Serving Grant Managers with Proven Experience & Subject Matter Expertise

Public Impact Advisors provides full lifecycle grants management consulting and training across state, local and tribal governments; nonprofits; institutions of higher education; and the federal government.

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Services

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Upcoming Federal Grants Training

Ideal For

Grant Managers

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Program & Grant Officials

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Auditors & Grant Monitors

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Accounting & Financial Management Staff

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Organizational Leadership

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See Upcoming Events

Jerry Bertrand

Director & Founder

jerry@publicimpactadvisors.com

I'm Jerry Bertrand with Public Impact Advisors. I hope this finds you healthy and well, and that it has been a good year thus far at your organization. I've met many of you through the years, but I want to reach out to let you know who we are and mention some of the services we provide.

We are a company specializing in federal grants management and compliance, with deep experience and subject matter expertise in financial management of federal grants. My background is working in various aspects of nonprofit, state, and federal financial management, with experience in all stages of the grants management lifecycle, including 15 years in various subrecipient oversight roles in both state government and the nonprofit sector. For the last eight years, I've led our work at Public Impact Advisors, where I've delivered approximately 500 full days of federal grants training and led myriad grants consulting projects to help client organizations continue their growth as social sector leaders and solve pressing business problems that can hinder organizations if left unaddressed.

Perhaps many can be a grants manager, but we strive to be seen by our clients as an ally, advocate, trusted friend, and advisor-for recipients and subrecipients; and grantmaking entities. In short, for over 20 years, we've been thinking deeply about grants management; how it can best be done, and how to avoid the most common pain points and efficiently manage otherwise cumbersome requirements that often come attached to grants. And we love helping organizations do the same! Sincerely, we are out to redefine the sometimes negative perception of consultants, by going the extra mile for our clients and refusing to be satisfied until you are.

It would be my pleasure to have a conversation about how we can assist your organization, and see our training & consulting services for more information.

Upcoming Training Events

Grant Monitoring and Oversight

Funders of grants are charged with ensuring strong performance and compliance of their grantees. This training will focus on principles, best practices, and systems for effective monitoring and oversight. We will present a practical approach to grant monitoring and illustrate the necessary systems to do this work well. Subject matter will include: *Risk assessment of grantees*Specific conditions to mitigate risk*Types of monitoring*Creation of a monitoring plan*Drafting monitoring reports*Resolution of monitoring issues and corrective action plans*Using monitoring data to inform grant portfolio management*Technical assistance to grantees*Practical tips and techniques

Policies and Procedures Level-Up

Policies and Procedures built with compliance, efficiency, and clarity lead to success in managing grants. We will cover key grants and financial management policies/procedures, and provide tools, samples, and checklists related to important policies/procedures for federal grants management. Participants will have an opportunity to submit policies and procedures in advance for high level review by Public Impact Advisors and will receive one hour of P&P technical assistance up to 30 days post-event. You will leave more prepared for strong grants/financial management systems and with an action plan for improvement of your policies and procedures.

2 CFR 200 Cost Principles: Ensuring Cost Allowability on Federal Awards

Ensuring allowable costs is a must for federal grant recipients and subrecipients. We'll explore key topics related to the financial/cost allowability side of grants management, including: *Grantee financial management system requirements *Key cost-related directives *The reliable framework to ensure allowable costs on your federal grants *Treatment of selected items of cost *Practical application of cost-related requirements for important grants management functions, including budget preparation, spending decisions/justifications, grant monitoring, audit/monitoring resolution and corrective action; and when prior approval is required for cost-related grant changes.

Federal Grant Updates, Trends, and Developments

Stay abreast of recent and emerging developments in federal grants management, including *2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) revisions*Audit and monitoring trends*Statutory and regulatory changes*Presidential administration directives (including executive orders and grant termination/reinstatement implications)*Artificial intelligence

Federal Grants Management Fundamentals

Understand and get refreshed on the full grants management life cycle and best practices, including *Key attributes and premises of the federal grants system*An overview of the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200*Internal Controls for Grants Management*Post Federal Award Requirements (including Cost Sharing, Program Income, •Budget and Program Changes, Property Standards, Procurement Standards*Subrecipient Monitoring and Management) Cost Allowability and Adequate Documentation*Indirect Costs and Cost Allocation*Common Pitfalls*Grants Management Myths*Grants Management Scorecard (you’ll leave with an improvement plan for your organization's grants management)*Federal Grants Management Updates (including new requirements/developments and current trends)‍

Other Training Services

#

course

format
(Webinars can also be in-person and be combined for a comprehensive training)

Duration

1

Internal Controls for Grants Management

Webinar/Short Course

2 Hours

2

Ensuring Cost Allowability-Principles, Tools, and Best Practices

Webinar/Short Course

1.5 Hours

3

Federal Matching/Cost Sharing Requirements & Best Practices

Webinar/Short Course

1 Hour

4

Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)

Webinar/Short Course

1 Hour

5

Federal Procurement Requirements & Best Practices

Webinar/Short Course

2 Hours

6

Understanding and Managing Program Income

Webinar/Short Course

45 Mins

7

AmeriCorps State and National Living Allowance Distribution Requirements

Webinar/Short Course

0.5 Hours

8

Internal Controls for Grants Management

Webinar/Short Course

2 Hours

9

Budget and Program Changes (Required Prior Approvals)

Webinar/Short Course

1 Hour

10

Common Grants Management Challenges and Audit Findings (and How to Avoid Them)

Webinar/Short Course

1 Hour

11

Budget Management Principles and Best Practices

Webinar/Short Course

1 Hour

12

Introduction to Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements

1-3 Day Class

3 Days

13

Pre-award Requirements under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

1 Days

14

Uniform Administrative Requirements under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

2 Days

15

Post Award Requirements under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

1 Day

16

Cost Principles under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

2 Days

17

Advanced Cost Principles under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

1 Day

18

Audit Requirements under 2 CFR 200

1-3 Day Class

1 Day

19

Property, Procurement and Subrecipient Oversight

1-3 Day Class

1 Day

Consulting Services

Subrecipient Grant Application Budget Review

A thorough budget review is integral to starting the relationship off with strong fiscal management standards and clearing up applicant misconceptions that can be spotted in a submitted budget or learned in budget clarification/negotiation. Sometimes agency and pass-through entity teams may not possess expertise or staffing bandwidth to perform the thorough review that is necessary. We review potential subrecipient budgets for Commission grant competitions and provide key negotiation/clarification points (and associated review of clarifications and resubmissions when needed), ensuring red flags and compliance issues are addressed; This leads to the submission of high quality, compliant budgets and assists the funder in emphasizing strong financial management from early in the grants process.

Subaward Monitoring

We perform sub-recipient monitoring reviews on behalf of state service commissions, including review of policies and procedures, expenditure source document review, report writing, and resolution of issues (where needed).

Pre-Audit/Pre-Monitoring Review

In advance of an upcoming Single Audit, Inspector General Audit or funder monitoring visit, we'll perform an assessment of your policies, procedures, systems and expenditure documentation to ensure you're ready for auditor scrutiny.

Pre-award Risk Assessments

We are equipped to review your prospective recipent’s/subrecipients' policies, procedures, and grants management systems before funding, ensuring challenge areas are addressed related to the common problem areas on federal grants, including time and effort reporting, procurement, program income, cost sharing and matching, key fiscal functions (cash management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reporting, reconciliations, payroll), cost allowability, travel, and property management.

Grants Management Operational Assessments

we perform wholesale reviews of a recipient’s or subrecipient’s grants management operation through a lens of the internal control structure strongly suggested by OMB for federal grants. This process includes reviews of policies and procedures, staffing structure assessment, and staff interviews using our 22 question tool to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to grants management. This culminates with a report of actionable recommendations.

Grants Management Technical Assistance

We provide technical assistance for pass-through entities and subrecipients helping bring resolution to problems and questions related to all aspects of the lifecycle of grants management, including grant competitions, risk assessment, subrecipient monitoring, reporting, cost allowability requirements, and other grants management processes and requirements,

Grants Management Consulting

We provide consulting to aid recipients and subrecipients in making key decisions, such as those related to staffing structures, important and ambiguous areas of grants compliance, utilizing fixed amount awards, and subrecipient payment processes

Grants Management Coaching

We provide staff coaching around various aspects of the grants management lifecycle. A common structure is a coaching program between five and eight meetings, helping grants management staff achieve their goals within an accountability structure, get questions answered, understand key grant directives, and solve current challenges. This initiative has proven to be extremely effective with newer staff at recipient and subrecipient organizations, moving them to new heights of skill and effectiveness.

Policy and Procedure Review

We review policies and procedures for Commissions and subrecipients, providing feedback, edits, and explanations to ensure greater efficiency and compliance with the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200.

Policy, Procedure, System and Tool Creation

We utilize our nuanced knowledge of federal regulations combined with our gained understanding of your organization's staffing, structure, and other realities to design, develop, and implement (or assist you in doing so) structured systems to manage grants. These include grants management software, other tracking systems, written policies and procedures, subrecipient monitoring tools, and job aids to simplify and assist in grants management, decision-making, and compliance.

Grant Proposal Writing

We have a strong track record of success in securing federal funding, taking the painstaking and cumbersome work of managing anything from a proposal creation process to an overall funds development office off of your shoulders.

Audit Report Response and Resolution

Sometimes federal grant recipients and subrecipients find themselves faced with audit findings, or with the need to respond to audit findings of their subrecipients. In this situation, we strongly suggest securing professional help with nuanced knowledge of federal directives and strategies to adequately address audit challenges, whether they are from your own or a subrecipient's audit.