Your Grant from Start to Finish

This page describes the grant management cycle starting with an awarded grant. (For assistance on the application stage, visit Online Application Tips and Tricks.)

Starting a Grant

Start by Reading the grant agreement. Grantees will receive a grant agreement once the project is awarded. The grant agreement will outline all requirements, including reporting and permitting. Grant agreement terms are broken into sections and exhibits.

Once you understand the grant agreement terms, sign the agreement and fill in the necessary information.
Tip: review your grant agreement often to make sure you comply with all requirements.

Sections

Sections outline the grantee’s responsibilities to the project: start date, end date, reporting schedule, grant amount, fund source, project budget, and many other elements of interest.

Start date: No reimbursable expenses can be incurred prior to that date. (Note: Land use fees before the project start date may be reimbursable.)
Completion Date: No reimbursable expenses can be incurred past that date.
Reporting Schedule: Plan to have required reports submitted by the dates noted.
Signature Page: Make sure an authorized signee of your organization signs the agreement.
Schedule for Release of Funds: Describes the project budget by category and any final holdback requirements.
Conditions of Agreement: These must be complied with as you manage your project.
Project Completion Report Requirements: Submitted via OGMS (OWEB's Online Grant Management System).
Post-Implementation Status Report Requirements: Restoration projects must provide reports about the project and its success/failure after the grant ends.
Permits and Licenses: Grantees should use this to outline what permits and/or licenses are required for project implementation.
Insurance Requirements: All grants have insurance requirements that are outlined in the grant agreement.

Exhibits

Exhibits vary between grant agreements and are designed to help grantees understand their responsibilities.

During the Grant

Communication is key to project success, before, during, and after project completion.

Things to Remember:

Fill out and submit a Land Use form to your OWEB Project Manager as soon as possible so it does not hold up payments.
Communicate with project partners throughout your project. This will help partners foresee problems. Permitting agencies appreciate initiating conversations EARLY.
If project partners assist with match funding:
- Have the Match form signed and dated by a partner.
- Make sure the signer is authorized to commit funds.
- Check the box for “secured” match.
- OR get a letter of support that documents the amount of secured match funds and what the funds entail (e.g., cash, in-kind labor or technical support, materials, etc.).
Develop Landowner Agreements and have them signed for the property where the project is sited. Refer to your grant agreement for specific requirements.

Refer to the grant agreement for specific reporting requirements. OWEB may request progress reports during the project. Most restoration projects will have post-grant reporting requirements. Other reporting requirements may occur.

GoBIG: Guidance on Budgeting in Grants outlines allowable OWEB expenses and policies. Please read this document to understand basic OWEB finance policies: guidelines for financial documentation, travel logs, records retention, and many other relevant topics.

Log into OGMS to make a payment request. Note:

A list of expenses is required on each payment request, either as an accounting report or on an Expense Spreadsheet.
Supporting documentation for individual expenses over $250; is required on most grants. Check your grant agreement for what documentation to submit.
A report of “Salary, Wages, and Benefits” costs and a list of other expenses is required on most grants. Use an accounting report to reduce the number of items required to submit.
First-time ever payment requests (if you have not received a payment from OWEB on a previous grant) submit a signed Tax ID form (W-9). The name and Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) on the Tax ID form (W-9) will determine the exact name and address of the entity to be paid.
For direct deposit, follow the directions found on the Automated Clearing House (ACH) website.

Notify OWEB Project Managers about any project changes that may affect progress. It is better to contact your Project Manager sooner rather than later. OWEB Project Managers can help Grantees determine if they need to take formal steps to adjust the grant. In some cases, a Scope of Work Amendment may be required–usually changes are limited to Time Extensions and Budget Amendments.

Time Extensions

(Submit a request for an amendment with an OWEB Project Manager before submitting a Time Extension.) Time Extensions can be submitted through OGMS.

Budget Amendments

Communicate all budget changes with an OWEB Project Manager. If 10% of the overall grant budget shifts between funding categories, a formal Budget Amendment is required: fill and submit this form to the OWEB Project Manager.

Note: This function will be coming soon to OGMS.

Finishing a Grant

As the project nears closing, review the Grant Agreement again. Make sure all requirements have been addressed. Pay special attention to:

End date. No reimbursable expenses can be incurred after this date.
Exhibit A (Grant Budget):. If costs have shifted significantly (10% or more) between categories, work with your OWEB project manager to create a Budget Amendment.
Conditions of the Agreement. The final project report will require an explanation of how the project met all application specifications and how the Grantee satisfied all conditions over the course of the project.