New Project Directors’ Orientation Presentation 2 Project Management

Module 2: Project Management Agenda Welcome Your Project Management Team Project Operations (Sponsor) Project Staff Community Participation Group Introduction to Module 3: Volunteer Management and Community Outreach Welcome to the presentation for Module 2. Hopefully you have had the opportunity to complete the Preparation Assignment prior to viewing the presentation. Preparation Activities: Prior to Presentation 2 please complete the following Preparation Activities: Review SCP Operations Handbook Chapters: 2, 4, 5 Review Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide, Sections: A.1-6; B-2; D; E Review the policies and procedures manual for your project Review your Notice of Grant Award, the Certifications, and Assurances. Review the Organizational Capacity and Project Management Sections of your current grant. Complete Self- Assessment Checklist described in the SCP Operations Handbook: Chapter 13 and found in Appendix 10. Note your questions and areas for improvement as you go through the assessment. The Project Management Presentation covers Chapters 2, 4 and 5 of the SCP Operations Handbook and several questions from the Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide. We will discuss the responsibilities of the SCP Sponsor, the SCP Project Staff, and the Community Participation Group, or Advisory Council and highlight some of the common compliance findings related to these topics. Let’s start with the roles and responsibilities of the Sponsor Organization.

CHAPTER 2: Project Operations Sponsor Responsibilities § 2551.22 A sponsor is responsible for fulfilling all project management requirements necessary to accomplish the purposes of the SCP program as specified in the Act. A sponsor shall not delegate or contract these responsibilities to another entity. A sponsor shall comply with all regulations contained in this part, policies, and grant provisions prescribed by the Corporation. Compliance Section A.1-A.6 & D On this slide you see the citation from the SCP Regulations regarding SCP Sponsor’s Responsibilities. A complete list of Sponsor responsibilities can be found on pages 21 -26 of the SCP Operations Handbook. The Sponsoring Organization is the Legal entity and is responsible for fulfilling all project management requirements. Typically the Sponsors’ executive officer or, board of directors’ delegate day-to-day project management responsibilities to a Project Directors with oversight by the executive director or other supervisory staff. 3

CHAPTER 2: Project Operations Sponsor Responsibilities It is the Sponsoring organization’s responsibility to: Secure maximum and continuing community financial and in-kind support to operate project successfully Establish recordkeeping system in compliance with CNCS requirements and to ensure reports are done in timely and accurate way Comply with and ensure volunteer stations comply with applicable civil rights laws and regs including providing reasonable accommodations Community Needs assessment Promote the SCP program, incorporating into mission of agency Comply with the Notice of Grant Award, including the Certifications, Assurances and Terms and Conditions of the grant It is the Sponsoring organization’s responsibility to: Secure maximum and continuing community financial and in-kind support to operate project successfully Establish recordkeeping system in compliance with CNCS requirements and to ensure reports are done in timely and accurate way Comply with and ensure volunteer stations comply with applicable civil rights laws and regs including providing reasonable accommodations Community Needs assessment Promotion of program, incorporating into mission of agency Comply with the Notice of Grant Award, including the Certifications, Assurances and Terms and Conditions of the grant The Sponsoring Organization agrees to the terms in the Notice of Grant Award but it is important for Project Directors to understand what is included in the NGA. Let’s look at the Notice of Grant Award. 4

CHAPTER 2: Project Operations Notice of Grant Award (NGA) Notice of Grant Award includes: Amount of Grant Award Reporting Requirements Terms and Conditions Special Conditions Assurances are agreed to when submitting the grant application. Compliance Section B.2 To find your NGA : Locate your current grant in eGrants; Click on the “Report” menu; select Notice of Grant Award;” and click “Go.” Notice of Grant Award, abbreviated, “NGA”, is a legal document given to the sponsor organization that indicates an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system; the Notice of Grant Award shows the amount of Federal funds awarded and the budget period for the approved project. The NGA outlines the conditions of the grant awards, reporting requirements and any special conditions. The NGA and Assurances describe the sponsors’ agreement with the federal government through CNCS. In the NGA there is a section called: “Terms of Acceptance” which states: “By accepting funds under this grant, the Grantee agrees to comply with all terms and conditions of the grant”. It is important to review the Terms and Conditions of the grant and confirm your project and/or sponsor’s policies and procedures include all of the requirements you have agreed to comply with. There is a section on the NGA called “Special Conditions”: Special conditions are additional criteria that your program officer or grants officer has deemed necessary but they do not want to hold up the grant award for the organization to meet the condition. For example a “special condition” may instruction a grantee to submit a current A-133 Audit within a specific time frame. If the condition is not met the Grants Officer can put a hold on the grant funds. The details are specified in the Special Conditions section of the NGA. Not all NGAs have special conditions.

Project Management: Fund Raising The sponsor is responsible for securing community financial and in-kind support to operate the project successfully. Certain government-wide requirements apply to fundraising under SCP grants. Senior Corps sponsors must follow all applicable OMB Cost Principle circulars: OMB Circular A–21 for Educational Institutions OMB Circular A–87 for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments OMB Circular A–122 for Nonprofit Organizations These OMB circulars apply to grant programs across the Federal Government and do not allow fund raising costs as direct charges under the grant. This means that SCP project staff whose salaries and benefits are 100 percent charged as direct costs to the Federal grant may not engage in fund raising to support the sponsor organization, project costs, or indirect costs. One of the Sponsor’s responsibilities is to secure the local funding required by the program regulations.   The OMB circulars specifically preclude fund raising cost to be charged to grant either as direct costs or in-kind/match costs. This includes organized fund raising, financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests etc. This means that SCP project staff whose salaries and benefits are 100 percent charged as direct costs to the Federal grant may not engage in fund raising to support the sponsor organization, project costs, or indirect costs. However, a portion of the project director's time may be paid from other funds to cover time spent in fund raising. 6

Project Management: Fund Raising Can SCP Staff raise funds for the project? Senior Corps Fund Raising and OMB Cost Principles http://nationalserviceresources.org/sc-fund-omb-cost-principles Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.seniorcorps.gov/pdf/08_0118_sc_fundraising_faq.pdf When it is necessary for the project director to devote some time to fund raising it must be done in compliance with the OMB Circulars. This can be accomplished by reducing the time the project director charges to the grant’s federal, or required nonfederal share, to reflect the time he or she actually spends on fund raising activities. For example, a project director who needs to spend 5 percent of his or her time on fund raising activities would charge 95 percent of his or her time on the budget and Federal Financial Report (either as federal costs or required non-federal share) and the other 5 percent would be paid from excess non-federal funds, or other funds available to the sponsor. Project staff time spent on fund raising must be documented on staff timesheets with actual time spent, and documented after the fact. Community Participation Groups can support the SCP in a variety of ways, including fund raising. 7

CHAPTER 4: Community Participation Group or Advisory Council It is a requirement of SCP grantees to secure community participation in local project operation by establishing an Advisory Council or a similar organizational structure. [45 CFR 2552.24] Council members should include community partners who are capable of helping the sponsor with fund raising and publicity, volunteers, and project beneficiaries. Advisory Councils should help projects by: Raising funds and soliciting in-kind donations Determining priorities and needed improvements Conducting the Annual Assessment Assisting with volunteer recognition events FGP projects are community-based projects. There should be a real sense of local ownership and a spirit of partnership among the community, the sponsor, and CNCS. Community Participation Group or Advisory Councils can support SCP in a variety of ways in addition to fund raising: (see slide) The Advisory Council membership should includes community members who are: Knowledgeable of the human, social and educational needs of the community Competent in the field of community service, volunteerism and issues related to service activities Capable of helping sponsor meet its administrative and program responsibilities including fund raising, publicity and performance measure Interested in and have knowledge of the capability of older adults Representative of the diversity of demographics of service area FGP Volunteers An effective SCP advisory group can expand the capacity of the sponsor and project staff. 8

The Boards and Advisory Council site on the Knowledge Network will lead you to valuable resources for working with your advisory council, including effective practices from other SCP project directors. http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/program-financial-and-grant-management/boards-and-advisory-councils 9

CHAPTER 5 - Project Staff Responsibilities of the SCP Project Director The sponsor assigns responsibility for the project's daily management to the project director. A project director functions as a working project manager, actively involved with community organizations, FGP volunteers, and volunteer stations. The project director serves as the representative of the sponsor. The Sponsor may delegate Project Directors the authority to sign and approve official project documentation, including project reports, memoranda of understanding. The sponsor may establish procedures for internal review and approval of project director actions, in accordance with its standard policies and procedures. [45 CFR 2552.25] Next let’s look at the role of the SCP Project Director. SCP Sponsors agree to provide levels of staffing to ensure project purposes and function are accomplished. Project Directors have many responsibilities including: Program day to day operations Volunteer management; management tasks; community participation Building relationships volunteers and stations Building relationships sponsor organization’s chain of command and keeping sponsor up to date Building relationships CNCS State Office staff 10

CHAPTER 5 - Project Staff The Project Director is an employee of the Sponsoring Organization. Project Directors follow sponsor personnel policies. Fulltime Project Director, is not assigned duties unrelated to the grant Salary comparable to similar positions at sponsor Other staff as appropriate can be paid from the grant. A clear Job Description should be provided to the Project Director and included in documents submitted to CNCS with the grant application. Criminal Background Checks are required for all staff paid from the grant who were hired after April 22, 2011. Project Directors and other project staff are subject to sponsor personnel policies and procedures and should be compensated at a level comparable to other similar staff positions. Project Directors are full time unless approved by the CNCS State Office. Frequently other staff is paid from the SCP grant; including coordinators or sponsor staff who support the SCP project. The Project Director’s job description should specify the job responsibilities and authority delegated to the Project Director by the sponsor. A copy of the project director’s job descriptions must be submitted to CNCS with the grant application. Criminal Background checks are required for SCP staff who are paid with grant funds (next slide). 11

To be in full compliance with SCP regulations grantees must follow the relevant requirements for background checks. Under the Serve America Act (SAA), all CNCS grantees must conduct National Service Criminal History checks on participants and program employees in Foster Grandparent and any other programs funded by the Corporation under National Service laws. All employees, participants, and others who receive a salary, or stipend under Corporation grants, even if the activities don't involve service with vulnerable populations, must receive the checks prior to beginning employment or service. We recommend you go to the National Services Criminal History Check Resources site for the most current information regarding background checks. You will also want to refer to the Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide Section A.6 to be sure your policies are in compliance with the requirements. http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/national-service-criminal-history-check-resources 12

Project Management: The eGrants System eGrants is an online system designed to automate the entire grants and project management process from application to closeout. eGrants is the system of record for CNCS grants and reports Do not share passwords and user names An individual’s login is considered their electronic signature DO NOT use the previous Project Directors’ login and update the profile for you. This action will change information on past grants and reports in the system. Grantee Administrator should suspend all privileges for former staff associated with the project. It is important for Senior Corps project directors and sponsor staff to understand how to use the eGrants System. eGrants is the system of records for grants and reports submitted to CNCS. Information regarding the eGrants System is included in several chapters of the Operations Handbook. Instruction regarding specific functions in eGrants can be found on the Knowledge Network, the CNCS website, in the Senior Corps Grant Applications Instructions, and in Notices of Funding Available. eGrants will be discussed, as needed, in the New Project Directors’ Orientation Modules. The National Service Hotline is available to help you with technical problems by phone or email. Each project directors and sponsor staff who use eGrants must have their own eGrants account. 13

Project Management: The eGrants System Submitting Your Grant Application The application must be submitted by a representative of the sponsor who has been authorized by its governing body to certify that all data in the application are true and correct, that the application has been duly authorized by the governing body of the applicant, and that the applicant will comply with the assurances submitted with the application, if the assistance is awarded. The authorizing signature is an electronic signature that results from submitting the grant application in eGrants. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official representative to sign must be on file in the applicant’s office. Your sponsoring agency is the legal “applicant.” Project Directors should not submit grants or reports unless they meet qualifications described in this slide. The authorizing representative electronically signs the Authorization, Assurances, and Certifications items by clicking “I Agree” in the eGrants application. Usually, the authorized representative is the Executive Director or CEO of the sponsoring agency. It generally should not be the Project Director. The correct person must be logged in under his/her own account before pressing “I Agree.” Some organizations have delegated authority to the project director to submit reports and continuation applications. You should check the written policies and procedures for your organization to verify the roles delegated to the project director by the sponsor 14

Project Management: Compliance Monitoring Common Compliance Findings Compliance Findings are indications of non-compliance with program requirements. Relevant Common Compliance Findings will be discussed in each NPDO Module. Questions from the Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide related to Module 2: Section A. 1-6. Program Requirements Section B.2. Legal Verification Section D. Sponsor/Staff Responsibilities Section E. Volunteer/Community Support Corporation State Offices are required to conduct a Compliance Monitoring visit to each project site at least once every six years. Annual Monitoring Planning Assessments completed by the Program Officer and Grants Officer, may warrant on-site compliance visits in the interim years. Compliance Monitoring visits are conducted to test compliance with Senior Corps legal, regulatory, and policy requirements. Problems, or “findings,” that are identified during the compliance review must be addressed according to a plan that will be proposed by the program officer. In the New Project Directors’ Orientation we will point out the Common Compliance Findings associated with each module topic. We hope that by discussing common mistakes New Project Directors will understand the requirements and avoid these common compliance problems. 15

Project Management: Compliance Findings Common Compliance Findings for Module 2: Incorrect percentage of staff time charged to grant (A.3 & C.10.a) Time sheet does not reflect non-grant activities of staff (A.3 &C.10.a) Time sheet reflects budgeted rather than actual time (A.3 &C.10.a) Annual assessment for accomplishments and impact (A.4.a) On this slide you see a list of common compliance findings related to Sponsor and Project Staff responsibilities. It is important for new project directors to understand that their timesheets need to be prepared after the fact to accurately reflect actual time spent on the project.   Timesheets will be discussed in more detail in Module 4: Reports, Budgets and Fiscal Management. A. 4.a.: An assessment of the accomplishments and impact of the project on the identified needs of the community should be conducted every year. The assessment may include client satisfaction surveys and the results of Performance Measurements outputs and outcomes. Projects are required to submit a copy of their Annual Assessment with their year 2 or 3 grant continuation (see Senior Corps Grant Application, Volume II Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) Senior Companion Program (SCP); page 22). The assessments should be strategic in nature and include an executive summary, a discussion of both achievements and challenges, as well as a discussion of what lies ahead for the project.

Module 2: Project Management - Next Steps Preparation: If you have not completed the first Preparation assignment, take some time to complete it. Review SCP Operations Handbook Chapters: 2, 4, 5 Review Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide, Sections: A.1-6; B-2; D; E Review the policies and procedures manual for your project Review your Notice of Grant Award, the Certifications, and Assurances. Review the Organizational Capacity and Project Management Sections of your current grant. Complete Self- Assessment Checklist described in the SCP Operations Handbook: Chapter 13 and found in Appendix 10. Note your questions and areas for improvement as you go through the assessment. Consultation: Schedule time with your CNCS State Program Officer to discuss the second module. This concludes the presentation for Module 2. Let’s talk about next steps. If you have not completed the first Preparation assignment, please take some time to complete it. 17

Introduction to Module 3: Volunteer Management Chapter 6: Volunteer Stations Volunteer Station Roles and Responsibilities Preparation of the Memorandum of Understanding Management of Volunteer Stations Chapter 7: SCP Volunteer Assignments Criteria for FGP Volunteer Assignments Appropriate FGP Activities Chapter 8: SCP Volunteers Eligibility to be Enrolled Selection of FGP Volunteers Orientation and Training of FGP Volunteers Service-Learning Chapter 12: Community Partnerships & Collaboration Coordination with Other Corporation Programs and Community Organizations Public Awareness SENIOR CORPS COMPLIANCE MONIORING GUIDE: Questions A.9-14;17-21;24; 26-27; 29-32; 34-38 In the next Module we will talk about Volunteer Management. Information will come from chapters: 6, 7, 8 and 12 and sections A.9-14;17-21;24; 26-27; 29-32; 34-38 of the Compliance Monitoring Guide. 18

Preparation for Module 3: Volunteer Management Preparation Activities: Prior to Presentation 3 please complete the following Preparation Activities: Review FGP Operations Handbook Chapters: 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 Review Senior Corps Compliance Monitoring Guide: Section: A.9- 14;17-21; 24; 26-27; 29-32; 34-38 Review your Memorandum of Understanding template Review the Recruitment and Strengthening Communities Sections of your current grant. Please complete the Preparation Activities before viewing the Presentation for the 3rd Module. 19

Module 2: Web links Boards and Advisory Councils: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/program-financial-and-grant- management/boards-and-advisory-councils National Service Criminal History Checks: http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/manage/history_checks.asp http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/national-service-criminal-history-check-resources Fundraising and cost principles: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/sc-fund-omb-cost-principles Fundraising FAQ: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/legacy/filemanager/download/Senior_Corps/Jan18FAQfinal.pdf eGrants: http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/index.asp These resources were developed for the RSVP Grant Competition. They are also helpful for FGP and SCP Project Staff. http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/online-courses/egrants-work-plan-2013-rsvp-new-applications http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/videos/scvc/representing-rsvp-pms-egrants 20