Grants Federal Personnel Certificate Program (Self-Paced)
IDGRNT.L1SP

A two-day, hands-on course that equips federal grant professionals to manage and document post-award performance. Participants learn to align objectives, measures, data, reporting, and oversight, distinguish outputs from outcomes, and address performance risk and underperformance to withstand scrutiny from leadership, auditors, OIG, OMB, and Congress.

• Design performance frameworks that align activities, outputs, and outcomes
• Distinguish between compliance reporting and results management
• Identify and prioritize material performance risks
• Develop performance measures that are credible, measurable, and decision-useful
• Use performance data to inform oversight, technical assistance, and corrective action
• Respond to underperformance in a structured, defensible manner
• Document performance decisions in ways that withstand audit and oversight review

Monitoring and Managing Cooperative Agreements strengthens the practical skills professionals need to oversee cooperative agreements with substantial federal involvement. Participants learn how to structure monitoring, manage shared responsibilities, and document oversight decisions in ways that support program success and withstand audit and oversight review.

• Differentiate cooperative agreements from grants in purpose, structure, and oversight expectations.
• Identify the legal and regulatory basis for substantial federal involvement.
• Clarify and apply distinct roles and responsibilities for federal staff and recipients to preserve accountability.
• Design monitoring strategies that reflect shared responsibility and increased federal engagement.
• Document federal involvement in a clear, consistent, and defensible manner.
• Interpret performance and financial information within a cooperative agreement context to identify risk signals.
• Recognize risks unique to cooperative agreements, including role confusion and over-involvement.
• Select appropriate response options to performance and compliance issues while sustaining collaboration.
• Apply corrective actions and enforcement tools consistent with cooperative agreement authority.
• Demonstrate management practices that withstand audit and oversight scrutiny.

A two-day, hands-on course that equips federal grant professionals to manage and document post-award performance. Participants learn to align objectives, measures, data, reporting, and oversight, distinguish outputs from outcomes, and address performance risk and underperformance to withstand scrutiny from leadership, auditors, OIG, OMB, and Congress.

• Design performance frameworks that align activities, outputs, and outcomes
• Distinguish between compliance reporting and results management
• Identify and prioritize material performance risks
• Develop performance measures that are credible, measurable, and decision-useful
• Use performance data to inform oversight, technical assistance, and corrective action
• Respond to underperformance in a structured, defensible manner
• Document performance decisions in ways that withstand audit and oversight review

This certificate recognizes completion of Program Design and Risk Assessment, an intermediate course for federal and pass-through entity staff involved in grant program planning and oversight. The course focuses on integrating risk awareness into early program design decisions to strengthen compliance, reduce burden, and improve outcomes.

Certificate holders have demonstrated the ability to:

• Explain how program design decisions influence grant risk
• Identify programmatic, financial, compliance, capacity, and external risks during program planning
• Analyze how eligibility criteria, application requirements, and funding structures affect risk
• Apply risk-informed strategies to program design
• Align program design with internal controls and 2 CFR 200
• Document intentional design decisions that address identified risks
• Support effective oversight through proactive, risk-aware program design

This certificate recognizes completion of Pre-Award Risk Assessment and Award Structuring, an intermediate course for federal and pass-through entity staff involved in grant review and award decisions. The course focuses on identifying, analyzing, and documenting pre-award risk and translating that risk into defensible award structures before funds are awarded.

Certificate holders have demonstrated the ability to:

• Apply pre-award risk assessment as a decision-making and governance tool
• Identify and evaluate financial, programmatic, compliance, capacity, and external risks
• Assess the likelihood and impact of risk to determine materiality
• Use professional judgment to analyze application, audit, and financial information
• Document risk assessment conclusions clearly and defensibly
• Design award structures that appropriately address identified risk
• Align pre-award risk decisions with post-award oversight and monitoring strategies

Negotiating Award Terms and Special Conditions equips professionals with the skills needed to structure federal awards using clear, defensible conditions aligned with risk and regulatory authority. Participants learn how to evaluate risk, negotiate conditions with recipients, and manage special conditions across the award lifecycle while maintaining audit-ready oversight practices.

• Explain the legal and regulatory authority governing award terms and special conditions.
• Apply risk assessment findings to determine when special conditions are appropriate.
• Differentiate between standard terms, agency-specific terms, and risk-based special conditions.
• Draft clear, enforceable award conditions that address documented risks.
• Evaluate common drafting failures that weaken enforceability or audit defensibility.
• Translate risk categories into proportionate and monitorable award controls.
• Apply negotiation strategies that balance collaboration with federal oversight authority.
• Document conditioning decisions clearly to support consistency and defensibility.
• Monitor and manage special conditions throughout the award lifecycle.
• Modify or remove special conditions based on evidence and defined exit criteria.