Navigating the Maze: Challenges Faced by Government Grant Recipients
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Securing a federal grant is a significant achievement for any organization; it can be a lengthy and resource-heavy process to make sure every box is checked, every “i” is dotted, and every deadline is met. However, as many already know, the real work begins once the award has been made. Managing a federal grant post-award presents a unique set of challenges that can be daunting even for experienced grant recipients. Today we explore some of the main obstacles in federal grant management and why so many grantees find value in technical assistance to overcome these challenges.
Common Challenges in the Grant Management Process
Federal grants come with a wide range of compliance requirements that can vary dramatically depending on the grantor and the funded project, and all must be meticulously adhered to. Common requirements can include maintaining proper documentation, ensuring financial accountability, reporting milestones, and soliciting stakeholder feedback.
Managing the financial aspects of a federal grant involves detailed budgeting, tracking expenditures, and skilled financial reporting. Grant recipients must ensure that all spending aligns with the budget that has been approved by the grantor and that all funds are used appropriately. This level of financial scrutiny requires robust accounting systems and financial expertise, which is not always available in-house for grant recipients.
The extensive reporting obligations that come with federal grants can also be a daunting requirement for grantees. Federal grants typically require regular progress reports that accompany the financial reports, and many also require a final report at the conclusion of the funding. These reports must be comprehensive and accurately reflect the project’s status, even if there are complications. This reporting process can be time- and resource-consuming and often requires coordination across various departments or collaborating organizations.
Finally, keeping up with regulatory changes and updates is crucial for compliance. Uniform Grants Guidance and supplemental guidance can change during a funding period, and grant recipients must stay informed to ensure ongoing compliance. The expertise and ability to continually monitor federal regulations and appropriately translate any changes into actionable modifications to project plans is not always in every grantee’s arsenal.
Technical Assistance as a Tool to Overcome Grant Management Challenges
Most federal grant recipients are passionate experts in their respective fields who are highly focused on creating the meaningful change they have committed to making during the course of their funded projects. They are not necessarily also experts in government compliance requirements and financial reporting. Technical assistance for federal grant management helps grantees navigate compliance requirements and reporting obligations so they can stay informed, compliant, and engaged without missing a beat.
For some grantees, the technical assistance they need might just be training to help staff understand federal regulations, reporting requirements, and best practices in grant management. For others, technical assistance may mean setting up a financial management system and learning how to track expenditures, compliance within the approved budget, and timely financial reporting. Technical assistance could also be expert support to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of required reports and the engagement activities needed to maintain positive relationships with stakeholders. Other recipients may benefit from support to develop a sustainability plan to ensure the continuation of their project after the grant period ends.
Whatever the need, finding the right post-award support for your federal grant can ensure access to the expertise, training, and resources needed to ensure compliance, which in turn allows grant recipients to focus on achieving their project goals and maximizing the impact of their federal funding.
SC&A knows that securing government grants can be a challenging process, but managing that grant once it has been awarded can be an even bigger challenge. SC&A’s team is passionate about working with grantees to help provide Uniform Guidance (e.g. 2 CFR part 200) and federal supplemental guidance (e.g. 2 CFR part 1500) to optimize grant outcomes for sustainable and long-term success.
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