A New Normal: Recommendations for Grants Management
Meredith Morrison, Corner Alliance Consultant
Washington D.C.
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In the last three months, you have likely read, wrote, heard, or referred to . . .
- Unprecedented circumstances
- Trying times
- Moments of uncertainty
- A new normal
COVID-19 clichés became the new normal (or broken record) pervading many Zoom conversations and email openers. Pandemic lingo only captures a small snapshot of recent unprecedented changes. In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, a $2.3 trillion stimulus package and the nation’s largest relief bill. Through CARES, the government can provide up to $230 billion total in grants and other forms of financial assistance. Federal grant makers now face their usual challenges (identifying impact measurements, reviewing applications, efficiently deploying tax-payer dollars, etc.) in the wake of a global crisis.
From small talk to public policy, our “normal” is changing. Therefore, this marks a pivotal moment for federal grant makers to improve grants management. The following recommendations will help agencies efficiently manage grants during routine and unprecedented circumstances:
1. Adopt a centralized, government-wide grants management platform.
Grants.gov serves as the central hub for those seeking federal funding; however, the platform applies only to the pre-award phase of the grants process. For post-award procedures, agencies employ a lengthy list of different systems and tools depending on the program.1 Learning, using, and even duplicating data in these platforms can prove burdensome for awardees—especially those who receive numerous federal grants. A centralized, government-wide grants management platform could alleviate administrative stress for awardees. Similar to Grants.gov, awardees would submit consolidated sets of forms and documents to federal grant makers through one website. Not only would this save awardees time (and likely several calls to their respective IT departments), the platform would increase transparency and data sharing between agencies.
2. Establish a comprehensive risk assessment database.
Each year the federal government rigorously reviews applications then awards a sizable number of grants. In Fiscal Year 2020 alone, 81,844 grants have been awarded, totaling $437,300,600,1192. A single, comprehensive database would help streamline grants makers’ risk analysis of the numerous potential awardees—specifically recipients of various forms of federal financial assistance. The Past Performance Information Retrieval System and the Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System currently help grants makers track spending and evaluate past performance of contract awards. While useful, the sites lack overall risk assessment profiles that could influence quick and informed decision making. A risk assessment database would also allow agencies to identify their most impactful awardees then evaluate factors contributing to success.
3. Apply Corner Alliance’s guiding principles for grants management.
From managing awards online to reviewing thousands of applications, many factors contribute to the awardee’s and grant maker’s experience. Federal agencies do not need to tackle these hefty grants management responsibilities alone. Corner Alliance helps federal agencies distribute emergency funds quickly—with the right process, systems, people, and priorities. We apply our proven, customizable processes, as well as our trusted administration, management, and reporting capabilities to achieve maximum impact toward relief efforts, including those presented in the CARES Act.
Grants management is not our new normal; Corner Alliance has administered $2 billion+ across 2,000 awardees with an ‘audit-proof’ approach. Our extensive experience and the following principles help guide our clients through successful grants management, regardless of unprecedented circumstances:
- Accurate understanding of recipient’s current state
- Clear objectives and a way to measure impact
- Detailed processes, procedures, and requirements for funding packages
- Rigorous day-to-day management and oversight
1 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, TAGGS, https://taggs.hhs.gov/SearchAdv/AdvSearchResults
2 Congressional Research Service, Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues (2019), page 1 at https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R40638
Meredith Morrison, Consultant to USDA, passionately pursues her mission to empower people and communities. The Missouri-native and Arkansas-transplant worked in equity-focused philanthropy and politics before joining Corner Alliance.
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