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Grants Management 101

To help you successfully manage your grants, Golden LEAF has identified best practices and provides a copy of its Grantee Agreement form for reference.

Best Practices for Grants Management and Reporting

• Read your Grantee Agreement. Make sure you know what is required of you from the beginning.
• Read and refer often to your project proposal and budget. This helps you keep focused on the goals.
• Communicate with Golden LEAF early and often. If problems arise, it is best to let us know as soon as possible. That way we can help you identify possible solutions and move forward.
• File reports on time. Golden LEAF seeks to be a good steward of the resources entrusted to it and expects grantees to be accountable by submitting timely reports.
• Respond to requests for information promptly. Golden LEAF may seek additional information about your project.
• Be prepared to undergo scrutiny. All notes, grant information, proposal information, and documents related to the grant or proposal are public record and therefore open to review by the public if requested. For limited exceptions to public records, please contact Ted Lord, staff attorney.
• Honor our ongoing relationship. Golden LEAF considers you a collaborator, and strives to maintain positive relationships with grantees.
• Help us celebrate your good work!

The Golden LEAF Grantee Agreement

Because each grant has its own unique issues, each grantee agreement is specifically tailored to the project. Below, we’ve outlined the elements included in a typical agreement. It’s important to remember that special terms and conditions can vary dramatically based on the grant. By signing the agreement, grantees enter into a legal contract with Golden LEAF and are required to uphold any and all conditions and terms included in the agreement.

Purpose

The project must accomplish the purpose stated in the agreement.

Term

The agreement will include the award date and the project’s start and end dates. Extensions must be requested in writing (e-mail is also acceptable) and must specify the new end date.

Special Conditions

Each grantee agreement includes special terms and conditions. Some of them must be satisfied before Golden LEAF will release funds (e.g., submitting your organization’s conflict of interest policy). Others must be satisfied at the project’s end or after its completion (e.g., long-term economic impact).

Grantee Responsibility

Upon entering into the agreement, the grantee takes full responsibility for ensuring proper execution of the project in accordance with the terms of the grantee agreement.

Project/Budget Modifications

Any project or budget modifications must be approved by Golden LEAF in writing and in advance of expending funds. Modification may require Board consideration and approval.

Budget Modification Request Form Instructions
Budget Modification Request Form

Revised Work Plan and Evaluation Plan

All grantees are required to submit a revised work plan and evaluation plan reflecting any special conditions of the grant award that is to be approved by Golden LEAF in writing and in advance of expending funds.

Guidance on Work Plan and Evaluation

Release of Funds

In most cases, Golden LEAF will release 80% of grant funds at the beginning of a project but will retain 20% of the grant funds until the grantee completes all obligations of the grant. After completing objectives for the project, the balance will be paid as a reimbursement within 30 days of receiving a final report.

Interim and Final Reports

A grantee is required to submit periodic interim reports. Refer to the Grantee Agreement to see interim report schedule. A final report is due within 60 days of the project’s end date.

Final Report Form
Interim Report Form

Recordkeeping

A grantee must maintain financial records for five years beyond closure of the project and make those records available for an audit.

State Reporting Requirements

Nonprofit grantees must agree to abide by the North Carolina financial reporting requirements for nonprofit organizations.

New Developments/ Intellectual Property

If a grantee uses funds from a Golden LEAF grant to develop new technology or intellectual property, they must agree to disclose the discovery to Golden LEAF and take reasonable actions to assure that the new development or improvement remains the sole and exclusive property of the grantee. In most cases the grantee cannot license new developments without Golden LEAF consent, and Golden LEAF is entitled to a small share of royalties earned by the grantee.

Rescission and Termination Policy

Any grant found non-compliant is subject to Golden LEAF’s Rescission and Termination Policy, which is spelled out in the grantee agreement. An example of non-compliance is using the funds awarded for purposes other than those outlined in the grantee agreement.

Acknowledgement/Publicity

A grantee must agree to include acknowledgement of Golden LEAF’s support as well as the Golden LEAF logo on any publicity or promotional materials referencing a project or activity wholly or partially funded by Golden LEAF. Grantees may request our logo by contacting Jenny Tinklepaugh.