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Policies and Procedures TITLE: GRANTS APPLICATION AND ADMINISTRATION
DESCRIPTION: GRANTS APPLICATION AND ADMINISTRATION

PURPOSE:

To establish guidelines for the application, acceptance and administration of grants including, but not limited to federal, state and local grants.

POLICY:

Individual Departments are encouraged to investigate sources of funding relevant to their respective departmental activities.

The individual Department applying for a grant shall generally be considered the Program Administrator of the grant. The Financial Services Grants Section of the Financial Services Department may assist in the financial administration and reporting of the grant but the Program Administrator is ultimately responsible for meeting all terms and conditions of the grant, ensuring that only allowable costs are charged to the grant program and is responsible for adhering to City budgeting and fiscal procedures. Individual Departments and Program Administrators are not authorized to execute grant contracts. Grant contracts should be reviewed by the Legal Department and executed by the City Manager and or City Council.
When council approval is required to submit a grant application, the City Manager, or his/her designee, shall be authorized to sign all grant documents and be listed as the authorized official and as the official with financial authority or similar designations on all grant applications, acceptances and other documents in accordance with grant requirements on behalf of the City of El Paso when the grant application does not require the governing body to sign, when the grant does not require matching funds, unless those funds were included in the budget at the time the budget was adopted, or when the grants do not require an in-kind contribution from the City.
The City Manager shall sign and submit grants and grants-related items when the grant submission deadline is of such short duration that there is no adequate time to place the item on the agenda (Fast Tracking) provided that the City Manager finds that there has been no undue delay by staff preparing the grant document, the grant fits within already established or recognized City functions or activities, the funding for any matching funds can be readily located within departmental budgets and used for the grant purposes without detrimentally affecting Department operations and that the City Manager informs each member of the Council of the action taken and takes any action required under the City's Budget Resolution as soon as practicable.
The Grants Services Division (GSD) shall exist to serve as a support entity in assisting Departments in securing funds needed for their programs and services. Services provided to Departments by the GSD shall include, but not be limited to: investigating and referring sources of funding, technical assistance and grant writing support, program start-up and monitoring, maintaining a web page with grant application related data.

PROCEDURES

Decision to Apply for Grant Funds - Upon decision to apply for grant funds, the Department Head or Project Manager completes, and electronically circulates, the Grant Application Information Form located on the City Website under Financial Services, to inform the following persons of the Department's intention to apply:
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB) -Review by OMB applies only when matching funds are required in the application - OMB will certify availability of matching funds in the requesting Department's budget or within other available resources. (It is important to secure this information prior to developing the grant application.)
- Deputy City Manager (DCM) - If matching funds are not required, the Department submits the Grants Application Information Form (GIAF) directly to corresponding DCM.
- Grants Services Division (GSD) - Department submits GIAF to the GSD for tracking and record keeping purposes.
Note: The GIAF is for informational and tracking purposes only. Departments are not required to obtain written authorization to proceed with writing a grant application.
Request for Technical Assistance from GSD - The Department may consult GSD with subject matter or request Technical Assistance and grant-writing support at any time throughout the grant writing process.
Preparing a City Council Resolution When Required - When Council Resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application is required by the funding source, the Department Head or assigned Project Manager is responsible for seeking the assistance of the Legal Department and obtaining the signature of the Assistant City Attorney assigned to assist the requesting Department, scheduling the item on the normal agenda, attending the agenda review and resolving outstanding issues in accordance with existing City policies and procedures. The Resolution should include language authorizing the submission of the grant, availability of matching funds, and authorization to accept and implement the grant if awarded. Inclusion of this language eliminates the need to return to Council with an acceptance request.
Submitting Resolution to City Clerk's Office - The Department Head or Project manager is responsible for the following:
- Placing the item on the City Council Agenda through the City Clerk's Office.
- Completing the Agenda Item Department Head's Summary Form.
- Submitting all documentation electronically and in hard copy, with all required signatures secured.
Note: The most common documentation for grants is the resolution. When the resolution goes to the City Clerk's Office, it has the signature of the assigned Assistant City Attorney assigned to assist the requesting Department (For example, Police legal advisor for Police grant). The resolution is then sent to the Mayor to sign and then the City Clerk signs attesting to his signature.
Legal Review - Upon grant application completion, and prior to submission to funding source, the Department is responsible for submitting the grant application to the Legal Department for review. Signature from the Legal Departments is required in the GIAF. The Legal Department will require approximately 5 working days for review.
City Manager Signature - After legal review is completed, the Department is responsible for submitting a file with the grant application signature pages (assurances, etc.) for the City Manager's signature. A copy of the GIAF with Legal Department signature should be attached to signature pages file. The City Manager will sign and return application to the Department within the same working date.
Mailing Application to Funding Sources - The Department is responsible for mailing application directly to funding source via Federal Express, U.S. Mail, or in person. Regular City mail system is not to be used for submitting a grant application.
Electronic Submission of Applications - Electronic submission of all City Departments are subject to all grants polices and procedures, including obtaining specific authorization from the City Manager prior to electronic submission.
Accepting Grant Awards and Post Awards Procedures - Immediately after receiving notice of award, the Department shall inform DCM and send a copy of the award notice to GSD for posting on the GSD's web page and for tracking purposes. If there is no written notice, the Department shall notify the DCM and GSD of the award, via email.
If the application was fast-tracked, the Department is responsible for initiating Council approval process immediately after notification of award.
Executing the Grant Contract - Only the City Manager and his/her designee are authorized to sign contracts, agreements or other instruments related to grants. Contracts not drafted by the City Attorney's Office must be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney's Office before going to the City Manager or his/her designee for signatures. When the contract document arrives from the grantor agency, the Department Head or Project Manager is responsible for forwarding the award agreement/contract to the Legal Department for review and to the City Manager's Office or his/her designee for signature.
Setting Up Grant-Specific Expenditure Accounts - The Department is responsible for providing all grant related information for setting-up a grant specific account to the Financial Services Department by completing the Request for Grant Set Up Form located in the Public Voyager Drive.
- The Request for Grant Set Up Form is submitted with a copy of the Letter of Award, the grant package and the City Council Resolution (when applicable). This information will assist ensure smooth performance of the grant programmatically as well as fiscally.
- Once account information is set up, it will be forwarded to the Department via email to initiate budget process.

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