OMB Issues Version 1 of the Standard Grants Management Data Elements

The Office of Management and Budget recently issued Version 1.0 of the Standard Grants Management Data Elements. The data elements had previously been made available for public comment from November 2018 to February 2019.

As part of the announcement, OMB, on behalf of the Cross-Agency Priority Goal: Results-Oriented Accountability for Grants Executive Steering Committee (ESC), also published an infosheet explaining how the  Standard Grants Management Data Elements fits within the broader federal government goal of “maximizing the value of grant funding by applying a risk-based, data-driven framework that balances compliance requirements with demonstrating successful results for the American taxpayer.”

What Is the Office of Management and Budget? (And How Does It Relate to Federal Grants?)

This post was originally published on May 1, 2017 and updated on July 23, 2019.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is an Executive Branch office that oversees the implementation of the President of the United States’ vision across government agencies (WhiteHouse.gov – OMB). This relates to the grant programs implemented by federal agencies and affects how they are managed, their budgets, and the forms applicants complete when applying for a grant.

HHS Conference Affords Glimpse Into ‘Reinvention’ of Federal Grants Management

As federal agencies continue their move towards a more data-centric approach to grants management, areas like grantee risk assessment and performance evaluation are positioned to reap the early benefits of the ongoing data revolution in government.

On June 6, attendees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Grants Management Conference in Shady Grove, MD were given glimpses of how data can be leveraged to help achieve mission objectives more effectively and efficiently.

At HHS, improving efficiency by even a single percentage point can mean billions of dollars saved, said Michael Peckham, who heads up the Reinvent Grants Management initiative at HHS.

In fiscal year 2018, for example, about 67% of all federal grants came from HHS, totaling about $509 billion. Peckham, citing a study by the Federal Demonstration Partnership, said that an estimated 44% of awarded grant funds are spent on grantor and grantee overhead.

“Imagine creating efficiencies and reducing administrative burden by 1% annually” and utilizing those funds for mission objectives, he said.

In fact, a range of data-related reforms are already being rolled out and tested within HHS. These efforts are laying the foundation for the more efficient and effective use of federal grant funds in the coming years.

Resource: Self-Paced Grants Management Courses from the Department of Education

Continuing our blog series on applicant resources from federal government agencies and offices, today we highlight one of the more comprehensive sets of training modules on offer from the U.S. Department of Education. In fact, there are currently ten self-paced e-learning courses available on ED.gov’s Grants Training and Management Resources page.

“While the topics focus primarily on fiscal issues, there are important concepts included in the trainings that are applicable to anyone involved in grants activities, either programmatic or fiscal,” reads a description of the resource.

Last Year’s Most-Read Blog Posts: OMB Training, Peer Review Panels & More

Here at the Grants.gov Community Blog, we strive to highlight and produce federal grants-related resources that will remain useful long into the future.

If you missed any of these popular posts from the blog in 2018, now is your chance to get up to speed for the new year.

 

5 Popular Posts from 2018

OMB Publishes Free Online Grants Management Training

“The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) initially developed its Grants 101 Training for federal government employees, but now these eLearning modules are available as a resource for you.”  Read More >

Federal Grants Policy: 5 Highlights from OMB Memo M-18-24

A memorandum released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on September 5, 2018, outlined a range of steps that the Federal Government is taking to reduce grant recipient reporting burden. You can read the memo in full here.

Below, we highlight a few of the key takeaways relevant to the federal grants community:

Top 5 Blog Posts Halfway through 2018

As 2018 continues to zip by, let’s take a look back at the top 5 most read posts published this year on the Grants.gov Community Blog.

#5 – Video: Can I Get a Federal Grant for My Small Business?

“The promise of “free money” to launch or grow a business is alluring. But, is there any truth to the idea?” – February 21, 2018

Gil Tran on What Is Coming Up for the OMB Uniform Guidance in 2018

While telling a story about a vacation to Venice, Italy, Gil Tran, Senior Policy Analyst for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), described Venice as a beautiful and unique city where, “you’re always going to get lost when you’re in it.” Despite its layout, he said, “When you get lost, that’s when you discover all the gems.”

According to Tran, this is how grant professionals ought to dive into and enjoy the OMB Uniform Guidance (or the “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” for those who prefer its full name). Immerse yourselves and get lost, only to discover the wonderful “nuggets” of regulations governing your federal award experience.

While many of you may have a less enchanted, more pragmatic approach to grant administration, you nonetheless need to know the latest about the Uniform Guidance.

OMB Publishes Free Online Grants Management Training

Do you want the grants training for federal grant managers? The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) initially developed the Grants 101 Training for federal government employees, but now these eLearning modules are available as a resource for you.

What’s New with Grant Policies? DATA Act & OMB Memos

The 2017 fiscal year has been an important one for federal government grants. Milestones include the completion of a Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act) pilot program and the release of the OMB M-17-26 Reducing Burden for Federal Agencies by Rescinding and Modifying OMB Memorandum.

For seasoned grant professionals, you have probably heard about the DATA Act and are familiar with memos from OMB that provide new guidance on how to better manage and implement grants.