USING FUNDS SUCCESSFULLY

George GodfreyMA/SERD/CSREES/USDA

SERD Project Directors’ ConferenceNew Orleans, LA

April 1, 2005

Notification of Award!

On Schedule?• Read Award Notice• Notify Partners• Objectives• Budget• Time Line• Report Deadlines• Start

Time Line

. . . Reports

Notification of Award!

Delayed Start?• Read Award Notice – Money on Hold• Examples of Delays: Budget, Overdue Rpt• Objectives and Budget• Time Line - Reset?• Report Deadlines• Start Project

Time Line. . . Reports

OBJECTIVES

Time Line

. . . Reports

ACTIVITIES

REPORTS

BUDGET

Getting Organized

PERSONNEL

BENCH MARKS

Project Period• 1-5 Years• Bench Marks• Work Toward Objectives• Activities

$$$$ $$$$

Draw DownsObligations

Remember > 10 % and 5-year rules

Objectives & Budget Alignment

Objectives Budget

12x

End$0.00

Time Line

. . . Reports

Changing Scenarios

• Scope or Objectives• Key Personnel• Project Leadership• All of the above *

* Refer to Terms and Conditions “B” :http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/awardterms.htm

. . . Reports

Time Line

Changes May Lead To . . .

• No-Cost Extension (NCE)?

NCEOriginal End Date

. . . Reports

Original Time Line. . . Reports

New End Date

Adjusted Time Line

- Request 30 Days Before End Date

Project Adjustments (cont.)

Prior Approval Required:

• Budget Change (> 10% Budget Rule)• Change in Scope or Objectives• Change in Key Personnel• Absence/Change in Project Leadership• No-Cost Extension

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/awardterms.htm

Project Communication

PD

PARTNER ADM & GRANT OFFICES

CSREESPROGRAM

CSREESAWARDS

CSREESFUNDSMGMT

TECHNICAL IMPACTWRITING

Saleia Afele-FaamuliMA/SERD/CSREES/USDA

SERD Project Directors’ ConferenceNew Orleans, LA

April 1, 2005

REPORTS

ANNUAL

FINAL

FINANCIAL

WHY REPORT?

IT’S REQUIRED

FOR WHOM?

Our CONSTITUENTS

• Tax Payers• Congress• Stakeholders• Fed/State/Local

Officials

• Grants• University Community• Industry

Representatives• YOU!

HOW?

IMPACT STATEMENTS!

WHAT is an IMPACT STATEMENT?

Brief description of differences made on health, social,

environmental, economic, etc.

• Quantifiable/Qualitative Differences ….Target Audience and Public

• Your accomplishments and payoff to society

Impact is NOT Simply

• A Description of the Program

• # Meetings Held During Life of Project

• # Experiments

• # Students Enrolled in a Class

3 Components of an Impact Statement

1. What is the Issue?

2. What’s been done?

3. So What? What difference did it make?

What is the Issue?

A Descriptive Problem Statement:

What?

Why?

How?

Where?

When?

What’s Been Done?Plan of Action

ACTION/ACTIVITIES RE THE ISSUE

Examples:

• # People Reached

• # Meetings Held

• # Experiments Completed

• # Students Enrolled in a Class

SO WHAT?

What DIFFERENCE did it make?

IMPACTS!

What Makes a Good Impact Statement?

• Clear/easy to Read Illustration of How Project Changed/Improved Lives of Clientele

• Benefits to Clientele/Public

E.g. Financial Savings/Better Mgmt of Resources/Improved Health

• Investment Benefits• Unique Situation

EXAMPLE 1:What is the Issue?

CSREES expectations for funded projects• Annual, clear updates• Final Reports and IMPACTS must be

clearly communicated for the benefit of: Program Recipients Public Congress

What has been Done?

The 2005 Project Directors’ Conference was designed for program recipients and eligible institutions. Conference attracted ~250 participants and ~80 posters presentations.

What has been Done? (Cont.)

Project Directors’ Conference goals:• Better interpret grant RFA• Enhance grant expectations/fiscal mgmt.• Understand effective project impact writing• Build network of initiatives• Build partnerships for integrated proposal

opportunities• Have exposure to innovative ideas.

So What?What Difference Did It Make?

Claims of the 2005 Project Directors’ Conference Participants:•Have better understanding of a grant RFA, expectations, reports/fiscal mgmt.•Formed new partnerships/collaborations.•Adopted new ideas from other innovative projects.•Ready to develop at least 1 innovative and competitive proposal.

National Impact Database

• Searchable impact database is open to the public

• View impact reports at:

http://impact.csrees.usda.gov/impact