that keeps your funding agencies happy, and the funds flowing.

Tip #1: Begin With The End In Mind

First of all, before we get into the nitty-gritty details, I’d like to you take a deep breath.

Close your eyes and imagine why you are tackling this big change.

(OK, I am guessing it’s not because you love implementing new grant regulations for award recipients…just saying.)

Let’s be crystal-clear why we are doing this.

Sure the goal is to be ready in time…to keep the grant funds flowing.

But if you really drill-down, most of us are in this for the opportunity to make a difference in our community and world.

You may be conducting scientific research to cure disease, or ensuring seniors are getting the healthy foods they need.

I believe at the core of all this effort, is the desire to help others.

And if you begin this implementation process with that end in mind, the inconvenience and disruptions that go along with the changes in grant management will make more sense.

Tip #2: Identify What Has Changed in the Grant Regulations

The first thing is you need to do is to identify what has changed.

A change like this has many aspects to it.

(Hint-It’s not just the change in the regulations…)

Sure, you need to look at specific changes from the old to the new guidance, and COFAR and OMB has put out some great cross-walks from the old regulations to the new grant regulations.

But you also need to look at things like:

• What are the changing expectations of Federal agencies, OMB, and COFAR?
• What is new about how are funding agencies will be monitoring and evaluating our performance?
• What attitudes will need to shift at your organization to be successful in this new environment called 2 CFR Part 200?

This major re-write of the Administrative Requirements and Cost Principles is about more than just some citations numbers.

It includes a fundamental change in the responsibilities of award recipients that range from increased internal controls to more oversight and responsibilities of key personnel.

Tip #3: Determine Who and What Is Impacted By 2 CFR Part 200

The next step is to determine who and what is impacted by the up-coming changes in your grant management process.

This can be people, processes and procedures.

For example:

• What parts of the grant lifecycle have changed?
• What are the primary “gotchas” in the new regulations-like the new risk assessment, new disclosures, and family-friendly policies?
• Which departments who will experience the biggest potential impacts?

(Hint: You can do some of this ground work with a survey, or assessment.)

Based on our analysis, we see most of the impact to people will be in these four departments:

• Program Office
• Finance/Accounting
• Human Resources
• Procurement

Some of these changes are focus primarily on a single department, like Human Resources reviewing and updating the Employee Handbook to cover family-friendly policies or conflict of interest disclosures.

Other changes affect nearly everyone working on Federal awards directly or indirectly such as the increased responsibilities for internal controls on all levels of Federal spending and making the well-trained workforce a priority for both Federal agencies and non-Federal entities.

But whether the changes impact a few, or many, recognizing what is going to be different is the next step to successful implementation.

In our next article I’ll take you through the “final four” tips in our countdown to the new grant regulations.

 

 

Ready to Improve Your Grant Management?

How about you?

Would you like to be a better grant manager?

We have another grant management training seminar coming soon.

Click here to get all the details!

Hope to see you there!

Author:

Lucy Morgan CPA, MBA

CEO, Compliance Warrior

Author of “Decoding Grant Management-The Ultimate Success Guide to the Federal Grant Regulations in 2 CFR Part 200” The 2nd Edition is now available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle versions.