Grants Management Certificate Program
IDGRNT.3.CP
Develop expertise in the Federal grants lifecycle, compliance, and oversight to ensure effective fund management.
Develop expertise in the Federal grants lifecycle, compliance, and oversight to ensure effective fund management.
Annually, the federal government awards approximately $675 billion in grants to state and local governments. Since grants management has evolved in a decentralized manner, the subject can be daunting to master.
This program is focused on the training needs of Federal assistance grantees, pass-through entities, grant managers, grant specialists, Federal program and project staff (including individuals in the GS-1109 classification series), monitoring officials, and auditors whose duties include compliance testing and internal control certifications. In addition, attorneys with suspension/debarment responsibilities.
The content focuses on both technical competencies as well as professional business competencies identified by the Office of Personnel Management.
This is the recommended order, but some courses may be taken in a different order.
Unit 1 3 Days
Unit 2 2 Days
Unit 3 2 Days
Unit 4 2 Days
Unit 5 1 Day
Link Green Book principles to grant management by ensuring control activities align with compliance requirements, allowable costs, and program objectives.
Apply risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities in grant spending, reporting, and subrecipient monitoring.
Document and monitor control activities (e.g., approvals, reconciliations, and segregation of duties) to strengthen accountability for grant funds.
Use ongoing evaluation and corrective actions to address internal control deficiencies and demonstrate compliance with federal standards.
Unit 6 1 Day
Unit 7 2 Days
Learn the full grants management lifecycle, from award to close-out, while understanding the auditor's role in assessing compliance and performance. This course provides strategies for developing audit objectives, identifying issues, and offering constructive feedback.
Our alumni consistently commend the expertise of our instructors and the real-world relevance of our programs. Their feedback highlights how Graduate School USA training has advanced their skills, supported their agencies’ missions, and fostered long-term professional growth.
Grants Management Certificate Program is rated 4.6 stars by 18 students
Both the External and the Internal Audit units attended this training and it was great working in different assigned groups every day that the Directors of Internal and External set up prior to the training. It gave us a chance to get a better understanding of what the other unit does. This training would be excellent for CTDOT Finance as well as CTDOT program managers for the various Federal Grants for which CTDOT receives funding.
Overall, it was a positive experience—we had the opportunity to interact with the instructor and collaborate in teams. David was an excellent instructor—knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the subject matter. He created a welcoming learning environment and encouraged thoughtful discussion throughout the session.
Overall, the course was worthwhile, and the information will be useful in my auditing profession. David was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the entire course. He was able to relate the material to our experiences.
Everything was great! The content was easy to access and understand. David did a great job. Very friendly and knowledgeable about the class. Learned a lot a different views on grants and contracts.
I enjoyed the course, I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge about how grants should be handled throughout the process and as an auditor, I feel as though I know more about what to look out for.
David was very personable, goes with the flow. He was knowledgeable and had some great real world stories about both being audited and auditing.
I really enjoyed the class. A lot of information the helped refresh our knowledge of grants.
Received a lot of information out of this course. Instructor was well spoken and informative and engaging.
Materials provided were clear and understandable. And the instructor was knowledgeable of the subject.
Good class! Although it's a technical course, the instructor did a great job at keeping us engaged for 3 days.
Great class, highly recommended.
Helps understanding and confirming that the federal requirements should be followed, and needs the finance team to learn these aspects of contracts.
This class provided a lot of helpful handouts. The instructor had a lot of experience and knowledge to share and kept the class engaged.
Bob was great and informative.
Showing 14 of 14 reviews
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.
Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.
The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
Your trusted training partner, equipping public service professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and drive meaningful impact.
Attend this certificate program in-person in Washington, DC or live online or as self-paced training. Engage with expert instructors, ask questions, and get feedback on your exercises and projects.
Get face-to-face interaction with an instructor and other students when you learn at our DC campus. Courses are hands-on with a computer and software provided.
Get the same interactivity and access to the instructor as in-person students. There are no extra fees and we’ll work with you to ensure your remote setup is perfect.
Learn at your own pace with pre-recorded video lessons and hands-on exercises. Work through the material on your schedule with access to course content and resources.
Our instructors are industry experts and experienced educators, driven to help you succeed.
Curriculum Program Manager
Instructor
We offer a single free retake of any module or the whole program within a year.
These related courses share skills and topics with the Grants Management Certificate Program. Select up to two and tap Compare selected courses to view a side-by-side comparison.
This three-day course provides a foundational overview of federal grants and cooperative agreements from concept through closeout. Participants examine the evolution of policy and the core regulatory framework—especially the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200—to understand how compliance, roles, and documentation are structured across programs. Through lecture, discussion, case studies, and practical exercises, learners connect policy to day-to-day grants management tasks.
This focused course clarifies what effective grant monitoring looks like, how to scale oversight by risk, and how to complete closeout correctly. Participants learn the language of monitoring, the linkage between risk and internal control, and how to select and execute the right mix of oversight techniques.
Learn to spot red flags, test controls, and implement practical prevention/detection steps to protect federal grant funds. Designed for professionals who manage, oversee, or support federal assistance programs.
Translate 2 CFR 200 into practical steps across pre-award, post-award, and closeout, including subrecipient oversight and audit. Ideal for professionals who manage, oversee, or support federal assistance programs.
Since 1921, Graduate School USA has partnered with over 125 federal agencies and trained more than one million federal employees. Led by instructors with deep, real-world knowledge of federal regulations, policies, and practices, our private group programs are practical, mission-driven, and tailored to your agency’s objectives. We offer expertise across key federal domains—including human resources, financial management, acquisition and contracting, leadership, and more—to deliver training where and how your team needs it.
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Each installment is charged to your card on file one week before the start of the associated course. The payment schedule may vary if the courses are taken in a different order.
| Installments | List Price | |
|---|---|---|
| $549.90 | 10% non-refundable deposit | -- |
| $1,320.00 | Introduction to Grants Course | $1,320 |
| $1,050.00 | Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal Grants Course | $1,050 |
| $1,050.00 | Cost Principles for Grants Course | $1,050 |
| $1,050.00 | Detecting and Preventing Federal Grant Fraud Course | $1,050 |
| $479.10 | Internal Control for Grants Course | $1,050 |
| â–´ Your 10% deposit has been applied, as well as the certificate discount of $1,600 | ||
| Free | Monitoring Grants Course | $529 |
| Free | Auditing Grants Course | $1,050 |
| $5,499.00 | Total You Pay | |
See the Installment plan FAQ for more information.
Curriculum Program Manager
Alan McCain is a retired combat veteran who served as both an Air Force enlisted member and a Navy officer. He brings over 30 years of experience spanning federal and commercial budgeting, auditing, programming, operations, global logistics support, supply chain and inventory management, as well as major IT acquisition.
He possesses extensive, hands-on budget and audit experience across Federal, State, and Local government operations, including work within the Executive Office of the President and the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Education, as well as the Office of the Mayor of Washington, D.C., among others.
Alan’s consulting background includes strategic planning and business development with the District of Columbia government, multiple federal agencies, Lockheed Martin, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a Certified Government/Defense Financial Manager (CGFM/DFM), holds a Teaching Certification from Harvard University’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and earned an Executive MBA in International Business from The George Washington University.
Instructor
Brian Simms is a seasoned educator and training leader with extensive experience developing and delivering innovative learning programs in project management and emerging technologies. Over the course of his career, he has designed adaptive learning models that combine instructor-led sessions, live online experiences, and self-paced study, ensuring professionals can access training in flexible and effective ways. His work has emphasized the integration of artificial intelligence into professional development, helping organizations and individuals understand how AI can be applied to solve real-world challenges in leadership, project execution, and decision-making.
In addition to his instructional expertise, Brian has guided curriculum development, led large training initiatives, and advanced the use of collaboration tools that improve learner engagement and retention. His depth of experience and forward-looking perspective make him uniquely equipped to prepare federal professionals to navigate both the complexities of project management and the transformative potential of AI.