Receiving a grant award notification likely seems like a hard-fought victory, worthy of celebration.
Yes, celebrate! Then, get ready to face the key challenges of managing that grant.
Reporting requirements are only one landmine that can trip up a grant recipient. Experts in breaking down a beef carcass may get flummoxed when trying to distinguish between an SF 424 and an SF 270, much less filling out those forms. Then, there’s the challenge of learning the online Payment Management System.
That's only the start. An expense incurred too early or without prior approval may trigger unwelcome correspondence with USDA. Let's not even talk about selling the faulty piece of equipment acquired with grant funds.
As your project unfolds, managing your grant may seem more challenging than the application process. It doesn't have to be that way.
Every USDA grant award comes with a designated grant officer. That's a bit of a misleading term. “Officer" conveys an image of someone ready to write out citations for nonperformance, perhaps equipped with a pair of handcuffs for serious offenders.
Instead, think of your grant officer as an instructor. They want your project to succeed and are ready to help you with unanticipated challenges or changing economic conditions. Establishing early and ongoing communication with your grant officer will help you navigate challenges throughout your project's life.
The internet offers some useful resources as well. Although Grantsolutions.gov is operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), it provides grant recipients across federal agencies with several links to help answer questions. And, AI can be used to help manage grant reports and forms.
Flower Hill Institute developed an FAQ document that provides answers to many of the issues that grant recipients often wrestle with. That document accompanies an archived recording of a recent online roundtable conducted by Flower Hill with Mark Abbott of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and Kim Swain of the consulting firm Forvis Mazars.
These tools can help prevent the emotional headaches—and financial penalties—that can hinder the successful implantation of the grant you worked so hard to secure.
