Grant Administration: Best Practices Presented by: Dr. Martha Cantu Joe Garcia Cindy Valdez

Quick Facts on Region  4 of the poorest counties in nation  90% Hispanic  80% Speak language other than English  25% Foreign born, primarily from Mexico  38% Live in extreme poverty  53% of adults have H.S. diploma  10% of adults are college graduates  Current Grant entering Grade 12 ( )

Our Service Population and Staffing Population:  12 School Districts  22 High Schools  8, 950 Students Staffing:  Centralized University GEAR UP Staff  22 GEAR UP Campus Coordinators  22 GEAR UP Campus Family Liaisons

Key Areas of Discussion: Understanding YOUR Grant Monitoring Implementation Communication Partner Management Fiscal Accountability

Understanding Your Grant

Avoid this Approach:

Basic Grant Framework ObjectivesServicesOutcomes

Know Your Grant Objectives Understand the critical need for each objective Identify specific services to be delivered Develop action plan on how to provide services Determine how you will measure progress Evaluate with purpose Develop a timeline of benchmarks that will aid you in meeting annual and final outcomes Always keep A.P.R. mind

Who will do all this work? Qualified Personnel Clear job descriptions Create processes together Professional development Staff assignments: develop experts Provide resources Empower to become better as a project Everyone works all the time Constant support

How will you do all this work? Processes must be: Purposeful Consistent Effective Reasonable Monitored Refined

Monitoring

Data Management System Be proactive, not reactive Track every service by individual student, parent, and teacher in real time Population served, % of cohort served, average hours of service Determine who has not been served Analyze individual campus data and project-wide data Develop system for hard documentation

Share the Data Monthly Data Day (D-Day) Monthly Administrator Reports- Status of Services, Time and Effort, and In-kind by campus Scheduled Monthly Project Meetings with key personnel Partner Service Plans

Time and Effort

Campus Visit Form

Annual Records Reviews Process Student Events Student Information Parent Events Teacher Events Budget Equipment Time and Effort Organization of Services Hard Data Data Security

End of Year Check Out

Communication

Keep All Stakeholders Informed Executive Alliances Monthly Project Meetings Weekly Campus Visits Planning Retreats University Networks P-16 Advisory Council Partner Status Meetings Weekly Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

The “F“ Word Fiscal Accountability

Accountability Management of grant requires teamwork at all levels: Project Director University Administration School District Administrators Support Staff

Essentials for Integrity Budget planning Checks and balances Establish policies Establish timelines Document Supplementing, not supplanting Sustainability Ability to say “NO”

All costs, whether direct or indirect, should be: Allowable Allocable Reasonable … ARR

Allowable Costs Are permitted or not specifically prohibited under state or local laws regulations Are necessary and reasonable for proper performance and administration of federal awards

Allocable Costs Necessary for project success and to advance the work under grant/contract

Reasonable Costs Reflect action that a prudent person would take under the circumstances Generally recognized as necessary

Be Informed Fiscal Agent Policies OMB- Office of Management and Budget DOE- Department of Education The Federal Register

Purposeful Partnerships

Maximizing Partners’ Role Effective Partners Must: Have a belief in the GEAR UP mission Assign a contact person to project Provide consistent support Add sustainable value to project schools Provide status reports Develop specific action plan Evaluate role and services

Texas Instruments: Teacher Services Professional Development Series Campus Level Support Equipment Installation Teacher Interactive Message Board Regional Math Advisory Council Sustainability Plan for Middle Schools Collaboration with Regional Education Center

Texas Instruments: Parent Services Parent Conference Sessions: Helping Children with Homework Understanding Technology Hands-on with TI Navigator Family Support Networks Calculator Incentives

Texas Instruments: Student Services Access to technology in classroom Math camps TI Insider Group Classroom visits from TI Instructors Student conferences Calculator incentives

In closing, do as you say!

Contact Information The University of Texas-Pan American GEAR UP Project 1201 West University Drive Edinburg, Texas Dr. Martha Cantu- Joe Garcia- Cindy Valdez –