Background

International grant making programs for OSF entities and their grantees are administered both by U.S. offices and through OSI Budapest. Prior to 2014, the U.S. offices (NY) administered grants that were sourced from both U.S. and European sources of funds. However, at the beginning of 2014, there were some changes in how OSF administered grants to overseas organizations. These changes included the following:

1.Prioritize US Sourcing - As much as possible, NY GOs tried to source grant proposals originating in the U.S. from U.S. funding sources, while complying with IRS expenditure responsibility rules - including IRS public disclosure requirements on grantee organizations.

2.Change in grants administration -In cases where a U.S originated grant proposal could not be sourced for U.S. funding, then the proposal was referred to BP GO so that the proposal could be sourced from European funds. Reasons for referring a grant for non-U.S. funding might include sensitive grantee work as well as ER-restricted activity like equipment procurement, re-granting to individuals and lobbying. Once the grant was referred by a NY GO, then a BP GO took over administering the grant proposal. Likewise, grant letters for Europe funded grants will be signed by the competent Europe-based authorized signatories.

3.Threshold requirements - For grant proposals that were referred for European funding, there were certain threshold and sourcing criteria, which NY GOs needed to consider. Three sources of European funding might be identified for referral proposals: FOSI, OSIBP, and OSI-AF. FOSI and OSIBP funding sources could cover proposals for grantee organizations in most all geographic regions, including to Hungarian grantees, while the OSI-AF funding source was restricted to cover proposals for grantee organizations in Turkey, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. For the proposals that were costed at $100k or more and referred to OSIBP, then a bifurcated budget isolating ER-restricted costs if ER-restricted activity was contained in the proposal. The chart below captures some of the criteria for the threshold amounts:

There are a few notable Foundation Connect enhancements related to the 2014 change in funding source origin. Specifically, the January 13, 2014 Foundation Connect enhancement referred to the system differences related to this change.

Changes in FC included:

-Funding source approval “In Progress”

-Funding source approval history and details

-Notification email about Grants Officer change

Grant administration change for referred FOSI/OSIAF/OSIBP grants

-Compliance Review through Proposal Approval

The NY GO shepherds the proposal all the way through the proposal approval. The NY GO ensures that all the items on the CR checklist are addressed before the referral to BP is made.

-Grant Letter Processing through Closeout

Once BP confirms the referral, then the BP GO will shepherd the proposal to award and post award phases, which cover: grant letter production, payments, report approval, amendment and other document production and closeout.

1 Comments

Kriszta

1) under#2 - it should sound like more as a recommendation and not as a pure formality."In cases where a U.S originated grant proposal could not be sourced for U.S. funding, then the proposal was referred to BP GO so that the proposal could be sourced from European funds." - instead I would write "In cases where a U.S originated grant proposal could not be sourced for U.S. funding, then the proposal was recommended
for funding from one of the European entities."
2) under #2 " Once the grant was referred by a NY GO, then a BP GO took over administering the grant proposal. Likewise, grant letters for Europe funded grants will be signed by the competent Europe-based authorized signatories." instead we should have "Once the grant was referred by a NY GO, and if approved by a BP GO then a BP GO took over administering the grant proposal. " I would delete this last sentence: 'Likewise, grant letters for Europe funded grants will be signed by the competent Europe-based authorized signatories." - it was a change in 2013/4 but it is obvious in 2017.
3) under #3 - I am not sure the table makes 100% sense. It should be reviewed...
4) "Once BP confirms the referral" - "once BP GO approves the referral' - would be better

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