Role

• provides grant staff with technical support in the administration of grants
  
• offers suggestions for establishing office procedures for managing grants
  
• works collaboratively with college administrative offices facilitating program objectives
  
• provides budget and FRS expertise to grant staff to ensure compliance with regulations
  
• routes grant-funded travel pre-approval forms through all appropriate offices for completion of the pre-travel process

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. Upon receiving a new award of grant funding, what are good grant management tips for setting up office files that would clear an agency audit?
A. At the beginning of the grant award, record all grant expenditures on a spreadsheet cumulative throughout the project years. These expenditures must be supported by proper documentation. Prepare specific file folders (dated by budget periods) for each of the proposed budget expenditure categories approved by the agency for carrying out the objectives of the grant i.e., stipends, travel, purchases, American Express charges, reports of time and effort, agency reports, match, consortium agreements, employee records and time sheets. Well-organized records are a plus if an audit should be requested after the grant has ended.

Q. How do I proceed properly to pay grant associates such as evaluators, consultants, consortium partners, counselors, clerical support, etc.?
A. Contact the grant team management representative to review the agency -approved budget narrative to determine the appropriate administrative office to contact.

Q. Once I have AIS access, whom do I ask to assist me in reviewing?
A. The grants management representative can assist you with starter training and ongoing questions and also with clearing up discrepancies to the account.

Q. Why do I have to route my grant-funded travel through the Grants Office?
A. The grants management rep works collaboratively with the appropriate offices for timely routing of grant-funded travel pre-approvals, for obtaining appropriate signatures, payment of registrations, and obtaining PO numbers for air travel.

Role

• supervises the billing, receipting, and depositing of all (tuition and fee) receivables authorized through an established grant contract agreement
• assigns the Student Information System (SIS) account number
• works directly with the campus Business Office and the Grant Accountant to ensure timely billing and payment of grant receivables
• provides technical assistance, of a general nature, relating to the registration and billing processes

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. When grant funding authorizes paying the tuition cost for a student or grant associate, what is the first step that I should take to oversee this process?
A. After you have been assigned an FRS account number, you will need to contact the Central Accounts Receivable Office to obtain a Student Information System (SIS) account number to encumber the tuition cost. Note: The account name assigned should be similar to the descriptive name assigned in FRS. The tuition invoice will bear the SIS account name, and it should be easily identifiable to the grant accountant upon receipt.

Q. Once the FRS and SIS accounts have been established, what is my next step?
A. Contact your campus Enrollment Services Office to obtain and initiate the required admissions/registration documents for the student/grant associate.

After student/grant associates have been enrolled in their assigned course(s), prepare an Internal Billing Request Memorandum (IBRM). Take the completed IBRM to your campus Business Office to finalize the enrollment process.

Q. When will the disbursement appear on my FRS account?
A. Central Accounts Receivable will issue an invoice to the grant accountant after the established refund census date for the term has passed. The grant accountant will complete and submit an ATV (Agency Transaction Voucher) to Accounts Payable to post the disbursement in FRS.
Q. If the disbursement of the IBRM has not been posted in FRS, who should I contact?
A. First, contact the Central Accounts Receivable Office to see if your account has been invoiced. If your account has been invoiced, the next step would be to contact the grant accountant. If the ATV has been processed, the final step would be to contact Accounts Payable.

Role

• maintains required accounting records for grant-funded activities
  
• signs all expenditure documents to indicate that the expense is within the scope of the grant and that there are sufficient grant funds
  
• submits financial reports to sponsors
  
• works collaboratively with grant staff in coordinating operational reports and in assuring all reports are submitted as required.

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. Can I use the funds for a category that is not budgeted?
A. Refer to the terms and conditions of the grant award. If reallocation provision is not clear, then contact the grant accountant.

Q. How much money is remaining in my account?
A. Refer to FRS screen 019 and view the balance remaining category.

Role

• responds to questions from grant staff in the travel planning stage
• oversees the processing of travel claims to assure that the claim and the required forms are in compliance with travel policy
• assists grant travelers upon final submission of the reimbursement claim

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. My grant proposal includes budgeted and approved travel by the sponsoring agency. Do I still have to provide special justification for mission essential travel and obtain all the signatures as required for state funded travel?
A. Yes! Travelers using grant-sponsored program funds must follow the state travel policies unless exempted in writing by the sponsor/grantor.

Q. Is my supervisor required to sign on Budget and Pre-approval travel forms since I am the Grant Director who oversees the grant objectives and expenditures?
A. Yes! The three signatures required on any travel pre-approval (other than the traveler) are the Supervisor, Executive Level Staff Member, and the Grant Accountant. The signature of the Dean of Finance is required for overnight travel, conference attendance, or for bringing candidates in for recruitment purposes. The President's signature is required for travel outside the United States, travel for which the total cost will exceed $1,500, and travel involving overnight lodging by more than five college employees to attend the same event (except VCCS sponsored events).

Q. Can a registration be processed on a Purchase Order Request form, and do I still include the registration cost on the Travel Budget and Pre-Approval form?
A. After your Budget and Pre-Approval Form has been approved, a Purchase Order Request (POR) Form may be used to obtain a purchase order number to hold your registration until payment arrives. Registrations are not paid from POR forms; the Budget and Pre-Approval Form is always required for payment of registrations.

All travel-related expenditures must be included on the pre-approval form, including registration cost. Failure to include all expenses, including prepaid expenses, can result in the traveler exceeding the pre-approved estimate by more than 10%, resulting in having to get all the required signatures on the travel reimbursement claim form.

• works with the Grants Office when proposals are being developed to assure that proposed match is within expectations of the college budget
• verifies availability of college direct match funding when required to support salary or travel

Role

• facilitates all grant-funded purchases of goods or services
• assures purchase order requests (PORS) are processed to meet grant requirements
• answers questions related to the purchase of goods or services

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. How do I know whether to pay someone through Purchasing using a POR form or through Payroll using a Special Payment form?
A. If you are paying someone who is employed by the College (in any capacity), you must process the payment through Payroll. If you are paying an individual who is not an employee, prepare a POR form listing the person's name, address and social security number. Forward the POR form to Purchasing which will have it approved by Payroll, insuring the person is not a College employee.

Q. Why do food purchases require additional approvals and additional processing time?
A. As a general rule, food purchases are not allowable expenditures from state funds (FRS accts. beginning with a 1 or 2). All requests for food require approval by the College's chief accountant. When you submit a POR form for food, you must attach a statement as to the necessity of the food purchase and, if it is for a meeting, an agenda for the meeting. You must also provide a list of attendees. POR forms for purchases that cost less than $5,000 require 3 to 15 working days for completion. Because food purchases require the chief accountant's approval, it is important that you plan ahead for food purchases.

Q. Why do I have to follow state purchasing guidelines and regulations when I'm using grant dollars for my purchase?
A. Once funds are transferred to TCC, all restrictions imposed by the Public Procurement Act, Agency Procurement & Surplus Property Manual, Vendor's Manual, and TCC Financial and Administrative Services Policy & Procedures Manual apply to your funds. Grant funds have an additional restriction because an expenditure requires the prior approval of the College's grant accountant. Some grants contain regulations more restrictive than state guidelines. In that case, the more restrictive grant regulations must be followed.

Q. When is my purchase considered an "emergency"?
A. An emergency is an occurrence of a serious or urgent nature that demands immediate action. The state defines emergency purchase orders as those required to protect personal safety or property or other types of emergencies as determined, in writing, and approved by the agency head or designated representative. Lack of planning does not constitute an emergency order. Unexpected "immediate need" purchases may arise occasionally. The requestor may contact the purchasing department which will work with you to resolve your immediate need.

Role

• assists grant project directors in developing appropriate job descriptions
• provides advice on job classifications and salaries for new employees
• assists project directors in negotiating recruitment and hiring procedures
• receives notifications for employee record changes
• assists project directors with employee relations issues

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. My grant has just been renewed with additional money for salaries and wages. How do I process the pay increases for my grant program staff?
A. We cannot change the pay of a grant-funded employee on the basis of increased funding available! You may increase the salary or hourly rate of pay due to 1) increased volume/complexity of work by changing the role title or awarding an in-band adjustment; 2) new skills, certification, degrees, competencies acquired by the incumbent; 3) temporarily for a special project or short term assignment. In short, you may increase the pay of a grant-funded employee under the same conditions that apply to state-funded positions.

Q. How do I hire an hourly employee?
A. First you must establish the tasks you will assign to the employee and then determine the appropriate role title and rate of pay (contact me for assistance). You may recruit the position - or you may hire a qualified person that you find through referral, word of mouth, etc. Once you have selected a candidate, complete an HR-38, obtain signatures, and forward to Kathy Williamson or Gwen Archibald with required employment documents.

Q. I need a new full-time position immediately - how long do I have to wait to begin recruiting for it?
A. If the proposed new position is in pay bands one through five, we have delegated authority to establish the position here at the college. To establish a new position we need an employee work profile describing the duties, measures and qualifications of the job. In addition, we need a signed HR-1 Notice of Vacancy-Request for Recruitment including authorized FRS code. It only takes a few days to complete a review of the forms, discuss and incorporate any needed revisions, establish the position in the system, and begin recruitment.

Role

• responds to questions about time sheets, payroll schedules
• assists with identifying payroll FRS entries

Commonly Asked Questions

Q. When can a new employee expect his/her first payment?
A. Generally, as a rule of thumb, all approved new hire paperwork must be received in the payroll office no later than 1st of the month and the employee can expect payment on the 16th of the current month. Anything received between 2nd and the 15th of the current month will be processed on the 1st of the next month. Note: a Biweekly deadline schedule can be obtained by contacting your Payroll Representative.