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  4. Post Award Assistance

Post Award Assistance

The Grants Department would like to make you aware of the following grant procedures to assure accountability and compliance of our district’s competitive grant awards.

Budget Management 

  • When you receive an award check, please do not have your secretary deposit the grant check into your local budget. Instead, immediately contact the Grants Department for guidance and next steps. 
  • When your campus/department is awarded a grant you will receive a budget that is separate from your local budget. Depending on the grant award, a Grant Orientation Meeting will take place before spending is permitted.
  • All grant funding must be expended within the stated grant period. Unspent grant funds send the message that the entire award was not needed and can potentially prevent future funding for the district.
  • All cost associated with grant funds must be “necessary”, “reasonable”, and “allowable”.
  • Frequently monitor your grant budget to maintain strong grant compliance. The Grant Manager and Grant Administrator are responsible for the management and implementation of the awarded grant.

Project Implementation and Operation

  • Adhere to the start and end date of the grant award and the other terms and conditions listed in your grant agreement.
  • When you receive a grant award notice, review the grant to determine if reporting is required. If so, it is important to meet the reporting deadline(s). Missing deadlines and not submitting reports can prevent future funding.
  • District policies and procedures must be considered when utilizing grant funds. If there is a conflict between district and state/federal guidelines, the more restrictive must be followed.
  • Frequently communicate with the Grants Department to inform us of any updates or amendments concerning your project.
  • Get all grant changes or approvals in writing (email or hard copy) from the funder.

Project Tracking and Data Collection

  • It is important to document grant projects. As a best practice, keep all grant related files in one place. This may include student data the grant requires you to collect, invoices or receipts of grant purchases, student sign-in sheets (if necessary) to document attendance, and pre and post surveys or evaluation data regarding the outcome of this project.
  • Be mindful of the FERPA (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act) guidelines, especially as it relates to the location of student files and emailing student data.
  • Maintain clear and readable documentation and implement strong internal systems to track data. Electronic filing is allowed.
  • Keep track of all non-consumable items purchased with grant funds. This includes barcoding items, as necessary. 
  • Keep all receipts and expenditures for a minimum of five years following submission of the final grant report. 

Funder Acknowledgement

  • It is a best practice to acknowledge the funder and highlight how this opportunity will benefit your students.
  • The Grants Department recommends including this grant award on your school's website and providing our department with pictures to post on the Grants Department webpage, as well.
  • The Grants Department also recommends sending the funder an official thank-you letter or email. You may also consider having your students write handwritten thank you notes or send the funder photos of your students benefiting from this funding. ​If you send pictures of students, please make sure that all students in the photos have a Media Release form on file. 

If you have questions about any of these procedures listed above or if you would like additional post award grant assistance from the Grants Department, please contact Rikitra Cephus, Grants Compliance Coordinator, at RCephus@pasadenaisd.org or 713-740-0868.