Introduction

The purpose of this handbook is to guide GCC staff and faculty through the grant pre-award and post-award processes. It also provides an overview of the necessary steps, definitions, and, internal as well as external, regulations that apply when submitting a proposal or administering a grant. As the needs of the College change, these policies and procedures will be updated. This manual has been written so that periodic revisions to particular sections may be inserted as needed. Questions and feedback may be directed to the Grants Office staff.

Approval for Contracts and Grants

A formal proposal to conduct a research, training, or service project with support from an external agency represents an offer by Greenfield Community College (GCC), acting as an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to partner with the grantor in providing a significant public benefit. It is necessary, therefore, that any such proposal has the endorsement of those responsible for carrying out the project, as well as those authorized to commit the College to a binding contract.

The College has three authorized Signatories—the President of the College, the VP of Administration and Finance, and the Comptroller—whom the College Board of Trustees have bestowed the authority to officially commit campus resources, including personnel and facilities. The President’s Cabinet, operating at the behest of the President, approves all grant applications prior to submission. A review and routing procedure ensures that each proposal or application for grant-funded programs has been reviewed and endorsed by the various responsible persons and that compliance exists between funder, GCC, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts policies. All proposals for external support for educational/training, research, or service projects must have prior approval by the relevant Vice President or Dean prior to submission, with facilitation by the Grants Office. The Grants Office then submits those proposals to the President’s Cabinet for their consideration and final approval.

Types of Commitments and Agreements

Grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts:
Grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts that involve GCC staff/faculty represent an agreement from the college to provide goods or services, usually in exchange for funding (or in some cases external technical assistance supporting a project or initiative). Grants and cooperative agreements usually require the college to produce a report on the work completed.

Commitments from the College:
On occasion GCC staff/faculty may be asked to provide a Letter of Support/Commitment (LOS/LOC) or sign a Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding (MOA/MOU) to indicate commitment to a grant or project from an external organization. All such letters should be reviewed by the Grants Office who will then assist with obtaining the necessary authorized signature(s). Memorandums must also be reviewed by the Comptroller or the VP of Administration and Finance before being signed, and in some cases requires legal review.

Any inclusion of GCC’s commitment/involvement in a grant proposal from an external organization must also be reviewed by the Grants Office. If GCC staff/faculty or services are included in the budget, this must also be reviewed by the Grants Accountant before submission.

Proposal Development Process

Potential grant applications typically come about in one of two ways:

1) a faculty or staff member or administrator will approach the Grants Office with a grant funding opportunity that they have come across or been approached by an external agency for potential partnership, or
2) the Grants Office has identified a potential funding source and matched that funding source to a known existing need for a program area at the college.

When discussing a potential grant opportunity with staff/faculty, the Grants Office will pose some initial questions to help determine the feasibility and structure of the proposal, including:

1) Preliminary project plans (What you want to do),
2) Estimated costs based on those plans (How much it costs/How much you need to request),
3) Estimated realistic timeline for completion of project upon commencement (How long it would take to do and does it fit within grant timeline requirements)

The Grants Office will also consult with the Dean/Supervisor for the staff/faculty at this point in the process.

If the proposal is moved forward, the Grants Office will then request approval from the President’s Cabinet, which meets weekly. Upon approval from the President’s Cabinet, the Grants Office then coordinates with the identified faculty/staff member to develop a working plan for all of the required documentation for the identified funding opportunity. These documents typically include (at a minimum): project narrative (including needs assessment, project details, timeline, and evaluation/outcomes) and budget (with budget narrative).

In collaboration with all identified faculty/staff, and relevant Deans, the Grants Office will guide the timeline to ensure accurate and timely submission of all required grant documents for all grants submissions on behalf of the college.

Proposal Development Roles and Responsibilities

Grants Office:
Oversees all grant-related tasks for the college, working collaboratively with Faculty/Staff Grant Coordinators, Supervisors, Administrators, and various offices to ensure clear communication, alignment, and compliance. Responsibilities include:

• Leads college-wide proposals and collaborates with individual offices/staff/faculty on all other proposals.
• Coordinates the proposal review and signature process within the College.
• Assist in developing grants documents, such as letters of intent, proposal and/or budget modifications, etc.
• Reviews all proposal budgets and provides feedback regarding the need for changes or corrections.
• Provides or identifies providers for technical assistance.
• Communicates with grant funders – All communication with funders must be conducted through the Grants Office, unless special permission is given to the Grant Coordinator to manage this communication.
• Provide consultation on annual and final reports filings.
• Work closely with all the individuals who will be responsible for implementation of the funded proposal, including working with the Grant Coordinator to bridge the gap between pre- and post-awards.
• Work with PIs and staff to ensure compliance to all relevant state, federal, and private funder guidelines, and to provide technical assistance as needed.
• Liaise with the Business Office on budgets, compliance, and other related items.

Grant Coordinator:
With guidance from the Grants Office, Grant Coordinators are responsible for implementing and overseeing the grant project, managing the budget, and ensuring that the proposed activities are implemented and completed in the manner outlined in the funded application. Responsibilities of the Grant Coordinator may include:
Working with the Grants Office on proposal development, including:

• Reviewing application guidelines and requirements.

Contributing to the narrative and budget.

• If the proposed project involves the purchase of new technology or software, communicating with the IT department to ensure the purchase is a good match for the college and that IT can assist with the implementation on the required timeline.
• Participating in post-award meetings with the grant funder and managing post-award requirements, including required reporting, with guidance and support from the Grants Office.
• Reviewing monthly financial reports from the Grants Accountant to ensure that all budget expenditures are charged to the correct fund and account through the Business Office.
• Filing non-financial reports during the sponsored project period as outlined by the funder.
• Maintaining records of staff time on the grant and any financial match support. Match support could include employer partner contributions or cash or in-kind donations.
• Ensuring that, where necessary, Institutional Review Board approval has been obtained, with assistance from the Grants Office.
• Ensuring that all activity undertaken by program staff, researchers, or students participating in the project align with the contractual goals and objectives of the grant award agreement.
• Submitting requisitions for all non-personnel grant purchases prior to any expenditure being incurred, ensuring that any modifications in program delivery and budget are approved by the funder, and monitoring any sub-awardee’s compliance with the terms of the grant.
• Providing updates as needed to the supervisor on the project, usually their respective Dean/VP.

Dean/VP as Grant Supervisor:
Certifies to the soundness of the project, the compatibility of the project with the Grant Coordinator’s other duties, and concurs that the proposal should be submitted to the agency named. Post-award, this person is also typically the Designated Approver for the grant budget, providing final approval of all purchases.

Vice President (VP) of Operations and Finance:
Determines the appropriateness and soundness of the proposed budget and ensuring that the project’s fiscal design aligns with the College’s financial practices and priorities. They will be responsible for reviewing and approving contractual terms, issues of institutional financing, space and facilities availability, and cost sharing commitments of the proposed project. They supervise the disbursements of funds, filing financial reports, and executing draw downs.

Executive Director for Human Resources:
Ensures that project staff will be hired in accordance with state and College personnel rules. They will review any terms and conditions related to the hiring of personnel in the proposed project.

President’s Cabinet:
Determines the appropriateness of the project within the College’s programs, assuring that the project is in keeping with department and College objectives, and conveying final authority that the proposal may be submitted to the funding agency. The President’s Cabinet ensures the proposed projects alignment with strategic goals and priorities.

Assistant Comptroller/Grants Accountant:
Under the direct supervision of the VP of Administration and Finance, reviews all pre-award budgets, sets up fiscal accounts, produces financial reports for submission to the funding agency, maintains account journals, processes transactions, monitors compliance, and provides information to auditors as requested. The Grants Accountant, in conjunction with the Grants Office or designee, provides training to Grant Coordinators, once their grant funding has come through, on the College’s financial procedures associated with grants and grant reporting.

Grant Proposal Components

A proposal requesting support from any funding agency will most often consist of the following:

A. Title Page

Title Page – For those funders that do not provide application packages or have other specific requirements, the Grant Coordinator, with support from the Grants Office, must construct some form of title page. Generally, the title page will contain:

• Title of the proposed project
• College and Department
• Name and title of the Grants Coordinator and/or Co-Grants Coordinator
• Time period and inclusive dates of the proposed project
• Total support requested
• Name and address of the funding agency
• Table of Contents – with page numbers
• Abstract – A brief description covering the purpose, important features, and significance of the project.

B. Project Description

Project Description – A typical description of the project may contain many or all of the following details:

• Project Rationale
  • Introduction
  • Statement of the Needs and Problems
  • Goals and Objectives of the Project
  • Relation of the Project to the State of Knowledge in the Field
  • Significance of the Project
• Procedures
  • Statement of Approach
  • The Means by which Objectives will be met
  • Anticipated Problems
• Evaluation
  • Methods and Tools of Data Collection and Assessment
• Management
  • Organization of the Project
  • Project Staff and their Roles
  • Project Schedule

Personnel – Generally, biographical sketches including pertinent experience or publications of the Grants Coordinator, Co-Grants Coordinator(s), and key project personnel should be included.

C. Budget – Direct Costs, Indirect Costs and Matching Costs

Budget – The budget serves to identify the cost of the project to the sponsor. The budget also serves as a measure by the grant funder of the PI's capabilities since there must be a reasonable relationship between the project described and the PI's estimate of the cost:

Direct Costs – Some or all of the following may be included as direct costs:

• Salaries include all personnel, titles, the time (percentage of role or hours) each will devote to the project, the rate of pay, and amount requested to support each person per year (or for the budget period). Salary costs must be planned in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements or College salary schedules for non-unit professionals. Key considerations for budgeting staff include:
  • For multi-year budgets, salary calculations should include scheduled raises.
  • The work of certain GCC staff/offices supporting a grant are covered by the Indirect Cost rate, including staff time from Administration and Finance, Marketing & Communications, IT, and Facilities. If work detailed on a grant exceeds the capacity of the department, per judgement of the department head, they may choose to outsource work to a consultant or utilize overtime. In this case, the budget may need to include funds for this purpose.
• Other professional research staff and technicians may be compensated for periods during which their services will benefit the project.
• Fringe benefits include the College's contributions to retirement programs, health insurance, and unemployment compensation.
• Permanent equipment needs must be itemized and justified. Permanent equipment is defined as an article of nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. In addition, the Grants Coordinator must determine that the equipment requested is not already available within the College. The cost of equipment generally includes needed accessories, installation, and delivery costs. In some cases, the sponsor may provide the equipment directly rather than provide acquisition funds, or short-term rental may be preferred.
• Consultant fees may be paid only to experts outside the College who provide a unique contribution to the project. Federal agencies specifically prohibit the payment of consultant fees from Federally-supported projects to persons employed by the Federal government and often set a limit on the daily rate that can be paid to non-Federal government employees.
• Supplies and expendable equipment items should be identified and justified. Examples of these items include chemicals, glassware and small electronic components, as in the preparation and distribution of questionnaires or other brochures and forms, and minor fees for informants in anthropological or sociological studies.Key considerations for budgeting supplies include:
  • Be as specific as possible with what supplies are needed, as different kinds of supplies require different Banner accounting codes to be assigned by the Grants Accountant. For example, separate administrative, educational, food, equipment, and software costs.
  • Marketing and communication materials, such as printed flyers or t-shirts, should be included in the budget as they are not covered by the Marketing & Communications departments budget.
  • If you are planning on handing out technology to students, such as laptops or iPads, it is good practice for auditing purposes to have students sign a document stating they received the technology.
• Travel is an expected practice and an accepted cost in most projects if there is a need for the Grants Coordinators to consult with colleagues and disseminate new knowledge through scholarly discourse (i.e. meetings, conferences, symposia, etc.). There must be a correlation between the project and the purpose of the meeting. Such costs may include transportation and room and board. Travel should take place in accordance with the College’s Travel Policy unless the terms and condition of the grant award provide for different requirements. When the grant employee submits paperwork for a conference, meeting off campus or travel, they must also provide an agenda or meeting minutes as back up and proof.
• Other direct costs may have to be identified such as:
  • Subcontracts with other entities which provide a substantial programmatic contribution to the project require specific approval of the sponsor. Thus, the proposal must include documentation (i.e., a work statement budget and institutional endorsement) by the subcontractor of the services to be performed and their cost.
  • Rental of space that is necessary in order to carry out the project.
  • Communication costs such as paid marketing campaigns, long distance telephone costs and postage charges where large volumes of mailing are required.
  • Stipends for participants in special training programs, when specifically allowable by the funding agency.
    Wrap-around supports for students.

Indirect Costs – overhead and administrative costs which cannot be identified specifically with a particular program, project, or activity. They are costs that are incurred for several purposes which are necessary to the operation of the College for example, library resources, building maintenance, and general administration. A negotiated indirect cost approved by a cognizant Federal agency is used for all Federally-funded projects, as allowed.

Matching Costs – a cash amount and/or in-kind contribution (the estimated or actual dollar value of volunteered services such as donated personnel time, free use of equipment, etc.) that a funder may require. The term is often used interchangeably with cost-sharing. Typical match requirements fall around 30% match, meaning that you must document and show cash and/or in-kind contributions that equal the value of required percentage of match of the grant funds you’re requesting.

D. Other Documentation
Additional documents may be required as part of the grant submission, including financial statements. The Grants Office will oversee the submission of all required materials.

If the proposed project includes external partnerships, you may be required to submit a Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding (MOA/MOU) or a Letter of Commitment/Support (LOC/LOS). These formal documents provide official recognition of partnerships that will be important to the success of the proposed program. A newly developed MOA/MOU should be approved by the GCC Comptroller or the VP of Administration and Finance, and in some cases requires legal review, before being sent to partners for signature.

For certain equipment purchases, it may be necessary to obtain a quote or contract from a vendor detailing the cost to include in the grant proposal. This process should be coordinated with the Purchasing Office to ensure it is in compliance with vendor policies and procedures. Even if a quote or contract is not required for the proposal, it is recommended that any planned large equipment purchases are reviewed by the Facilities and Purchasing offices before the grant is submitted. In some cases, if a new vendor needs to be established, this process may begin before the grant is awarded so that if the project does move forward, the purchasing can happen within the required timeframe.

Proposal Submission

All proposal submissions by College faculty or staff must be submitted to the Grants Office for review prior to submission to the funder. All submissions must be submitted through the Grants Office.

Many funders, including Federal agencies, require proposals to be electronically prepared and submitted. With guidance from the Grants Office, Grant coordinators should review the individual funder’s guidelines for information about the required method of submission. The funding agency’s guidelines will also include information about the necessary file format for documents submitted with the proposal. This process is coordinated by the Grants Office.

Paper Submission: While very rare, some funders may still require paper copies. In this case, when all approvals are in hand, the President, or other designated College signatory, only is authorized to sign the proposal on behalf of the College. The Grants Office will prepare and attach a transmittal letter to each proposal. This standard letter refers the agency to the Grants Coordinator for technical matters and to the Grants Office for administrative or contractual matters. Some funding agencies require a specific number of copies of the formal proposal to be submitted along with one or more signed copies. The appropriate number of copies can be found in the sponsor's guidelines.

Electronic Submission: Funding agencies that offer or mandate electronic proposal submission may use Grants.gov or their own individual systems. Therefore, specifics of submission protocols will vary. The Grants Office is responsible for electronically submitting the proposal to the sponsoring agency. The Grants Coordinator will receive an electronic confirmation of the submission.

Deadlines: Many funding agencies have specific deadlines for proposal submission. This information is available directly from the agency. Note that all requests for proposals (RFP) have strict deadlines that cannot be modified; this information is always in the RFP application package obtainable from the funding agency.

Acceptance of an Award

An award to the College from a funding agency is a document which legally obligates the College. An award may be made simply in the form of a letter issued by an authorized agent of the funder or it may consist of a lengthy contractual document. In some cases, acceptance by the College (and then by the agency) is required before the award is in force, while in other cases no formal acceptance is required.

The President, VP of Administration and Finance, and the Comptroller, acting as Authorized Signatories, are authorized to accept and execute awards on behalf of the College at the recommendation of the Grants Office. The Grants Office will consult with the Grants Coordinator if an award differs from the submitted proposal so that the award may be accepted, modified, or rejected. When an award differs from the grant proposal that has been approved by the President’s Cabinet, the Grants Coordinator must submit the revised award offer to the President’s Cabinet for approval with the modifications. No charges may be incurred against a grant-funded project until such time as the Comptroller has received and processed an original award notification from the sponsor, and an account number has been issued by the Grants Accountant to the Grants Coordinator.

In some cases, an award may be issued by the funding agency after a series of negotiations, which may involve revisions to the scope of the project and/or to the proposed budget. The Grants Office is the authorized agent for conducting and approving such revisions, but no changes to a project or a budget are authorized without the express consent of the Grants Coordinator. Budget changes should also be approved by the Grants Accountant. Faculty researchers are reminded that the acceptance of a revised scope of work or budget is a judgment that only they can make; it is not a judgment or condition that may be unilaterally imposed by the sponsoring agency. If the agency requires the submission of a revised work plan or budget, this must be prepared by the Grants Coordinator and submitted to the appropriate Dean or supervisor and Vice President, then to the Grants Office for President’s Cabinet approval and for forwarding to the agency.

Upon receipt of an official award, the Grants Coordinator will receive an award notification informing them of pertinent award information and of the account number established for this project.

Project Administration

Upon acceptance of a grant, the Grants Office assumes responsibility for the technical conduct and compliance of the project to assure that award conditions are met and to make certain that the program stays within its budget. The Grant Coordinator, with guidance from their supervisor, is primarily responsible for the management of activities and purchases on the grant. The Grant Coordinator is expected to exercise responsible judgment in the administration of the grant, particularly with regard to the terms of the agreement and College policies. In particular, financial liabilities which result from failure to comply with or to provide adequate oversight for the grant become the responsibility of the College.

Glossary

Allowable cost: A cost for which an institution or agency may be reimbursed under a grant or contract with a governmental agency.
Amendment: Modification of existing contract, subcontract, budget, etc.
Audit: Review of financial transactions and related documentation and accounting procedures and systems by external or internal auditors.
Award: Funds provided by an external funding source for support of a project. This term applies to both the original award and supplements.
Award letter: Written notification from the funding agency indicating that a project has been supported, its start and end dates, and the amount of the award.
Budget: The spending plan for a proposal or award submitted to and/or approved by the funding agency. Once awarded, the approved budget becomes the spending plan for the project.
Budget amendment or modification: Administrative changes made to the project budget. Amendments are required to be done in advance, require the grant accountant's approval, and frequently require the funding agency's approval.
Budget category: A portion of the budget designated for certain types of expenditures such as salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, materials and supplies, participant support, subgrants or subcontracts, printing costs, indirect costs, etc.
Budget cycle: The annual fiscal year (for example, July 1 through June 30) which is important because it indicates when funding sources will make their grants.
Capital equipment: An article of property that is not permanently attached to buildings or grounds and that has an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more (including sales and/or use tax, freight, and installation) and a life expectancy of one year or more.
Carry forward or carryover: An unobligated balance from a prior award period that the funding agency approves to be added to a subsequent award budget.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): Contains information about Federal grant and loan programs available from Federal agencies to assist the American people in furthering their social and economic progress. Each program is assigned a CFDA number. This is used in the audit for grant identification purposes, so it must be accurate.
Certifications: Awardees are required to provide signed assurance of compliance with certain grant requirements. Federal grants, for example, require certifications related to conflict of interest, debarment and suspension, delinquent Federal debt, drug-free workplace, lobbying, and misconduct in science.
Cohort: A population of students that participate together in a program. Usually programs with cohorts involve tracking and reporting of individual member progress.
Collaboration: Partnership in which key personnel from different institutions have substantial involvement in the development and performance of the project and the funding agency makes only one award. The lead institution issues subcontracts or subgrants to the other collaborating institutions.
Co-mingling of funds: Unallowable mixing of funds from more than one source in the same grant budget account.
Conflict of interest: Using a vendor that is a member of your family or a personal friend. Transaction must be "arm's length." College procurement policy and State Ethics Law requirements are required to be complied with at all times.
Consortium: A group of organizations sharing in the finances and/or administration of a single grant to accomplish that which no one can do as effectively as an independent entity as when working together.
Consultant: An individual whose expertise is required for the project. They may be a paid or unpaid contributor.
Continuation/renewal proposal: Additional funding increments for projects beyond the original grant period. See funding source guidelines for submission requirements.
Contract: Agreement to acquire services that benefit the project. Contracts normally contain the following elements: 1) detailed financial and legal requirements must be included with a specific statement of work to be performed; 2) specific set of deliverables and/or reports 3) separate accounting procedures are required; 4) legally binding contract clauses must be included; 5) benefits of the project accrue to the funding source and the College, and to the nation (in the case of Federal grants). Contracts must be executed in accordance with College policy.
Cooperative agreement: An agreement over which the funding agency has control and oversight of the work that is contracted. This type of agreement involves substantial collaboration between the agency and the recipient.
Copyright: A statement of legal control over a document (usually by its author) that requires anyone seeking to reproduce the document to first obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Cost reimbursement: Agreement in which payments are based on actual allowable costs incurred in performance of the work.
Cost share: Portion of project or program costs not borne by the funding source. Acceptable cost sharing contributions are: 1) are not paid by the Federal government directly or indirectly under any other award unless authorized by Federal statute to be used for cost sharing or matching; 2) not included as contributions for any other project or program and are necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of specific project or program objectives; 3) directly identifiable with the sponsored project as outlined in the proposal budget and/or budget justification and thus incorporated in the award notice; 4) verifiable by College records.
Direct costs: Expenses which can be itemized by a particular externally-funded project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity, or that can be assigned to such activities relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy (e.g. salaries, supplies, services, travel, equipment, etc.)
Disallowed costs: Expenditures which are questioned in an audit as unallowable for the project will not be reimbursed by the funding source. This finding may result in repayment of the funding agency if reimbursement for expenditures has already occurred.
Disclosure of substantial interest: Form for reporting conflict of interest that employee or relatives may have in any vote, decision, contract, sale, or purchase. Substantial interest is any financial or ownership interest, direct or indirect, that is not a remote interest.
Dissemination of project results: Strategy to let colleagues and/or organizations know about the results of a grant project. Examples include websites, publications, published articles, conference presentations, workshops, etc.
DUNS number: Identification number required for some proposals, primarily government ones. Each College and the district have a unique DUNS number assigned.
Effort: The amount of time, usually expressed as a percentage of the total, that a faculty member or other employee spends on a grant-funded project. It does not include work done for supplemental pay.
Effort certification: Certification required by Federal regulations for all employees working on Federally-sponsored projects or grants. The percentage of effort reported for the period serves to substantiate the salaries and wages charged to Federal grants.
Expanded authority grant: Policy implemented by some Federal granting agencies, which delegates certain prior approval authority to the grantee institution. This delegation allows for internal College approval of administrative and spending actions, thus avoiding delays in project progress.
External evaluator: A professional who is external to the project and has the background and qualifications to conduct a high quality evaluation based on the project requirements. Most external evaluators are independent of the College and are hired with a Professional Services Contract. However, some programs consider the evaluator to be external if they are noncontiguous to the project. In these situations, the external evaluator could be a College employee or a former employee.
Federal Register: Contains proposed and final guidelines and other administrative regulations of programs as announced by Federal agencies in precise wording of the law.
Fiscal Year (FY): Is designated by the calendar year in which it ends, e.g. FY20 may cover the period July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. The Federal fiscal year is October 1 through September 30.
Formative evaluation: Type of project evaluation that is conducted throughout the implementation of the project activities. Results are used to assess progress, identify potential or actual problems, and formulate and implement corrective action.
Formula grants: Funds distributed by the Federal government (usually to state agencies) for use in specified projects. The funds are awarded on the basis of demographic and economic data from which a formula has been calculated.
Fringe benefits: Benefits such as life and health insurance, retirement, unemployment compensation, and workers' compensation that are paid in addition to salary. Benefit packages change yearly. Fringe benefits rates should be confirmed with Human Resources during budget development and amendment.
Full-time equivalent (FTE): The amount of time spent or required in a less than full time activity divided by the amount of time normally spent or required in a corresponding full time activity during the regular school term. (Also referred to as a regular budgeted position.)
Grantee: Recipient of a grant.
Grantor: Funding source or sponsoring agency that provides funds to carry out projects.
Human subjects research: Research and grant-funded projects involving human participants whose rights must be protected. The protection of human subjects is overseen by the Institutional Review Board.
Indirect costs: Overhead and administrative costs which cannot be identified specifically with a particular program, project, or activity. They are costs that are incurred for several purposes which are necessary to the operation of the College for example, library resources, building maintenance, and general administration. A negotiated indirect cost approved by a cognizant Federal agency is used for all Federally-funded projects, as allowed.
Informed assent: Process of letting potential participants under 18 years of age know about the project as described in informed consent (see below) and obtaining their agreement to participate in the project.
Informed consent: Process of letting potential participants in grant-funded projects and research studies know the project purpose, methodology, risks/benefits, data confidentiality, withdrawal rights, contact information about project leaders, etc. and obtaining their consent. If the participant is less than 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must give consent.
In-kind support: Non-cash contributions of goods, services, and/or people. Often funding agencies will allow a monetary value to be placed on in-kind support so that it may be used to match a cash grant.
Institutional Review Board (IRB): Federally mandated board appointed by the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs to be responsible for the protection of human subjects in research protection by reviewing, making determinations, and certifying exempt and nonexempt grant-funded projects and research studies.
Interdepartmental Service Agreement (ISA): Agreement in which two, or more, governmental entities contract with each other and said contract is within both entities' laws and authority and is approved by both.
Key personnel: Primary leadership in a grant project such as Grants Coordinators (PIs), Co-Grants Coordinators, Project Directors, Instructional Designers, etc.
Letter of Interest (LOI): A letter of introduction to a funding agency for the purpose of proposing an idea for grant support that is not sent in response to an invitation, RFP, open bid or other grant funding announcement. It is also referred to as a letter of inquiry or letter of intent to apply.
Matching funds: Cash or in-kind support to be contributed by the grantee to fulfill objectives of the project. The amount of needed matching funds varies with each grant award. The term is often used interchangeably with cost share. The Business Office needs to be informed of any such requirements during grant budget development so that any such costs can be budgeted for accordingly.
Needs assessment: Continuous and formal process for identifying and quantifying problems or discrepancies between the current situation and the desired one. No cost extension: Request to extend the grant period beyond the previously approved end of the grant for which no additional funds will be granted beyond what were previously approved for the award. The Provost, Human Resources, and Business Office need to be informed of any such extensions.
Official function: Expenses such as food, meetings, retreats, etc. that need justification as to its professional purpose to the funded project or College. Institutional approval is required prior to arranging the function.
Pass through agency: State or local agency that receives Federal funds and conducts its own application and award process.
Period of performance: Duration in which the grant-funded project is to be completed. This period is generally specified in the award letter. Prime grantee or prime contractor: A single agency that has overall responsibility for conducting a grant-funded project, which may involve subcontractors.
Grant Coordinator: The project director of a grant-funded initiative, overseeing its development and implementation from start to finish. They are often the originator of the funded project.
Program officer: The funding agency representative who has the task of monitoring the project, providing technical assistance to the project, approving major changes, and ensuring that the funder's objectives are carried out within the framework of regulations.
Proposal: A well thought-out and organized concept seeking grant support and presented in writing to a potential sponsor. It contains a narrative explanation of the idea, a budget related to the cost of implementing the idea, and background information on those involved in carrying out the proposed concept, i.e. the Grant Coordinator and the institution they represent.
Public Law (PL): Means of classification of laws passed by Congress, e.g. P.L. 88-269 Library Services and Construction Act 1964 is translated as a public law passed by the 88th Congress.
Quasi-scientific research model: Evaluation methodology used by some agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education that requires comparison of program participants with a similar non-participating group.
Reporting requirements: Performance and fiscal requirements determined by the funding agency. The Grants Coordinator is responsible for producing the project's performance report, and the Grants Accounting Manager is responsible for producing and submitting project's financial reports.
Request For Proposals (RFP): An announcement by a funding agency that it is accepting proposals to accomplish a specific objective. The RFP typically contains detailed instructions related to the written proposal.
Revenue sharing: Tax funds appropriated by Congress and distributed to local and state governments in amounts determined by a complex formula.
Specially funded: Projects and personnel funded by external awards. Employees whose positions are funded 50% or more by external funding and who are not regular governing board-approved employees are governed by the Specially Funded Employee handbook.
Subcontractor/subawardee: Person or business that agrees to perform a prescribed amount of work for a prime grantee/contractor or another subcontractor.
Sub-award or sub-grant: Contract between institutions or partners for project participation in the prime grant. The lead institution that received the award initiates the sub grant which is reviewed and signed by legal representatives of both institutions.
Summative evaluation: Final evaluation, including both quantitative and qualitative data, which is completed at the conclusion of the entire grant period. It particularly focuses on whether project goals and objectives were accomplished and project success indicators.
Supplanting: Illegal use of grant funds to pay for ongoing activities previously budgeted or for the usual activities assigned to a position or replacing existent state, local or agency funds with Federal funds.
Title: A major section of a piece of legislation, e.g. Title I Higher Education Act, 1965.
Unsolicited proposals: Funding agencies may allow institutions to propose projects to their agencies without responding to an invitation, RFP, or period of application. Proposals submitted outside of these conditions are considered unsolicited.

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