DAY ONE—Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Time

Session Title

Description

Presenters

7:30  a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Registration

7:30  a.m.–8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

8:30  a.m.–11:30 a.m.

New Grantee Pre-Institute Orientation Session

This session will provide an overview of the history of national service. The presenters will describe programs that make up the Corporation for National and Community Service. The participants will learn who they should contact when they have questions related to their grant funding. 

Gina Fulbright-Powell, Kristen Haggins, Kristen McSwain, and Peg Rosenberry 

1:00 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

Opening Plenary/General Issues

This session will provide attendees with an overview of the conference and updates on Federal and Corporation grants management.

Gina Fulbright-Powell, Kristen Haggins, Kristen McSwain, and Peg Rosenberry

2:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. 

Break

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Training Block 1

Key Focus Areas for Staff—Grantees with AmeriCorps Members

This session will provide fiscal staff specific areas to focus on to ensure fiscal accountability for their CNCS grants funds. Topics will include living allowance distribution, background checks, and new rules for match.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Key Concepts for AmeriCorps (or the PDF version).

Kristina Tecce

Key Focus Areas for Staff—Senior Corps Projects

This session will provide fiscal staff specific areas to focus on to ensure fiscal accountability for their CNCS grant funds. Topics will include budgeting and amendment changes, and preparing for a fiscal site visit.

View the PowerPoint presentiation for this section: Key Concepts for Senior Corps (or the PDF version).

Susan Meche

Key Focus Areas for Staff—Learn and Serve Programs

This session will provide fiscal staff specific areas to focus on to ensure fiscal accountability for their CNCS grant funds. Topics will include LSA Core Competencies.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Key Concepts for Learn and Serve America (or the PDF version).

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
 

DAY TWO—Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Time

Session Title

Description

Presenters

7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Networking Breakfast

Come start your day with a nice breakfast. There will be an opportunity to talk with participants from the same program type.

9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

Training Block 2

Developing and Managing Your AmeriCorps Budget - For AmeriCorps Programs Only

An essential part of budgeting is identifying costs attributable to your national service program. This session will provide participants with tools to help align their budget and program design. There will also be information on managing a budget once it is created.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Developing and Managing Your AmeriCorps Budget (or the PDF version).

Mimi Morris

Federal Grants Management for Program Staff - All Program Types

This session will assist program staff in understanding the basic concepts of managing federal funds. There will be a review of the regulatory requirements that staff should be aware of when working with federal grants.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section:  Federal Grants Management for Program Staff (or the PDF version).

Kristina Tecce

Federal Grants Management for Fiscal Staff - All Program Types

This session is designed for financial staff new to working with national service grants. We will review the highlights of the uniqueness of the Corporation for National and Community Service grants. We will review the specific programmatic issues with each of the grant programs.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Federal Grants Management for Fiscal Staff (or the PDF version).

Jonnie Jenkins

Subgrantee Monitoring/Grantees with Subgrantees or Subrecipients

This session is for organizations that sub-grant any of the funding that it receives from the Corporation for National and Community Service. This session will provide the participants with concrete methods to incorporate a risk-based approach in the review and monitoring of their sub-grantee(s) when conducting desk monitoring activities or site visits.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Subgrantee Monitoring (or the PDF version)

Download the handouts (PDFs): Elements of Effective Monitoring, Financial Site Visit Review Items, Monitoring Tools and Resources, Pre-Award Assessments, Risk Based Assessment Approach to Monitoring, Site Visit Monitoring Process

Bill Cole

Documenting Cash and In-kind Match - Senior Corps

This session provides the participant with information on how to properly track and record donations, as well as additional ideas for matching funds for their program. Participants will learn how to properly document expenses for grant accountability and gather information to ensure that in-kind donations are properly documented. There will also be information about how to calculate the value of these donations.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Documenting Cash and In-Kind Match - Senior Corps (or the PDF version)

Susan Meche

Financial Reporting - AmeriCorps and LSA

Current information will be discussed relating to the new Federal Financial Report. Participants can also ask questions relating to current report, FSR, and FCTR.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Financial Reporting - AmeriCorps and LSA (or the PDF version).

Matt Capucini

11:15 a.m.–11:45  a.m.

Plenary

The Assistant Inspector General for Audit will present information on the OIG audit process.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section:  The OIG Audit Process (or the PDF version).

Carol Bates

11:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Training Block 3

Avoiding Common Pitfalls - All Programs

In this session, we will explore common pitfalls experienced by national service programs. Information was gathered from common findings in audits conducted by and on the behalf of the Office of the Inspector General, CNCS monitoring findings, and general audit issues. Participants will learn from the mistakes of other grantees and establish systems to prevent the findings within their organization.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Avoiding Common Pitfalls (or the PDF version).

Michael Kenefick

Subgrantee Monitoring - Grantees with Subgrants or Subrecipients

This session is for organizations that subgrant any of the funding that it receives from the Corporation for National and Community Service. This session will provide participants with concrete methods to incorporate a risk-based approach in the review and monitoring of their sub-grantee(s) when conducting desk monitoring activities or site visits.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Subgrantee Monitoring (or the PDF version).

Download the handouts (PDFs):  Elements of Effective Monitoring, Financial Site Visit Review Items, Monitoring Tools and Resources, Pre-Award Assessments, Risk Based Assessment Approach to Monitoring, Site Visit Monitoring Process

Bill Cole

Documenting Cash and In-kind Match - Learn and Serve Programs Only

This session provides participants with information on how to properly track and record donations, as well as additional leads for matching funds for their program. Participants will learn how to properly document expenses for grant accountability, and gather information to ensure that in-kind donations are properly documented. There will also be information about how to calculate the value of these donations.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Documenting Cash and In-kind Match - Learn and Serve (or the PDF version).

Susan Meche

Establishing Internal Controls - All Program Types

This session will provide participants with methods to incorporate internal controls for all types of organizations, from small to large size staffs. There will be a review and dicsussion of a new tool that was created to assist organizations in reviewing and creating an organizational policies and procedures manual. Sample forms will be reviewed and best practices shared.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Establishing Internal Controls (or the PDF version).

Jonnie Jenkins

Financial Reporting - Senior Corps

This session is designed to assist participants in being more informed about their financial reporting requirements, specifically Financial Status Reports (FSRs) and Federal Cash Transaction Reports (FTCRs or 272s). This session will not only cover the nuts and bolts of completing the reports, it will also review the methods of gathering the proper information to complete the reports and have a clear audit trail. Grantees will also become familiar with the steps to complete the necessary paperwork.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Financial Reporting - Senior Corps (or the PDF version).

Download the handouts (PDFs): Senior Corps Fundraising Memo and Senior Corps FAQs Fundraising.

Matt Capucini

Developing and Managing Your AmeriCorps Budget - For AmeriCorps Programs Only

An essential part of budgeting is identifying costs attributable to your national service program. This session will provide participants with tools to help align their budget and program design. There will also be information on managing a budget once it is created.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Developing and Managing Your AmeriCorps Budget (or the PDF version).

Mimi Morris

3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m.–5:15 p.m.

Training Block 4

Ask a Grants Officer

This will be an opportunity for participants to meet with CNCS Grants Officers and ask questions.

Merribeth Pentasuglia, Lennette White

Ask OIG Staff

Carol Bates

Audit Resolution

Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the audit resolution process.

Claire Moreno

National Serve Resource Center

Participants will learn more about the National Service Resource Center, what they can find there, the various services offered, and how they can benefit by using it.

Gina Fulbright-Powell

Background Checks

Participants will have an opoprtunity to learn more about the new requirements for National Service Criminal-History Checks and ask questions.

Mike Kenefick

Budget Amendments

Participants can discuss budgeting and budget amendments.

Mimi Morris

Accounting Software

Participants will have a chance to hear about various accounting software packages and discuss pros and cons.

Jonnie Jenkins

Pre-Award Assessments

Participants will have a chance to learn more about pre-award assessments and discuss questions.

Bill Cole

Financial Reporting

Matt Capucini

Changes in IRS 990 Report

At this table, the IRS 990 report and changes will be discussed.

Ron Walker

Reporting Volunteer Hours for SC

The proper procedures for reporting volunteer hours will be discussed.

Jeffrey Montgomery

Planning for Life w/o Web-based Reporting System

The WBRS system will be retired. This group will discuss issues relating to this process.

Peg Rosenberry

In-kind Documentation

Participants will discuss issues relating to documenting in-kind donations.

Susan Meche

Grant Closeout

Participants will discuss the grants closeout process, including the required documentation to be submitted and records retention.

Matt Cpucini

DAY THREE—Thursday, March 20, 2008

Time

Session Title

Description

Presenters

7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m.

Networking Breakfast

Come start your day with a nice breakfast. There will be an opportunity to meet with participants from your program.

8:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

Training Block 5

Developing and Managing Your Budget - Senior Corps Program Only

As essential part of budgeting is identifying costs attributable to your national service program. This session will provide participants with tools to help align their budget and program design. There will also be information on managing a budget once it is created.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Developing and Managing Your Senior Corps Budget (or the PDF version).

Kristina Tecce

Financial Reporting - AmeriCorps and LSA

This session is designed to assist participants in being more informed about their financial reporting requirements, specifically Financial Status Reports (FSRs) and Federal Cash Transaction Reports (FTCRs or 272s). This session will not only cover the nuts and bolts of completing the reports, it will also review the inputs of gathering the proper information to complete the reports and a have a clear audit trail. Grantees will also become familiar with the steps to complete the necessary paperwork.  

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Financial Reporting - AmeriCorps and LSA (or the PDF version).

Matt Capucini

Documenting Cash and In-kind Match - AmeriCorps

This session provides participants with information on how to properly track and record donations, as well as additional ideas for matching funds for their program. Participants will learn how to properly document expenses for grant accountability and gather information to ensure that in-kind donations are properly documented. There will also be information about how to calculate the value of these donations.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Documenting Cash and In-kind Match - AmeriCorps (or the PDF version).

Susan Meche

Subgrantee Monitoring - Grantees with Subgrants or Subrecipients

This session is for organizations that sub-grant any of the funding that it receives from the Corporation for National and Community Service. This session will provide participants with concrete methods to incorporate a risk-based approach in the review and monitoring of their sub-grantee(s) when conducting desk monitoring activities or site visits.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Subgrantee Monitoring (or the PDF version).

Download the handouts (PDFs):  Elements of Effective Monitoring, Financial Site Visit Review Items, Monitoring Tools and Resources, Pre-Award Assessments, Risk Based Assessment Approach to Monitoring, Site Visit Monitoring Process

Bill Cole

In this session, we will explore common pitfalls experienced by national service programs. Information was gathered from common findings in audits conducted by and on behalf of the Office of the Inspector General, CNCS monitoring findings, and general audit issues. Participants will learn from the mistake of other grantees, and establish systems to prevent the findings within their organization.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Avoiding Common Pitfalls (or the PDF vesion).

Mike Kenefick

This session will provide participants with methods to incorporate internal controls for all types of organizations, from small to large. There will be a review and discussion of a new tool that was created to assist organizations in reviewing and creating an organizational policies and procedures manual. Sample forms will be reviewed and best practices shared.

View the PowerPoint presentation for this section: Establishing Internal Controls (or the PDF version).

Jonnie Jenkins

10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

Break

10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Program Group Meeting

This session will allow participants an opportunity to develop an action plan to identify steps to strengthen their financial and grants management systems.

AmeriCorps

Kristina Tecce

Senior Corps

Susan Meche

Learn and Serve

Jonnie Jenkins

Post Test

Post Test with Answers (PDF)

Jonnie Jenkins

Blank Pre and Post Tests

Instructions for Reading the Pre and Post Test Results (PDF)

2008 Pre Test Results (PDF)

2008 Post Test Results (PDF)

Jonnie Jenkins