What do you do if your grant administrator is struggling to prioritize decisions?

There is a steady trend with federal and state grants launching new programs which retain the underlying statutory and regulatory requirements of all grants but also set forth new requirements which are highly technical and specialized. Grant administrators are generalists with knowledge and expertise in the underlying consistent requirements of grants and contractual obligations including meeting financial and program mandates. However, the specialized requirements now increasingly being associated with grants necessitates providing technical support to grant administrators. This often means engaging outside consultants with the applicable expertise and knowledge. Keep in mind that costs of consultants can be built into grant budgets.

To help a struggling grant administrator prioritize decisions effectively, identify challenges, streamline processes with tools like Fund Manager, establish clear prioritization criteria, provide training and support, foster collaboration, and monitor progress for informed decision-making. By addressing these areas, you can enhance decision-making capabilities and optimize the allocation of grant funds.

Grant administrators often face burnout due to the overwhelming volume of work they manage year-round. Recognizing and appreciating their efforts is crucial for maintaining their motivation and well-being. One effective way to show appreciation is by setting milestone celebrations and recognition events throughout the year. These celebrations not only acknowledge the hard work and dedication of grant administrators but also provide them with much-needed encouragement and support. Whether it's commemorating the successful completion of a particularly challenging grant application or recognizing the achievement of specific milestones in the grant administration process, these events can boost morale and foster a positive work environment.

Based upon my experience... a grants = a project, which is characterised by being a simbiotic regular triangle. In a triangle you have the variables variables to manage: 1) Results 2) Time 3) Resources The key for a succesful grant implementation is to understand that increasing or decreasing one of the variables, will automatically affect at least 1 of the others. So the key to prioritize is to understand which variables can be flexible and which ones can't. This will depend on your project sponsor and on your project communities. #1: identify the non flexible variable. #2: simulate scenarios of change with the flexible variables #3: analyse the impact and risks of the different scenarios and deduct the most feasible solution.

In grant administration deadlines are one of the most important factors whether it is grant submissions, Just in Time information, progress reports, final financial reports. The list goes on. Therefore priorities jobs based on deadlines are my first step. As a Grant Accountant, a couple of years ago, I had to leave everything and work on a final FFR for a R01 grant. Due to constant personnel change the grant expenses suffered a serious accounting and compliance issues which needed to be cleaned out first in order to maintain accountability and cleared overage. Once done, I prepared the FFR, had it reviewed and signed by my manager and submitted in PMS before the deadline and the site closes for the day. FFR was successfully accepted.

Establish a priority tree, much like a flowchart with if then options to incorporate the odd situation that rarely occur. This will create consistency.

If your grant administrator is having trouble prioritizing decisions, it might be helpful to provide them with additional support and resources. You could offer to assist in organizing tasks, setting up decision-making frameworks, or providing training on prioritization techniques. Additionally, encouraging open communication and regular check-ins can help ensure that priorities are aligned and any challenges are addressed promptly.