As most grant recipients know, every federal grant has a very different set of compliance requirements. Worse yet, the requirements can change from year to year and similar programs can have variations on their requirements. Add to these changing requirements the fact that grant documents can be lengthy and complicated and you may begin wondering how in the world you can find the answers to these questions: “Could I?”, “Should I?” and “Would I?”

The grantor should have given you the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for your grant. The CFDA number is one of the magic keys in obtaining grant information. An excellent resource is the CFDA website where you can search programs by CFDA number, types of programs, program name, etc. Typing your grant’s CFDA number in the “keyword or program number” takes you to a list of programs where you can select your program to get a synopsis of it. The synopsis contains answers to questions such as program uses and restrictions, participant eligibility and reporting requirements. There is also a link to the federal agency’s web site which contains a wealth of tips, hints and answers to questions.

Also, be sure you have a current copy of the OMB’s compliance supplement, updated every year in March. The March 2009 compliance supplement may be found here.

The supplement gives general information and has a section for each federal agency which can be viewed or printed in several formats. Grant information can be accessed under each granting agency by grant title.

Armed with current resources, grant management doesn’t have to leave you swimming with questions. We hope these resources can help you stay afloat in the sea of grant compliance requirements.

For additional resources on federal grants please contact Lewis, Hooper and Dick, LLC at (620) 275-9267.

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