Eastern Grants Forum 2022


  • Start: August 18, 2022 8:00 am
  • End: August 19, 2022 4:30 pm

Eastern Grants Forum 2022 is almost here! Make sure that you understand current Federal grants management requirements and developing best practices by attending the Eastern Grants Forum 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 18-19.

The Eastern Grants Forum returns to Philadelphia with an exciting new line-up for 2022.  Join your fellow grants management professions this summer as the Forum examines current requirements and evolving practices for Federal grants.  The Eastern Grants Forum will open with an update of recent developments involving the OMB’s Uniform Grants Guidance and other major changes affecting the grant-funded community.  The first day will continue with sessions discussing how organizational culture intersects with grant seeking and how to build a stronger, more productive governance-management relationship.  On the second day of the conference, you will learn about cybersecurity for grant-funded organizations.  Then, the discussion will return to compliance with grant requirements with an explanation of recordkeeping rules and best practices.  Eastern Grants Forum 2022 will conclude with this year’s deep dive topic, which will take a detailed look at procurement.

When you attend this year’s edition of the Eastern Grants Forum, you will learn about the key requirements for managing your grants, current issues for grant-funded organizations, and what to expect for the coming year.  However, seating is extremely limited for this year’s conference.  Make plans today to join your fellow grants management professionals for Eastern Grants Forum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 18-19, 2022.

 

 

TOPICS

During this special two-day training, you will learn about recent changes affecting grant-funded organizations, compliance with the Uniform Grants Guidance and other important rules, and key challenges facing your grant programs today.  Our updated 2022 agenda will cover these topics and more.  By attending, you will learn about the following:

  • Recent changes to key systems and rules, including the Uniform Grants Guidance;
  • New grants management guidance from the Office of Management and Budget;
  • Court decisions affecting grant-funded organizations;
  • Impact of organizational culture on grant seeking;
  • Developing an effective, productive governance-management relationship;
  • Cybersecurity risks and mitigation strategies for grant-funded organizations;
  • Recordkeeping requirements and best practices;
  • Procurement standards and best practices for grant-funded programs; and,
  • Avoiding common grants management mistakes.

The Eastern Grants Forum 2022 will discuss these topics and more to help you ensure that your organization complies with current requirements and follows best practices.  In addition, you will be able to ask our speakers your individual grants management questions throughout the conference.

AGENDA

This year’s Eastern Grants Forum training conference is scheduled for August 18-19, 2022, in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  We have two full days of educational and entertaining sessions planned.  The cancellation deadline for the conference is the same as hotel reservation deadline (July 18, 2022).  Our agenda for each day is as follows:

Day One (Thursday, August 18, 2022)

Sign-in for the day and enjoy a Continental breakfast before the first session.

The opening session of Eastern Grants Forum 2022 will feature a discussion of current developments affecting Federal grants management. Attorney Brian Tipton will explain recent and upcoming changes in the rules and systems for managing Federal awards, including changes to the Uniform Grants Guidance and the System for Award Management as well as new guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. He will also discuss court decisions with an impact on grant-funded organizations and their potential, future implications. After attending this session, you will be able to outline at least five recent developments in the field of Federal grants management.

Enjoy a 15-minute coffee break between the morning sessions of the Eastern Grants Forum.

During this workshop, Stephanie Sample will identify how organizational culture directly impacts grant proposal identification, execution, and grant management. Often nonprofits and other grant-funded organizations believe barriers to funding exist with the funder or with the quality of the proposal. This training will help organizations identify cultural internal barriers to accessing more grant funding.

The workshop will discuss the culture of organization, the culture of transparency, the culture of diversity, the culture of access, and the culture of storytelling. Specific topics include fiscal organization and budget presentation for grants, DEI initiatives and staffing for grants, power dynamics around writing grant proposals, and testimony gathering and delivery for grants. After attending this workshop, you will be able to identify your organization’s cultural elements that support or inhibit grant seeking efforts.

Explore Philadelphia's many lunch options on your own during this 90-minute break between the Eastern Grants Forum's morning and afternoon sessions.

One of the keys to a healthy nonprofit or other grant-funded organization is a harmonious governance-management relationship, but that is often easier said than achieved. This session will look at that vital relationship. During the session, you will learn an easy process for clarifying the roles of the Governing Body and management to help ensure a more productive relationship.

If you have ever watched a football game on television, you will be familiar with the yellow line that is visible to viewers but invisible to the players on the field. Using the “invisible yellow line” metaphor, Jean Block will guide you through clarifying roles in governance, management, finance, planning, human resources, resource development, and recruitment. Even if you are not a football fan, you will see how using this approach can stimulate open and honest communication about roles that will lead to a big win for both governing body and management teams, and your essential mission and purpose will be well-served. Following this session, you will be able to describe at least three ways to strengthen program governance and the governance-management relationship.

Enjoy a 15-minute break between the afternoon sessions of the Eastern Grants Forum.

One of the keys to a healthy nonprofit or other grant-funded organization is a harmonious governance-management relationship, but that is often easier said than achieved. This session will look at that vital relationship. During the session, you will learn an easy process for clarifying the roles of the Governing Body and management to help ensure a more productive relationship.

If you have ever watched a football game on television, you will be familiar with the yellow line that is visible to viewers but invisible to the players on the field. Using the “invisible yellow line” metaphor, Jean Block will guide you through clarifying roles in governance, management, finance, planning, human resources, resource development, and recruitment. Even if you are not a football fan, you will see how using this approach can stimulate open and honest communication about roles that will lead to a big win for both governing body and management teams, and your essential mission and purpose will be well-served. Following this session, you will be able to describe at least three ways to strengthen program governance and the governance-management relationship.

The first day of the Eastern Grants Forum will conclude at 4:30 pm on August 18, 2022.

Day Two (Friday, August 19, 2022)

Sign-in for the second day of the Eastern Grants Forum and enjoy a Continental breakfast before the first sessions.

Cybersecurity is important for nonprofits, local government, and other grant-funded organizations because they have become common targets for hackers and cybercriminals. Join Dr. Kelley Misata of Sightline Security for an overview of cybersecurity for grant-funded organizations and learn how to better protect your programs. This session will explain the importance of cybersecurity; current cybersecurity trends and risks faced by grant-funded organizations; and how to reduce these risks. Dr. Misata will draw on real world examples and research throughout the presentation. After attending this session, you will be able to identify at least three contemporary cybersecurity risks and outline how organizations can mitigate those risks in a cost-efficient manner.

Enjoy a 15-minute coffee break between the morning sessions of the Eastern Grants Forum.

Grant-funded organizations are expected to document their accomplishments as well as compliance with award terms and conditions.  During this session, attorney Brian Tipton will discuss recordkeeping considerations for grant-funded organizations in detail.  You will learn about recordkeeping requirements under the Uniform Grants Guidance as well as best practices and records retention considerations that go beyond the default grants management requirements.  You will also learn about rules for access to grant records and destruction of obsolete records.  After attending, you will be able to identify the major requirements for records retention, access, and destruction, for Federal awards.

Explore Philadelphia's many lunch options on your own during this 90-minute break between the Eastern Grants Forum's morning and afternoon sessions.

Procurement is a necessary activity under most Federal grants, but failing to make purchases the right way can lead to costly disallowances and even loss of funding.  During this two-part session, attorney Brian Tipton will explain the requirements for purchasing goods and services for grant-funded programs and best practices in procurement.   This session will discuss acceptable methods of procurement, competition requirements, conflicts of interest, and allowable (and unallowable) contract types and terms.  You will also learn about common procurement mistakes and how to avoid them.  After you attend the full session, you will be able to outline the procurement standards under the Uniform Grants Guidance.

Enjoy a 15-minute break between the afternoon sessions of the Eastern Grants Forum.

Procurement is a necessary activity under most Federal grants, but failing to make purchases the right way can lead to costly disallowances and even loss of funding.  During this two-part session, attorney Brian Tipton will explain the requirements for purchasing goods and services for grant-funded programs and best practices in procurement.   This session will discuss acceptable methods of procurement, competition requirements, conflicts of interest, and allowable (and unallowable) contract types and terms.  You will also learn about common procurement mistakes and how to avoid them.  After you attend the full session, you will be able to outline the procurement standards under the Uniform Grants Guidance.

The Eastern Grants Forum will conclude at 4:30 pm on August 19, 2022.

OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES

When you attend Eastern Grants Forum 2022, you will learn about major requirements of the OMB’s Uniform Grants Guidance, recent developments in Federal grants management, and other important topics for grant-funded entities.  After attending the training, you will be able to:

  • Identify the major changes to the updated Uniform Grants Guidance;
  • Outline at least five recent developments affecting Federal grants management;
  • Identify organizational cultural elements that support or inhibit grant seeking efforts;
  • List at least three examples of healthy cultural practices around grant seeking;
  • Identify three challenges in the governance-management relationship;
  • Describe three strategies for improving governance-management relations;
  • Describe at least three cybersecurity risks and three mitigation strategies;
  • Identify the record retention and access requirements for Federal grant programs;
  • Outline the procurement standards under the Uniform Guidance; and,
  • List the allowable methods of procurement for grant-funded programs.

AUDIENCE

Eastern Grants Forum 2022 is intended for all members of the grant-funded community:  governing body members, officers, executives, managers, fiscal staff, program staff, and other grants management professionals.  The experience level for this training is overview/update.  Attendees should have a basic understanding of Federal grants management.  No other prerequisites for attendance exist.  No advance preparation is required.

SPEAKERS

Jean Block is a nationally recognized consultant and trainer on nonprofit management, board development, FUNdraising and social enterprise.  She is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has held leadership roles as both board and staff in local, regional, and national nonprofits.  Jean has written several books on nonprofits, including the “Invisible Yellow Line”; “180+ Great Ideas to Raise More Money”; and others.  Visit her website at jblockinc.com to learn more.

Dr. Kelley Misata was selected as a finalist for 2021 Cybersecurity Woman of the Year.  Dr. Misata's professional experience has made her an expert in advocacy, policy discussion, and fundraising, but her path to cybersecurity has not been a traditional one.  She survived years of cyberstalking, reaching out to nonprofits for help but finding little.  That experience, however, does not define her.  What comes afterward does.  Though she holds a Masters Degree in Marketing, she earned a Ph.D. in Information Security from Purdue University, focusing her dissertation on cybersecurity preparedness of nonprofits working with victims of violence.  Today, she is using her 15 years of business leadership and her unique perspective to change how nonprofits understand and address cybersecurity.  Kelley serves as the Executive Director of The Open Information Security Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to building open source security technologies.  Sightline Security is Dr. Misata’s vision for a world in which nonprofits realize what is at stake and know how to protect themselves.

Stephanie Sample is founder and CEO of Sample Consulting Studio (SCS), which supports organizations in leaning into the expansive nature of grant proposal writing and grant-making.  SCS is a small but mighty grant writing firm based in New Mexico that has secured over $10 million in grants in the last 5 years.  SCS provides philanthropic consultation to a variety of local and regional funders.  SCS believes that both traditional best practices and multidisciplinary tools such as futures thinking will be needed to usher organizations and funders into this new era of philanthropy.

R. Brian Tipton is a practicing attorney with more than two decades' worth of experience working with nonprofits, governmental units, and other grant-funded organizations across the United States.  Currently, Brian is Managing Director with Private Client Law in Atlanta, Georgia, where he heads the firm's tax-exempt and grant-funded solutions practice.  He is a summa cum laude graduate of the Louisiana State University and the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University.  Brian regularly represents grant-funded entities of all types in the areas of regulatory compliance, audits, funding source disputes, administrative appeals, and litigation.  Brian also consults with organizations on governance, human resources, programmatic, and corporate matters, and develops and presents training programs for nonprofits and grant-funded organizations.

CONFERENCE HOTEL

Join us in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for Eastern Grants Forum 2022.  The conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City, conveniently located in the heart of the city.  Rooms are available for special conference rates starting at the current government per diem of just $166 per night (plus applicable tax).  These special rates are available for August 17 through 19, 2022, and may be offered for up to three additional days before and after the conference subject to hotel availability.  Hotel reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at 1-215-893-1600.  Please ask the reservations agent for the special group rate for the “Kirk Private Client Law, LLC Training” to receive the discounted rate.  However, the easiest way to reserve your room is online by clicking on this hotel reservations link.  The room reservation cut-off date is July 18, 2022 (or until the block is exhausted).  The cancellation deadline for this event is prior to the hotel cut-off; cancellation requests must be received before this date.  Because of the limited number of rooms available, we advise making your reservations as soon as possible.

 

$549 / Early Bird
(By June 17)

 

$599 / Regular
(After June 17)

 

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