Grants offer local governments opportunities to address community priorities that might otherwise go unmet, but they often come with significant challenges and risks that local governments need to be aware of. This course will walk through the grant lifecycle from pre-application to closeout and will provide the information you need to develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure your organization manages its grants effectively. We will also discuss strategies for identifying grants and provide guidance on the latest federal funding opportunities.  

Those who successfully complete this seminar should be able to:

• Understand the grant lifecycle, from pre-application to closeout
• Differentiate between types of grants (e.g., private vs. federal vs. state, one-time vs. on-going, competitive vs. entitlement, expenditure-driven vs. purpose-restricted)
• Understand requirements associated with federal grants
• Identify the essential components of a grant policy
• Identify effective pre-application procedures, including researching grant opportunities and developing a strong grant application
• Understand the importance of cross-departmental collaboration in effective grants management
• Understand how to budget for grants and how to track them in your financial system
• Understand how to account for and report grants in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
• Identify procedures for closing out a grant
• Learn about the latest federal grant opportunities

This course is taught by experienced budgeting practitioners and GFOA staff. Instructors will be familiar with GFOA best practices and have experience as finance director, budget director, or CEO of various size local governments.