HEALTH RESOURCES & SERVICES ADMINISTRATIONOFFICE OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE MANAGEMENT
DIVISION OF GRANTS MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS (DGMO)
Presented by the:
HEALTH PROFESSIONS BRANCH (HPB)
Bruce A. Holmes, Ph.D. & Ms. Shelia BurksSenior Grants Management Specialists
301-443-0752 / [email protected]/18/23 1
AGENDAAGENDA
• Grants Management Specialist Role
• Expectation of Reviewers
• Reviewer Resources
• Budget Evaluation & Tips
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Grants Management Grants Management Specialist RoleSpecialist Role
• Advisory in Nature.• Provides Grants Policy and Budgetary
Guidance:
• As Necessary / When Requested
• When Proposed Actions are in Conflict with HRSA Policies and Procedures
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EXPECTATION OF EXPECTATION OF REVIEWERSREVIEWERS
• Review the Entire Application – includes the Budget matter and completeness of Forms / Compliance ot the FOA’s specific budget traits.
• Trust Your Own Experience and Judgment in Regard to Direct Costs, Labor Categories, Hours proposed and other programmatic details when evaluating the budget
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EXPECTATION OF EXPECTATION OF REVIEWERSREVIEWERS
• YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED to determine if costs are “allowable.” (See SF424 Application Guide pages 32 -34 / Applicant Compliance at a Glance Authorities Page 9 – 10).
• Make a note in the Summary Statement
• If it’s not in the application, it’s not there…..
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REVIEWER REVIEWER RESOURCESRESOURCES• DIR REVIEWER’S GUIDE (DRG):
o GUIDELINES FOR WRITING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES (See DRG Attachment)
o BUDGET TIPS (See DRG Attachment)
• The FOA / SF 424 Application Guide /HRSA Staff (DIR, PO, DGMO)
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BUDGET TIPSBUDGET TIPS
• Are the line items logically linked to activities outlined in the project narrative.
Are they:o NECESSARY (Needed?)o REASONABLE (Use Your Judgment) ***o ALLOCABLE (Assigned to specific objective)o JUSTIFIED IN THE BUDGET NARRATIVE
o MAXIMUM AWARD: Main Budget $750,000 (includes direct and indirect costs)
o ADDITIONAL AWARD: ADRD Education $100,000 (includes direct and indirect costs
o Combined for a TOTAL MAIN + ADRD = $850,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect cots
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BUDGET TIPSBUDGET TIPSUse Criterion 5: Support Requested (10 POINTS) (FOA page 25) Non-responsive: reduce the points.
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EXPECTATIONSEXPECTATIONS
• Allowable/Unallowable Costs (Make a note in the Summary Statement) (See SF424 Application Guide pages 32 -34 / Applicant Compliance at a Glance Authorities Page 9 – 10).
• If it’s not in the application, it’s not there…..
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BUDGET TIPSBUDGET TIPS
• The law limits the MAXIMUM SALARY: $183,300: This also applies to subaward(s) / subcontracts under a HRSA grant or cooperative .
• INDIRECT COSTS = (Division of Cost Allocation property) OFF LIMITS
• FIXED @ 8% with exceptions as outlined in the FOA Guidelines. (Do Not try to calculate indirect costs)
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BUDGET SUMMARYBUDGET SUMMARY
BE AS CONCRETE & DEFINITIVE
AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR REMARKS
o “This budget is too high.” This TOO VAGUE.
o Expressions of vague discomfort that stop short of quantitative recommendations are not enough
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BUDGET TIPSBUDGET TIPS
• Budget Reductionso Approved, As Requested; Reduced to A bottom line amount
• Ideally: Reduce by over $ amount or by % .o “Data Analyst is more appropriate at 50% time on this project than 100%
time.”
• NOTE: Do not allow for travel to HRSA BHPr meeting (It’s not scheduled as in the past).
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BUDGET TIPSBUDGET TIPSConditions / RecommendationsConditions / Recommendations
• Recommendation(s):
o A general suggestion or suggested improvement(s) to the applicant/project.
o e.g. “The grantee may want to hire a “XXX” to supplement the Personnel component of this project.”
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Conditions of AwardConditions of Award
• Condition(s): A restriction placed on the Notice of Grant Award requiring a specific action from the grantee.
o Not a Means of amending or clarifying substantive matters improperly or inadequately addressed in the application
o It is time sensitive (usually 30 – 90 days)
e.g. “Within 30 days, the grantee must submit a revised budget.”
It’s not a re-write but a request for clarification: otherwise make a note to HRSA
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WRAP UPWRAP UP
• LASTLY… THE GRANTS MANAGEMENT STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING FINAL DERTERMINATIONS ON BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONDITIONS.
• DGMO WILL CONDUCT A COMPLETE BUDGET ANALYSIS OF THE APPROVED APPLICATION BUDGETS IAW THIS FOA’S GRANT AUTHORITIES & CONSIDER THE ORC AND HRSA PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION(S).
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