Grant Procedures

Do you have a program that you would like funded or want to find a funder who likes your program? Prairie State College is very supportive of grant seeking activity. So much so, that there are staff members who are here to walk you through the process - while you write, and after you are awarded.  

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Applying for a Grant

1. If you have an idea, but not a funder, contact the Manager of Grant Services (MGS), who can help you identify possibilities (extension 3548).
2. If you have found a funder, contact the MGS, who will walk you through the process and provide assistance in completing the application. The grant department has access to data and documents that may be required for your proposal.
3. You will be given a form to complete, which will be presented to Cabinet.
4. The main contact for the grant should be the college President. If your grant requires a signature, send it to the MGS, who will obtain it from the President’s Office.
5. Submit your completed grant application to the MGS at least four days before the deadline, so that it can be reviewed and submitted to the funder.

To ensure your grant will be considered for review

• Use current and relevant data that demonstrates the need for your project.
• Your project narrative must respond to the information required and requested. Do not deviate from what the funder is requesting. Use language the funder uses to signify that you understand their needs.
• Follow the funder’s layout requirements (double spaced, font, table of content, etc.).
• Adhere to the funders allotted number of pages.
• If you are budgeting for full-time personnel, you need to include salary, PLUS the cost of benefits, such as health insurance premiums and SURS. Human Resources can assist with this.
• Have someone with subject knowledge proofread your project proposal.
• Your program design should address all issues you raised in the needs statement.
• Outcomes/goals and objectives must be measurable and obtainable. How will you track and identify your success?

Accepting the Award:

• The notification of grant award (or the opposite) will be sent to the President’s Office, who will notify the MGS, who will then notify you.
• Meet with the MGS and the Grant Accountant (GA) to review the grant agreement and discuss reporting responsibilities.
• If your grant requires a project manager (PM), hire that person ASAP (see “Hiring Employees” tab), who also needs to meet with the MGS and GA before administering any expenses.

GRANT MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING
Setting up the Budget      

• The GA will create an allocated budget based on the parameters of the grant. From this, general ledger budget codes (gl codes) will be assigned.
• Budget Transfer Form is used for a new budget set-up.
• The grant allocations and final project costs cannot deviate from the budget or the project as it was proposed. Funder permission might be required for certain budget reallocations or modifications based on the grant agreement requirements. Contact the funder for approval when necessary. Submit the proof of approval to the MGS and GA. Email approvals are accepted, however some funders may have a designated form. Once the funder approves changes, the PM needs to complete internal documents (budget transfer/correction or general ledger transfer/correction forms) that will align the college’s records.
• When budget modifications are necessary, please use the Budget Transfer Form. The form must be signed by the Program Director or Coordinator and the Vice President of the respective area. The GA reviews and initials the form, and it is then forwarded to the Budget Analyst for processing.
• The person responsible for the grant project also is responsible for careful administering and monitoring of the grant’s total allocated budget.
• Prohibited expenditures for government grants include entertainment, alcohol, food and social activities not related to the project.
• Indirect costs are to cover expenses incurred by the institution. These costs include general administration, space used for grant activity, building maintenance, etc. These expenses cannot be used for the specific grant activity and are allocated by the GA, in accordance with the grant agreement guidelines, negotiated by the college rate (if applicable), and based on the developed by the college procedures for their allocation.

Hiring Project Personnel

• Hiring Manager completes the Position Request Form (available only through the HR Office), develops a job description/job posting, and submits it to the Assistant Director, Human Resources
• Assistant Director, Human Resources submits Position Request to Cabinet for approval via the weekly Staffing Report
• Upon approval of the Position Request, the Assistant Director, Human Resources will post the position
• Assistant Director, Human Resources will post position internally for 5 working days
• Hiring Manager selects a search committee
• Assistant Director, Human Resources will send the Guest User link to the search committee to access applications and schedules the selected candidates for 1^st round of interviews
• Search committee interviews internal applicants
• If an internal candidate is not selected, Assistant Director, Human Resources will post the position externally
• Search Committee conducts 1^st round interviews and recommends at least 3 candidates for a 2^nd interview with Hiring Manager
• Hiring Manager or Assistant Director, Human Resources contacts and schedules the candidates for the 2^nd round of interviews (depends on hiring manager)
• Hiring Manager contacts Professional References and selects a candidate
• Hiring Manager notifies Assistant Director, Human Resources of hiring decision
• HR will complete background check
• Upon approval offer is extended by Human Resources
• All grant funded employees are hired subject to continued funding through the grant; no employment is guaranteed beyond the end of the grant
• HR will determine the candidate’s start date
• The Assistant Director, Human Resources will notify all candidates who interviewed but where not selected once a final offer is approved and accepted

Programmatic Reporting

• Programmatic reporting to the grant funding agency is responsibility of the Grant Director/Coordinator or PM. A copy of the submitted to the funder report must be forwarded to the GA.
• Adhere to reporting dates and plan to submit reports before the deadline. The GA will work with you on this. The GA handles the fiscal activity and audit aspects for the grant.
• The Grant Coordinator or PM also needs to be sure documents and databases are maintained to measure and meet the grant’s proposed outcomes.
• The PM will receive each month an expenditure report that outlines expenditure activity to-date and outstanding encumbrances. This report is helpful to make sure the expenditures align with the allocated budget. The PM should review the expenditure reports line by line to make sure the activity on the report coincides with their records. The PM and the GA will work together to resolve any discrepancies. If there are no discrepancies, the report needs to be signed and returned to the GA.
  

Fiscal Reporting and Recording

• The PM will receive each month an expenditure report that outlines expenditure activity to-date and outstanding encumbrances. This report is helpful to make sure the expenditures align with the allocated budget. The PM should review the expenditure reports line by line to make sure the activity on the report coincides with their records. The PM and the GA will work together to resolve any discrepancies. If there are no discrepancies, the report needs to be signed and returned to the GA.
• All purchases should be made following PSC guidelines. See the GA or MGS to review them. The GA will double check that purchased items are coded to the appropriate GL budget code.
• All Journal Entries, Budget Transfer, or Check Requests with the Travel Reimbursement Forms for the grants (with the appropriate signatures on them) should first go to GA for review and approval before processing. GA can assist in filling out the above mentioned forms and consult on allowability of the expenditure.
• Controller/Director of Business Services and GA serve as a liaison between the external auditors and PM or Coordinator.

Effort Documentation

• If the grant is a federal grant, all employees paid under the grant must provide Time and Effort reports and submit them to the GA when it’s time to submit reports to the grantor.
• Time and Effort reports must be reconciled with the actual payroll account for the employee reflected on the form (please work with GA on its reconciliation).