Virtual Federal Grants Forum for Tribal Organizations

Although tribal organizations are among the many entities receiving federal grants, they face a specific set of challenges when managing awards under federal requirements, as well as their own tribal self-determination statutes. Many tribes also are reliant on federal funds as they struggle with economic disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, what programs are specifically available for you as a tribal entity to help meet your needs, and how should you develop policies to ensure compliance with multiple sets of regulations and laws?

Tribal organizations differ from other recipients of federal financial assistance as the uniform guidance exempts their audits from being made publicly available by the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. In addition, while revisions to the uniform guidance issued in August 2020 authorized that a nonfederal entity’s federally negotiated indirect rate, distribution base, and rate type be posted on a publicly available federal website or tribal organization are exempted from having their rates posted.

There are numerous other changes under the uniform guidance revisions that you as a tribal government and organization must understand so that you can adjust you priorities and resources. These changes, coupled with the rapid disbursement of funds through several COVID-relieve packages, emphasize the importance that you protect your federal funding now more than ever before in these uncertain times.

Join Thompson Grants for the Federal Grants Forum for Tribal Organizations On-Demand and learn about COVID-related grant programs affecting tribal governments and organizations, the 2020 Compliance Supplement and its subsequent addendum, and how new grants will be affected by the uniform guidance revisions that generally went into effect on November 12, 2020. This is the compliance information you need to confidently manage your grants and protect your funding. 

Session 1: Managing Tribal Grants
Session 2: Successful Subaward Administration
Session 3: The Uniform Guidance and Its Effect on Tribal Organizations
Session 4: Intro to Indirect Cost Recovery
Session 5: Recovery Reporting Woes: How Tribal Governments Can Maintain Compliance
Session 6: Internal Audit Risks Pertaining to Tribal Organizations
Session 7: Procurement Compliance Under the Revised Uniform Guidance
Session 8: How GAO “Yellow Book” Audit Updates Affect Tribal Nations

This event was recorded on October 27 - 28, 2021.

Meet Your Instructors

Raymond Bantum is the President of Bantum Consulting Service LLC. He specializes in providing Accounting and Information Technology consulting services to Native American tribes, Faith Based, Non-Profit, For Profit, Governmental, and Healthcare organizations. He has over 35 years of accounting and technology consulting experience. He is a CPA, and a CITP (Certified Information Technology Professional), and a CMC (Certified Management Consultant). He also has experience in providing consulting, database, and forensic accounting services to the healthcare industry. He has served in the U.S. Air Force and received a Top-Secret Security clearance while in service to his country. He was also an auditor with the accounting firm of Deloitte and performed audits of federal grantees. He is a member of the AICPA American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, MACPA Maryland Association of CPAs, and NABA National Association of Black Accountants. He also has performed financial technical assistance consulting for the following federal agencies, HUD, HHS, and the Dept. of Labor. He also received an FBI security clearance while working with the Dept. of Justice FBI as a computer forensic subcontractor while serving as the External Technology Manager for the Mid Atlantic Office of Clifton Larsen Allen LLC.

Dan Durst is the Leader of the Federal Grants Compliance Practice at Capital Edge Consulting, the leading provider of compliance solutions for Federal award recipients. Dan uses his specialized and extensive knowledge in procurement, cost allocation, audit support, and internal controls to deliver a vast array of solutions to award recipients receiving funds from various Federal awarding agencies. Dan currently serves on the Thompson Grants Editorial Advisory Board, providing technical guidance and expert content on topics related to compliance with Uniform Guidance. He is also frequently featured as a speaker on Federal grants compliance issues for industry-recognized training organizations. Prior to joining Capital Edge, Dan was an audit supervisor and lead consultant for a member firm of the AICPA’s Government Audit Quality Center and has supervised and performed several Single Audits under both OMB A-133 and the new Uniform Guidance, Subpart F. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a minor in Information Technology and a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from George Mason University.

Sean McCabe, CPA, is the Founder and Managing Member for McCabe CPA Group, LLC, a 100% Navajo owned CPA firm based in Albuquerque, NM. He has enjoyed over twenty-four years of working with and for Tribes in management, regulatory and consulting roles, assisting in achieving their financial and operational goals. Sean has also been selected to committees by the Native American Grant Schools Association (NAGSA), Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED), National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) and the AICPA to speak and advocate on relevant issues affecting Native America. He is also the only Native American to ever serve on the AICPA Minority Initiative Committee, which was a nation-wide committee providing outreach, education and resources to minority CPA candidates across the country.


Adam Roth, is the Founder and President of AmpliFund, the leading enterprise grant management software platform. Adam is one of nine grant reporting executives to sit on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) DATA Act pilot program board. Adam works closely with industry and government officials to facilitate the development of improved regulatory guidelines for managing grant funding using standardized data structures, speaking frequently on the topic to audiences around the country. As a result of his work, he was honored with the NGMA Impact Award/Private Sector for exceptional contributions to advancing the field of grant management.


Benjamin Sedelmeier has over five years of experience in supporting government contractors and Federal award recipients to address various accounting and compliance issues related to Federal government contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. Ben’s expertise includes but is not limited to Cost Proposal Support, Financial Modeling, Contract Administration, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal awards to nonFederal entities (Uniform Guidance). Ben is well experienced in working with both government contractors and Federal award recipients of varying size and industry focus. Ben has complied numerous hours supporting clients with the development of indirect rate structures and forensic investigative analyses. Ben has assisted clients with Business Systems Compliance, Policy and Procedure Development, Indirect Cost Rate Proposal Development, Indirect Rate Structure Assessment, Subrecipient Monitoring Support, Audit Support, and Risk Assessment, Audit Findings Remediation, Procurement System Compliance, Internal Controls Assessment, and other regulatory compliance matters.

Anita Shah, has practiced public accounting since 2007. She specializes in navigating Tribal governments through grant requirements and streamlining financial processes by performing annual single audits for tribal governments. Having served various Tribal governments and their enterprises, Anita provides valuable insight and best-practice recommendations about internal controls, policies and procedures, and overall operational improvements to help Tribes better serve their citizens. Additionally, Anita has technical expertise in the laws and regulations of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), Government Auditing Standards, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance (Single Audit).