Session 1: Successful Subaward Administration
Uniform Guidance has introduced significant responsibilities for pass-through entities and audit findings have shown that many are still struggling to keep up. The pass-through entity and subrecipient relationship can create additional complexities that strain your organization’s ability to manage your federal programs effectively and compliantly. If your organization issues subawards it is crucial to proactively evaluate your lower-tier subrecipients to prevent your exposure to potential non-compliance. In this session, we will cover pass-through entity responsibilities, risk assessments, monitoring best practices, and common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Session 2: Indirect Cost Recovery: Maximize Cost Recovery on Federal Grants –
The Uniform Guidance introduced sweeping changes to administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for Federal awards to non-Federal entities. These changes brought new responsibilities and opportunities to non-Federal entities. Unfortunately, most publicly available guidance focuses primarily on helping non-Federal entities cope with the added responsibilities, leaving little consideration to the new opportunities that are now available. The most overlooked of these opportunities is the ability, but more importantly the right, to Indirect Cost Recovery. We live in a time where Federal budgets are shrinking and indirect rates are under increased scrutiny by awarding agencies. It has never been more important for organizations to ensure they are efficiently recovering their fair share of indirect costs on Federal awards. If “Set-It-And-Forget-It” is your organization’s current strategy for indirect cost recovery this session is for you!
Session 3: Time and Effort Reporting: Compliance for Your Largest Expense Category –
Like all aspects of the Uniform Guidance, OMB attempted to ease the administrative burden and place greater emphasis on sound internal controls concerning time and effort reporting. The new rules take a drastic turn away from rigid requirements for six-month certifications and monthly personnel activity reports. This leaves considerable ambiguity about exactly how Federal award recipients and subrecipients should document their personnel costs. What is the best way to handle accuracy and documentation so that your time records don’t result in disallowed costs? This session helps you understand the cost principle behind time and effort reporting, generating quality supporting documentation, and what’s expected under Uniform Guidance. You’ll get expert guidance on how to respond to the new flexibility—and ambiguity—with high-performance procedures that help keep personnel costs from being questioned and disallowed. You’ll learn about what audit procedures you are likely to face and how organizations that have received findings could have avoided trouble.
Session 4: Managing Fraud Risk through Internal Control
There are an abundance of stories on frauds that have been committed using CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act monies. Those fraud risks can be managed and mitigated through establishing strong internal controls. We will discuss that how to establish a good internal control framework, the types of frauds that occur in federal grant programs, and how to mitigate those fraud risks to establish a strong culture of compliance.
Session 5: Property Management: A Growing Risk Area for Grantees-
Single Audit findings have shown a steady increase in noncompliance related to the property management standards contained in the Uniform Guidance. These often-overlooked requirements contain prescriptive requirements, that when not followed can carry significant consequences for recipient organizations. If your organization has Federally funded equipment or supplies, this session is a can’t miss learning opportunity for you.
Session 6: Surviving an Audit
Audits are a required part of your federal grant programs. While you may have experienced audits in the past, the audit requirements under CARES Act and ARPA have increased. Hear straight from a veteran auditor practical advice for surviving your federal grant audit. We will discuss sample sizes, finding development, and even hear about a couple of auditor pet peeves. This session will help you manage your auditor better.
Session 7: CARES Act and ARPA Lessons Learned
We’re now four years from the CARES Act spending and two years from the ARPA spending beginning. These grants have fundamentally reshaped how grants are administered and reported. We will explore the impact of these grant programs on the basics of pre-award activities, during the award activities, and post-award reporting and closeout. You will get practical advice to consider revising existing policies and procedures to make your administration more effective and efficient.
Session 8: Ask The Trainers – A Panel Session