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Strategies to Prevent Grant Fund Returns to NASTTPO: Deobligating Grants Guide

Learn ways to avoid returning grant funds to NASTTPO through strategic fund management. Explore impacts of deobligating funds, trending deobligations, and categories of grant fund deobligations.

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Strategies to Prevent Grant Fund Returns to NASTTPO: Deobligating Grants Guide

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  1. Ways to Avoid Returning Grant Funds to Your Grantor National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO) Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grant

  2. Agenda • Deobligating Grant Funds 101 • Effects of Deobligating Grant Funds (Grantee/Grantor) • Trending Grantee Deobligations • Ways to Avoid Returning Funds to Your Grantor

  3. Deobligating Grants Funds 101 Categories of Grant Fund Deobligations There are 2 categories of grant fund deobligations 1. Deobligation of Obligated Funds Not Yet Expended • Grant funds returned which have been obligated, but for unforeseen circumstances, were unable to be expended. • Factors leading to deobligations of this nature are (but not limited to): • Project/Contract termination • Reduction in price of supply/equipment items • Correction of erroneous financial records • Cost underrun 2. Deobligation of Unobligated Funds Grant funds returned which have NOT been obligated. • Factors leading to deobligations of this nature are (but not limited to): • Improper planning/forecasting • Emergency management activations • Turnover

  4. The Effects of Deobligating Grant Funds How is the Grantee Impacted? When grant funds are returned by the grantee, it MAYhave a direct impact on the grantee agency. • Possibility of decreased allocations in future funding opportunities • Possibility of being considered as a program risk (‘high risk’ grantee) • Possibility of being awarded under special terms and/or conditions

  5. The Effects of Deobligating Grant Funds How is the Grantor Impacted? • When grant funds are returned to the grantor, it has a direct impact on the grant program. • Scrutiny from the awarding agency – Why are deobligations so high? • Is staff providing sufficient technical assistance? • Are internal controls in place? Are they effective? • Scrutiny from Congress – Why are deobligations so high? • What is being done to decrease deobligations? • Is the program effective? Is there a need for the program as a whole?

  6. Trending Grantee Deobligations Hazmat Grants Awards & De-Obligations FY2010– FY2014

  7. Ways to Avoid Returning Funds to the Grantor • Here are a few helpful ways to avoid returning funds to the grantor • Proper planning/forecasting • Conduct a needs analysis early on • Leave sufficient time to create your budget • Lengthy approval processes • Continuously engage sub-grantees (especially those high in risk) • Contingency planning • Identify programmatic/administrative issues early on • Changes in timelines/milestones • Changes in key personnel (vacations/retirements) • Project/contract terminations • Rebudget if needed • Maintain open communication with your grant specialist • Request a performance extension

  8. Questions/Comments/Concerns

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