Procedure 7.7.2 - Institutional Grants Management and Acceptance

Part 1: Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to promote the effective management and administration of grant solicitations, proposals, and submissions to external funders. Lake Superior College (LSC) will maintain a system to evaluate, track, and support all grant proposals and sub-awards it pursues.

Part 2: Objective

Grant proposals should:

1. Support LSC’s Mission, Vision, Strategic Goals, Diversity Work Plan, Strategic Enrollment Management Plan, and Master Academic Plan.
2. Help turn innovative ideas into projects and programs that foster student success, learning, organizational capacity, and the overall betterment of the community.

Part 3: Definitions

Administrative Sponsor: The administrator that the Project Lead reports to directly, such as a Dean or Associate Vice President.
Grant: Any award of external funds (including money, property, or equipment) given to the college by foundations, corporations, governments, small businesses, and/or individuals, that include a written award or agreement.

Grant Accountant: The accountant who is responsible for the financial management of college grants.

Grant Initiator: The person who writes the grant.

Project Lead: Lead personnel for distinct, externally funded projects. The grant project lead is responsible for the proposal, budget, monitoring, management, and compliance expectations in concert with an administrative sponsor and grant accountant.

Senior Administrator: Administrator with comprehensive, college-wide responsibilities for overseeing the grant processes for a unit of the college.

Part 4: Authority

Since grants commit the College to programmatic, financial, legal and ethical obligations, all grant proposals and requests to solicit funds or services must be approved by the President.
No member of the LSC community should use the name of the college or present themselves as representing the college in securing financial or in-kind support without prior discussion and approval from a Senior Administrator and the President.

Part 5: Grant Expectations

Subpart A: Pre-Award Requirements

The Grant Initiator will submit the request for proposal (RFP), Grant Proposal Planning & Feasibility Form, along with a project and budget summary to the senior administrator or administrative sponsor to review the Grant Proposal Planning & Feasibility Form for completeness and forward to the President’s Cabinet for approval to proceed. The President will consider the grant proposal plan and within two weeks either approve or deny it.

If approved, the Grant Initiator, and/or Grant Initiator’s Administrative Sponsor are responsible for submitting the final approved proposal package to the Senior Administrator at least 30 days prior to the grant deadline. The Senior Administrator will verify that all procedures and grant requirements have been met and that the final budget has been reviewed by the Grant Accountant and President prior to the final submission.

Exceptions to the 30-day timeline will be made at the discretion of the President.

Subpart B: Post-Award Requirements and Management

After receipt of any new award notifications, the Senior Administrator or Administrative Sponsor will conduct a “kickoff” meeting with the Project Lead and Grant Accountant to review all applicable policies, procedures and responsibilities. The Human Resources Department will also provide participants with guidance and training relative to any personnel covered under the grant award. The Administrative Sponsor will review and coordinate with the appropriate offices for the approval and signing of external grant awards. Acceptance of all grant awards and sub-awards must be completed in writing by the President, or designee so identified in the delegation of authority. In accordance with policy 5.14 Contracts, Procurements, and Supplier Diversity, any grant agreements that do not adhere to system-approved contract templates should be forwarded to the Grant Accountant for System Office approval prior to acceptance.

The Project Lead, in conjunction with the Administrative Sponsor and/or Senior Administrator, and Grant Accountant, will oversee the monitoring of externally funded projects, including review of budgets, personnel charged to the grants, reporting requirements, project and budget revisions, grant continuation or extension requests, and to ensure procurement procedures are followed. Official financial reporting for grants are completed or reviewed by the Grant Accountant before submission.

The Project Lead, in concert with the Administrative Sponsor, will oversee the closeout of each grant at the end of its funding cycle. A final report is to be submitted to the Senior Administrator. It shall include outcomes of the grant compared to stated goals and whether grant-funded personnel or non-personnel costs have either ceased or will be continually funded.

Subpart C: Minnesota State Compliance

All private grants shall be reported per Minnesota State Board Policy 7.7 Gift and Grant Acceptance. The colleges and universities shall maintain a list of all private grants for incorporation into a comprehensive annual report to the chancellor.

All private grants must be approved by the board in accordance with Minnesota State policy 5.14 Contracts, Procurements, and Supplier Diversity and any grant agreements that do not adhere to system-approved contract templates must be approved in advance by the office of general counsel or attorney general’s office.

Subpart D: Grant Records and Review

The Minnesota State enterprise resource management (ERM) system shall house all the official files for grant awards. Accounting, budget, financial reports, and fiscal audit reports will be maintained in the Business Services Office.

Related Documents

• Minnesota State Policy 5.14 Contracts, Procurements, and Supplier Diversity

History

As of April 2024, LSC will follow Minn State Board Policy 7.7, but revised a separate procedure for receiving gifts and donations to the Foundation detailed in Procedure 7.7.1 Gift and Donations Acceptance. For Grants that require a written award or agreement, Procedure 7.7.2 Institutional Grants Management and Acceptance was revised to detail that process.

Date Implemented: September 29, 2014

Date Reviewed/Updated: April 2024

President's Signature Date: May 1, 2024