The Federal Register is a great place to look for grants that many people overlook—primarily because they don’t know it exists. In real simple terms, it’s a daily publication of all the federal government’s announcements and notices. Go to federalregister.gov, select the current issue or the date you want to review and then open your […]
Which side are you on? Too many times—especially in larger organizations and bureaucracies—planning is used as a way to delay addressing problems. Talking about solving a problem becomes the same as actually taking action. It’s a delaying tactic to avoid tough decisions and accountability. Don’t be that team or that leader. Make a decision, formulate […]
Don’t let a proposal leave your office without a good (brutally honest) review by a co-worker, a manager or an outside third-party. Ideally, have them compare your proposal to the scoring matrix provided with the RFP. Find someone not connected with the proposal or any facet of the program’s development. If they can understand your […]
Stop wasting money on expensive grant writing and grant management training programs. Some companies (and even a few universities) are charging outrageous amounts for their courses. Do a little research. There are a ton of outstanding consultants out there who can provide the professional development you want for a reasonable cost (less than $1,000 per […]
If your grant ends on September 30, this is your last chance to notify your federal grant program officer that you intend to extend your grant for up to 12 months (if applicable). 2 CFR 200.308 requires grantees to give written notice to the federal awarding agency a minimum of ten calendar days before the […]
As soon as your organization receives a grant (any grant—not just federal), hold a kickoff meeting with everyone responsible for managing or supporting the program. Distribute copies of the grant application, the budget, the scope of work, the timeline of deliverables and the reporting deadlines. Discuss allowable (and unallowable) expenses. Review your policies and procedures […]
Unless specifically authorized by legislation, matching funds/cost-share for federal grants must come from NON-federal sources (private donations, state and local funds, foundation/corporate grants, and the like). Be sure to check the origin of the funding before committing them to a federal grant project—especially if your organization receives grants from your state or local government(s). A […]
If you’re not careful, grants can become a target for unwise spending. For example, when another funding source runs out, there’s always a temptation to shift personnel onto the open grant because it’s a budget with available money—whether or not those people have anything to do with the grant project. Another example, if an employee […]
In terms of federal grants, organizations do a poor job of planning ahead for future funding. Organizations should have a top five or a top ten list of programs they would start—or expand—if federal funding becomes available. So much time is wasted deciding what to do, selecting the project leader, designing the program, identifying external […]
As we know, there aren’t any federal grants to start a new business and grants to existing businesses are extremely rare and very limited in their purpose. If you have an existing business, don’t waste your time looking for grants, go after public contracts. Governments at all levels—federal, state and local—buy hundreds of billions of […]