Grant Accounting Handbook

Important notice

This is the summarized electronic version of the Grant Accounting Handbook and should only be used as a quick reference tool for helping manage your grant. The printed version of the handbook is all-inclusive and has applicable appendices in instructions which will be referenced in the following sections. To purchase a printed copy of the Grant Accounting Handbook, please contact the Grant Accounting Office.

A special thank you is extended to Sherrolyn Duffy and the Jefferson County Public Schools for their instrumental contributions to this handbook.

Introduction and Mission statement

The Grants Accounting Office provides the accounting services required for all Fund 2 federal, state, and specially funded projects. This handbook has been prepared to help the Project Director, Project Budget Manager, and the support staffs of these individuals have a clear understanding of the financial services we provide for these programs through the Grant Accounting Office with the assistance of the Budget Office. The intent of this handbook is to provide assistance related to financial management of our Grants and Special Programs.

The goal of the Grant Accounting Office as a department of Financial Services is to have accurate financial accounting of all programs that have Fund 2 impact. We will be responsible for ensuring that all grant moneys are received from external sources on a timely basis and spent expediently as well as efficiently through an informed decision making process. Therefore, this handbook was created with procedures that must be followed in achieving this goal. These procedures should be followed and strictly observed at all times.

There are 20 sections of this handbook, with applicable appendices & attachments in the corresponding section of the hardcopy of the handbook. Please reference the Grant Accounting Handbook hardcopy for attachments. Each section details an important aspect of the operation of a Fund 2 grant project from the grant Pre-award though the grant Post-award closeout requirements. Each stakeholder (Project Director, Project Budget Manager, Budget Office, Principals) and their corresponding support staff will have access to this handbook and will be required to become familiar with this Grant Accounting Handbook and related policies & procedures. The Grant Accounting Office is here to assist you with any questions pertaining to this handbook. The Grant Accounting Office will provide additional support by periodically providing workshops and individual training sessions for you and your staff in following these guidelines.

It is our desire to offer all information needed to effectively and efficiently manage your Grant. Fiscal responsibility and integrity can be maintained by working together. This Grant Accounting Handbook should help Fayette County Public Schools achieve stated goals.

Rodney Jackson, Grant Accountant 
Grant Accounting Office of Financial Services
August 2000

Pre-award phase

To initiate a Grant/Award Program in the Fayette County Public Schools, certain policies & procedures must be followed. The first Sections, I-VI, of this handbook will detail the information necessary to be in compliance with the Fayette County Board of Education on receiving external funding, requirements of District budget coding, and procedures to assist in establishing the number of positions paid, as approved in the grant application. The program director may be requested to provide input on creating the master time calendar of fiscal tasks to be completed as stated in the grant/award document as it applies to the Consolidated Plan of the district.

Implementation (post-award) phase

It is during the Implementation (Post-award) phase of a program that a unique project number is assigned to the project by the Budget office. This number is used to identify a program in MUNIS. The financial management requirements that Fayette County Public Schools must comply with when receiving grant funds come from a variety of sources including: federal law, regulations, circulars, and administrative manuals, which all prescribe financial and general business management practices for various grant programs. Agencies, such as the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issue guidance that is binding on all grantor agencies in their supervision of grantee financial management.

The Implementation (Post-award) Phase of most grants/awards is compacted into a 12-month period, with the actual dates depending upon the funding agency. This makes it very important to implement the fiscal plan of spending expeditiously as possible.

Sections VII-XVI of this handbook provide instructions on all areas of the fiscal operation to assist in expending the total funding within the designated time frame. Emphasis should be placed on the financial management requirements of both the District and the Funding agency.

Closeout phase

Many grants/awards, (all state and federal), have very specific, final financial-report requirements, that must be followed. These requirements vary from early reports that have to include calculations of payments before services are rendered to 90-day closeout procedures. Work with the assigned accounting clerk for complete details on these requirements. The Grants Accounting office will follow the agency reporting requirements very strictly and will assist the program director in ways needed to fulfill all fiscal reporting requirements of the funding agency. The program director will assist the Grant Accounting Office in supplying any and all needed data that originates from the program office such as, in-kind information, program narrative, etc. It is the program director's responsibility to ensure that all procedures to close out a grant have been completed in a timely manner. This includes all final reporting and reassignment or termination of all payroll charges to the program for positions that were funded by the grant. Please refer to Sections XVII-XIX of this handbook for more information on closeouts.

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Last update: 6/9/2005 8:48:29 AM