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Dear Colleagues,
We began this electronic newsletter in 2008 as a way to keep in touch with clients and colleagues in the grants world. Time and technology march on, with new and more varied ways to connect. Enter Facebook and Twitter. Join the new GrantProse Facebook page and receive rapid-response Grant Alerts, event invitations, and more. Also, the GrantProse Twitter feed is up and running, so follow us on Twitter. Join our efforts to disseminate relevant information for the world of grants whether through Facebook, Twitter, or both. In the future, you may even find us on YouTube!This newsletter will continue to keep you informed about new funding possibilities and training opportunities. We also hope you will mark our website as a favorite on your computer, and return often to learn what's new.As always, thank you for your appreciation of our work.
Bill Carruthers
GrantProse, Inc.
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 | Have You Ever Wondered . . . ? |
What Are OMB Circulars?
The Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest component of the Executive Office of the President, serving as the implementation and enforcement arm of Presidential policy government wide. OMB publishes a variety of instructional "circulars" for federal agencies. Some of these circulars have particular relevance to administrators of grant programs:
For States, local governments (including public school systems) and Indian tribes:
OMB Circular A-87 describes cost principles
OMB Circular A-102 describes administrative requirements
OMB Circular A-133 describes audit requirements
For educational institutions (including colleges and universities):
OMB A-21 describes cost principles
OMB A-110 describes administrative requirements
OMB A-133 describes audit requirements
For nonprofit organizations:
OMB A-122 describes cost principles
OMB A-110 describes administrative requirements
OMB A-133 describes audit requirements
What is the Federal definition of equipment? How must time and effort be monitored for individuals paid salaries with Federal funds? What is an indirect cost rate? For answers to these and many other issues, consult your circulars. For example, Circulars A-87, A-21 and A-122 establish general principles for determining allowable costs, describe a variety of selected cost items and discuss central service cost allocation plans.
If you are administering a Federal grant program, it is prudent for you to retrieve the three circulars that apply to your agency. While much is vague and/or subject to varied interpretation in these Circulars, this does not excuse you from becoming familiar with them. To retrieve the Circulars, visit OMB's website.
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| Program Research and Evaluation
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Evaluation--A Reason for Being
By Bethany A. Howell, PhD, Compass Evaluation and Research
Program managers may sometimes see evaluations as their cross to bear, a condition for obtaining grant funding. But aside from being forced to conduct a program evaluation to meet grant requirements, why do it?
Because a high-quality evaluation can provide valuable information. Just because your program is well implemented, you can't assume that it has positively impacted the attitudes, knowledge or behaviors of the participants. While anecdotal evidence may provide some indication (e.g., participants letting you know how much they learned through the program), it may not convince a funder to support your program. Even if you see changes in participants, you can't identify which program components contributed to those changes without collecting information about the implementation.
A high-quality evaluation can help you identify the weaknesses and strengths in your program, and understand their underlying reasons, so you can make informed decisions about program improvements. It can also provide convincing evidence about the effectiveness and impact of your program, which can be used to help secure funding. In other words, evaluation is important because:
- What gets measured gets done.
- If you don't measure results, you can't tell success from failure.
- If you can't recognize failure, you can't correct it.
- If you can't see success, you can't reward it.
- If you can't see success, you can't learn from it.
Compass Evaluation & Research, Inc., is a woman-owned and -operated firm offering an array of program evaluation and research services. Compass may be reached at 919-544-9004 or info@compasseval.com.
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| Grant Opportunities
| Deadline: 12/03/10
Program: Applicant-driven grants
Agency: NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Description: Funding for innovative projects designed to assist rural communities, stimulate economic development and increase farm income.
Award Amount: Unspecified
Website: Tobacco Trust Fund
Eligibility: NonprofitsDeadline: 12/03/10Program: Youthbuild GrantsAgency: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Description: Grants to provide disadvantaged youth with education, employment skills, postsecondary education, training opportunities, opportunities for meaningful work and service, and opportunities to develop employment and leadership skills and a commitment to community development. Award Amount: $700,000 - $1 millionWebsite: DOLEligibility: Nonprofits (public and private)Looking for something specific? Email us a description (25 words or less) about the grant funding you are seeking, and we'll keep an eye out for suitable grants as we build our Grant Alerts. We post new Alerts twice a month. To view the latest listings, and many more opportunities, visit our Grant Alerts webpage. |
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