Once a grant notice is received, you
will be responsible for administering the grant. The following is
a suggested procedure for administering your grants:
1. Establish an account in the
Business Office. The Assistant Vice President for Administration
and Finance will set up an account. Provide a copy of the grant
to that office so that object codes can be established for the
grant. The Internal Auditor and the Director of the Business Office
will have roles in maintaining the grant. Your grant will be on-line
so that you can check the budget as needed. All purchasing and
travel must follow state regulations. If you have questions, check
with the Business Office for purchasing and travel procedures.
Advise the Director of Personnel and/or Student Labor Coordinator
in the Office of Student Financial Assistance if personnel and/or
student employment is funded or is to be provided by the university.
2. Monitor your grant. The
Principal Investigator/Project Director is responsible for maintaining
conformance with the grant; ensuring that federal, state, and
university regulations are followed; and that the budget is not
overspent. Your department is responsible for cost over-expenditures.
Among the areas to monitor are budget,
matching funds, project schedule, activities of personnel charged
to the grant, property or equipment records, inventory of equipment
and security for equipment, and bidding.
You are responsible for monitoring
all documents and approved budget revision, preparing of submitting
vouchers, obtaining agency approval for budget changes, submitting
progress reports on time, coordinating site visits if there is
one, and preparing a continuation proposal if required. In addition,
you will prepare any budget revision, know all appropriate regulations,
and either prepare or coordinate the evaluation. NOTE:
Keep all records.
3. Personnel activity is to be
tracked and recorded. The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Circular A-21 requires that the institution maintain documentation
of salaries, wages, and fringe benefits charged to federal grants.
Ensure that salaries paid are in accordance with existing salaries
and are documented.
4. Always document all approval
changes to the grant. Changes in the budget, changes in staff
and personnel, and changes in agency officer must be documented.
Keep the original of all approved changes and send copies to the
Budget Office and the Internal Auditor. Lack of documentation
is usually what creates the greatest problem during an audit.
5. The funding agency will require
a close-out or a final report. Periodic reports may also be
required. Most federal agencies require that the final report
be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project. A copy
of your final report should be sent to the Business Office as
well as to the agency. The Business Office copy will be used for
audit purposes. It is important that the final report be submitted
on time, or the agency may not pay the final payment(s) to the
university. A late report may also jeopardize the future grants
for the Principal Investigator or the Project Director from the
agency.
The agency may require that a final
report follow a specific outline or the report may be screened.
Follow the guidelines --- always place the name of the grant,
your name and address, and the grant number on the final report.
Finally, contact the Business Office
and the Internal Auditor to insure that finances are in order.
Check for discrepancies.
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