Grant Writing Post-Award Grant Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a no-cost extension (NCE) in grant management?
- To increase the total award amount
- To allow additional time to complete project activities without extra funding (Correct answer)
- To change the principal investigator on the grant
- To transfer funds between budget categories
Correct answer: To allow additional time to complete project activities without extra funding
A no-cost extension grants additional time beyond the original project end date to complete activities using already-awarded funds, without additional money from the sponsor.
Question 2: Under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), what is the standard deadline for submitting a final financial report after a federal grant period ends?
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 90 days (Correct answer)
- 120 days
Correct answer: 90 days
2 CFR 200.344 requires recipients to submit final financial reports within 90 calendar days after the end of the period of performance.
Question 3: A grantee discovers $5,000 of unspent funds at grant closeout. What is the correct action?
- Roll the funds into next year's budget
- Return the unobligated balance to the federal awarding agency (Correct answer)
- Spend the funds on any organizational need before the deadline
- Request a no-cost extension to use the remaining funds on unrelated activities
Correct answer: Return the unobligated balance to the federal awarding agency
Unobligated balances that are not authorized for carryover must be returned to the federal awarding agency at closeout.
Question 4: Which document formally establishes the terms and conditions a grantee must follow after receiving a federal award?
- The grant proposal narrative
- The Notice of Award (NOA) (Correct answer)
- The indirect cost rate agreement
- The organizational chart
Correct answer: The Notice of Award (NOA)
The Notice of Award is the legally binding document that communicates the award decision and specifies all terms and conditions the recipient must follow.
Question 5: What does 'period of performance' refer to in a grant agreement?
- The time allowed to submit the grant application
- The evaluation period for grant impact after completion
- The time span during which grant-funded activities may be conducted and costs incurred (Correct answer)
- The duration of the post-award audit
Correct answer: The time span during which grant-funded activities may be conducted and costs incurred
The period of performance is the defined start-to-end timeframe during which the recipient is authorized to incur costs and carry out project activities.
Question 6: A principal investigator wants to shift 15% of personnel salary from one grant-funded position to another. Under most federal grants, what approval is typically required?
- No approval needed if under 25%
- Prior written approval from the federal awarding agency (Correct answer)
- Board of directors approval only
- Approval from the state auditor
Correct answer: Prior written approval from the federal awarding agency
Significant reallocation of personnel costs between positions typically requires prior approval from the awarding agency because it changes the approved scope of work.
Question 7: What is 'program income' in the context of federal grants?
- Indirect costs recovered from the grant
- Gross income earned by the recipient that is directly generated by the grant-supported activity (Correct answer)
- The total award amount received from the funder
- Matching contributions from non-federal sources
Correct answer: Gross income earned by the recipient that is directly generated by the grant-supported activity
Program income is revenue generated directly from grant-funded activities, such as fees for services or sales of products created under the grant, and must be tracked and reported.
Grant Writing Post-Award Grant Management 2
What is the primary purpose of a no-cost extension (NCE) in grant management?