Project Management American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Kim Lambert Cherokee Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Program Andy Winnegar,

Mission Statement A clear, memorable, and concise AIVR mission statement for your program. Most mission statements are under 16 words. American Diabetes Association: To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. (16) Wounded Warrior Project: To honor and empower wounded warriors. (6) TED: Spreading Ideas. (2 )

Management Process

Project Cycle Plan Collaborate Deliver Evaluate Revise

Identify resources and assign responsibility for key project objectives. Review proposal goals, objectives & proposed outcomes. Understand what competencies are needed, available, and plan to close the gap. Are your goals and objectives measurable? What constraints do you have? (staff, contractors, money, or other resources).

Managers’ Roles Gallup’s research shows that great managers do not just define the job, but define success on the job. If Staff knows what exactly is expected of them, they can deliver to these expectations. Great managers care about their people. Work to make sure they have the competences and motivation to assure that they function efficiently. Great managers don’t lose touch with employees, vendors, customers or what they have to do. “Start with the end in mind. ” Stephen R. Covey, Stephen R. Covey Seven Habits of Highly Effective People:

Project Options & Actions What actions do need to take to achieve this? “Encourage consumer feedback by solving problems identified.” Think of as many different project options and ideas as possible. Take a sheet of paper and write more and more ideas, just as they come to your mind. When we share ideas try not to judge or analyze.

Aligning Policy & Procedures Tribal AIVR RSA

4 Main Components O Financial Management O Staff O Service Delivery O Resources

AIVR Fiscal Management O Gaps Draw downs, preparing and accounting O Budgeting/ preparing and monitoring O Program ledger and general ledger O Establish relationship with fiscal Staff O Community resources/Cost sharing/Duplication of services O Purchasing

Drawdown Basics  Follow the procedure from your Tribal Finance Office  Have the appropriate signatures  Spend money in a timely manner  Timely submittals with proof of submittals  Notified when the drawdown is received  Add the dollar amount to your program ledger

Sample Drawdown O See handout

Budgeting O Ideally your grant budget is accurate O Use your budget to allocate your costs O Make sure the appropriate staff have a copy O Use the amount in each line item to set up your program ledger O If you are going to underspend or overspend a line item, a budget amendment is necessary

Sample budget O See handout

General Ledger O Make sure your starting ledger matches your grant award and your indirect cost rate is accurate (if applicable) O General ledger should be available at least monthly O Reconcile your general ledger to your program ledger monthly (much like balancing your checkbook) O If you find expenses that are not yours, notify your finance person immediately (they make mistakes) O Make sure at the end of the year to go back and review for completeness and that all your expenses are charged to the appropriate year.

Program Ledger  Each individual program should keep an in house ledger or set of books.  Make sure your starting ledger matches your grant award. Should start a new one each Oct. 1.  As soon as purchase orders/obligations are complete, expenses should be posted to your ledger.  All drawdowns should be recorded as soon as received.  Reconcile your program ledger to the general ledger monthly (much like balancing your checkbook) It should also include staff salaries.  Make sure at the end of the year to go back and review for completeness and that all your expenses are charged to the appropriate year. NOTE: All purchase orders should be computerized, numbered, sequential and coded to the appropriate line item in the general ledger, And KEEP COPIES.  Spend your money timely, some programs take their client money and divide it by the quarter, some divide by the number of clients that they must serve, and make adjustments when necessary.

Working with Fiscal Staff O Very important that you maintain a good working relationship with your Fiscal staff O Make them aware of allowable costs O Send them Edgar if they don’t have it. Most Tribal finance offices have OMB-A87 O Make sure they give you timely responses to questions and make sure they notify you when drawdowns come in. O If all else fails, speak to them personally O Questions/Concerns?

Allowable Costs OMB CIRCULAR A-87 REVISED "Approval or authorization of the awarding or cognizant Federal agency" means documentation evidencing consent prior to incurring a specific cost. If such costs are specifically identified in a Federal award document, approval of the document constitutes approval of the costs. RSA is charged with administering formula and discretionary grant programs evaluating, monitoring, and reporting on the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation and other related programs for individuals with disabilities. RSA with questions on the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act 2014

Staff Management The Manager is the backbone of the team: supervising the staff, making decisions, overseeing the expenditures, leading the team, and preparing reports, handling complaints, keeping their boss informed, and possibly carrying a case load. The Counselor is responsible for: treating the consumers with respect, meeting with the consumers and creating a workable IPE, and ensuring their success. Job Developer: meets with local businesses to create jobs, works within the Tribe to help place consumers, and helps with creation of small business for consumers to become self employed, and promotes the program to the public. Administrative Assistant: greets the public, does accounting responsibilities, orders materials and supplies, keeps consumer files, etc.

Staff know what is expected. Encourage employees to develop individual goals, aligned with the mission. Help employees to be knowledgeable about their career goals. Create an enjoyable work environment on a daily basis. Meet with staff regularly.

Staff Duties The Staff should all know their duties and have a copy of their complete up- to-date job description and goals for the year so that there are no surprises on their annual evaluation  Create a team atmosphere and foster the team relationship  Make sure that the team is involved in decision making whenever possible  Reward your team for their hard work and dedication  Follow the your personnel policy and treat everyone fairly  Handle discipline problems promptly

Team Work —the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.

Service Delivery No set of rules will apply in all situations, however compliance with rules, regulations and laws regarding services to consumers is everyone's responsibility. This would include the Program Director, Manager, Fiscal Staff; TVR Staff, the program evaluator and RSA. The consumers must always be treated with respect and every effort made to ensure they get the service that they need. Records, meetings, etc. should always be confidential.

Consumer services TVR grants should be consumer-focused; program policies should have clear objectives on serving consumers. Facilities and equipment accessible. IPE’s should have definitive timelines and measurable outcomes. PE activities should include leveraging funds with State VR and/or filling resource gaps with other funding sources. Templates for IPE creation are on the TVR Circle website

EDGAR Requirements EDGAR § (applicable to state, local, and tribal governments) requires that a grantee obtain prior approval from ED for changes to key persons identified in the application and for changes in the project director or principal investigator in research projects regardless of whether those individuals were identified in the application. EDGAR §§ and appear to give ED program officials the authority to review and approve requests to change the scope or objectives of a discretionary grant. However, ED does not permit changes to the scope or objectives of a grant except in rare cases where the competition for the grant was not truly competitive.

Compliance with the mandates of Section 504 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 obligates recipients of federal financial assistance to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to their programs, services, activities, and facilities.

Resources Grant Award & Assurances Successful Proposal, Budget & Objectives Rehab Act & Edgar OMB Circular A-87 Tribal Policies (Personnel and Fiscal) Program policies and procedures TVR Circle CANAR Lou Adams TVR Circle Coordinator Free online training (TACE & ADA)