29660024.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nSEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE NUMBER: G - 56 GENERAL ORDER RESCINDS: SUBJECT: Grant Administration EFFECTIVE: October 5, 2009 REVISED: October 1, 2018 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS: Table of Contents: I. Purpose II. Authority III. Responsibility IV. Definition of a Grant V. Policy VI. Roles and Responsibilities VII. Grant Seeking Process VIII. Application Preparation IX. Award Notification, Review and Acceptance X. Managing the Grant XI. Grant Modifications XII. Subcontracting and Subrecipient Monitoring XIII. Other Important Federal Guidelines and National Policy Guidance XIV. Glossary XV. Useful Links I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this manual is to establish uniform guidelines for Seminole County Sheriff’s Office personnel in the pursuit of grant funding and the management of grant awards. The manual describes the grants administration policy and procedures associated with: A. Grant Identification, Application, and Tracking B. Grant Award Notification, Review, and Acceptance C. Grant Oversight and Monitoring D. Grant Accounting and Reporting E. Grant Subrecipient Monitoring F. Grant Close-out II. AUTHORITY: The Sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners are the only legal entities authorized to enter into a grant, and all grants must be approved by the Sheriff or his designee and/or Board prior to submission. III. RESPONSIBILITY: GENERAL ORDER Grant Administration GO # 56 PAGE 1 of 26\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nA. It is the responsibility of the Procurement and Agreements Manager, under the direction of the Director of Fiscal Services, to implement the grants administration policy and to provide procedures that detail the grant proposal seeking process and the proper execution, management, and close-out of grant awards; and report on the submission and status of grants in a manner that assures transparency and accountability to the Sheriff, grantors, and the public. Grant administration procedures apply to all grants pursued by the Sheriff’s Office and define the roles and responsibilities of employees pertaining to the management of external funding and compliance with prescribed grant and Sheriff’s Office requirements. B. This General Order sets forth Sheriff’s Office procedures for the administration of all awards and pass- through awards in keeping with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance and other applicable statutes, rules, regulations and guidance documents. The provisions contained in this manual are applicable to all Sheriff’s Office employees, agents, contractors and sub-grantees who perform functions associated with any award or pass-through award. C. This General Order is not intended to be an exhaustive listing of all rules, regulations, or laws relating to grants administration, but is a guide of standardized procedures to direct Sheriff’s Office personnel in the application and management of grant proposals and awards. At a minimum, personnel administering federal grants must be trained on the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. IV. DEFINITION OF A GRANT: A. A grant is a multi-defined instrument used by government or private entities to subsidize programs and projects that fit within the funding criteria of each respective grantor. Due to their multi-defined characteristic, “grants” can be awarded in the form of: loan contracts, loan guarantees, cooperative agreements, joint participation agreements, contract for services, private contributions, interlocal agreements, and other types of contractual documents. Grants can be unrestricted or restricted, to be used by the recipient in any fashion within the parameter of the recipient organization's activities or for a specific purpose by the grantor. Typically, grants are intended to support a public purpose. Procurement of goods or services for the direct benefit of the organization, and not for a broader public purpose, is generally awarded in the form of a contract. B. For the purposes of this policy, a grant is defined as financial assistance awarded to the Sheriff’s Office from an external entity to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation, or when specifically identified by the awarding agency, as a “Grant” at the time of award. V. POLICY: A. Grants are an exceptional way to fund Sheriff’s Office programs; however, they come with the expectation that all work, including the management of the grant award, will follow the highest standards of the regulatory and budgetary requirements of the grantor and the Sheriff’s Office. Failure to comply with such requirements can lead to a loss of goodwill, the return of awarded funds and/or fines and may also jeopardize future funding from granting entities. Inadequate review of grant proposals or grant awards as well as poor compliance with terms and conditions of grant agreement(s) may lead to the Sheriff’s Office spending unbudgeted General Revenue funds to support a grant project inconsistent with overall strategic direction, or may commit the Sheriff’s Office to unbudgeted General Revenue spending beyond the grant period. The purpose of this policy is to set forth guidance for the application of grant proposals and the administration of grants awarded to the Sheriff’s Office that ensure the efficiency and impact of grant funded programs, services, and capital improvements; limit exposure to grant related legal liability; and assure grantors and the public that the Sheriff’s Office shall discharge its responsibilities with the highest of standards. GENERAL ORDER Grant Administration GO # 56 PAGE 2 of 26\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nB. It is the policy of the Sheriff’s Office that the Sheriff’s Office will seek grant funding for activities and assets that are determined to enhance core Sheriff’s Office functions, or that provide for activities and assets that are in the best interest of the Sheriff’s Office and the public. All departments of the Sheriff’s Office shall participate in a uniform grants administration program under the direction of the Chief of Administrative Services that will adequately assess grants prior to submission and ensure that grant award functions follow the highest standards of the grantor and the Sheriff’s Office. C. Grants pursued by the Sheriff’s Office must be consistent with mission and strategic priorities, and no grant shall be submitted without signature approval of the Sheriff’s Office authorized organizational representative or designee. Grant applications shall provide reasonable and realistic outcomes that are based on information that will help to best assess the impact and efficacy of grant activities. Departments desiring to apply for an external grant are to notify the Procurement and Agreements Manager at the earliest opportunity for review and analysis. D. Grants that align with the strategic priorities of the Sheriff’s Office shall be analyzed by the Procurement and Agreements Manager, in conjunction with the Director of Fiscal Services, to examine the total effects and costs to the Sheriff’s Office due to matching requirements or new operating costs; allowance of indirect costs; whether General Fund revenues are necessary to cover the gap between cash expended and revenues received; and whether General Fund revenues are necessary to support the project after the expiration of the grant. VI. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: A. All Sheriff’s Office personnel who are engaged in the preparation of grant proposals and administration of grant awards, including staff responsible for grant funded assets, serve an important role ensuring that all grant terms, conditions, and regulatory requirements are met. Below are the “key players” in the management and administration of grant funded projects received by the Sheriff’s Office and a representational list of the responsibilities. 1. Sheriff: All grant applications and other grant documents require authorization of the Sheriff for submission. The