Annual Grants Training


 

 

NGMA Annual Grants Training

Annual Grants Training  (AGT) is a three-day, in-person event ideal for grants professionals at all career levels. It is held every spring in Washington, D.C. More than 1,200 grants management professionals participated in 2023 AGT, the most-attended in NGMA history!

Agenda includes:

  • keynote speakers
  • plenary panels
  • over 40 breakout sessions
  • CAPP Expo and Federal Foyer

SEE YOU BACK IN D.C. IN 2024!  (AGT 2024 dates coming soon) 


REGISTRATION RATES

  2023 RATES  *For planning purposes only. 2024 rates subject to change.    
  REGISTRATION    
  $1,069 members | $1,243 non-members    

Non-member price includes optional one-year NGMA membership. Price does not change if you opt out of membership.  

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HOTEL INFORMATION

Washington Hilton
1919 Connecticut Ave. NW | Washington, D.C. 20009

Annual Grants Training is held at the Washington Hilton, located within blocks of Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan. It is six (6) miles from Reagan National Airport and within walking distance of the DC Metro subway system.

RESERVATIONS

Information coming this fall. 

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  2023 Agenda  *For planning purposes only. 2024 agenda will change.   
  Monday, April 10    
  3-4 p.m. I'm a New Grants Manager, HELP!
Sabrina Renteria, FSA Advisory Group
Course Level: Basic
 
Panel Discussion: Training Grants Staff in a Virtual World
Renee Cooper, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) Office of Grants (OG),
Shaunta Johnson, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Laura Mahoney, Federal Railroad Administration, DOT
Lisa Newton, Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Course Level: Intermediate
 
  4:15-5:15 p.m. We Have the Grant, Now What? A Toolbox for Grant Intake and Audit Preparation
Carla McMullen, Wake Technical Community College
Course Level: Intermediate
 
Crafting Clear Subaward Agreements
Sly Atayee and Dan Durst, BDO
Course Level: Intermediate
 
       
  Tuesday, April 11    
  7-8 a.m. Breakfast (Continental breakfast provided by NGMA)  
  8-9:15 a.m. The Code of Trust: Five Steps for Creating Allies
Presented by Robin Dreeke, Trust Expert, People Formula
 
  9:30-10:30 a.m. OMB Update
Deidre Harrison, Office of Management and Budget
  10:45-11:45 a.m. Welcome to the World of Federal Grants! Now What?
Steven A. Spillan and Madelaine Cleghorn, The Bruman Group, PLLC
Course Level: Basic

Selection Strategy - How Do Grant Makers Pick Winners?
Nick Sellars, OCM
Course Level: Intermediate

Procurement Under Pressure: Requirements, Competition and Emergencies
Brette Fishman, Department of Treasury  and Nielsen Leon, FEMA
Course Level: Overview

Beyond the Metrics: Telling Your Grant Impact Story
Tim Podkul, PhD and Nicole Togno, PhD, Fors Marsh
Course Level: Basic
  11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Lunch (Provided by NGMA)  
  1:15-2:15 p.m. How to Stay Off the 5 O'clock News: Managing the Risk of Fraud
in Grants Management

Thomas Stanton, KPMG LLP, Stacey Alles and Gina Salazar,
Colorado Office of the State Controller

Course Level: Basic
   
Who's the Prudent Person in Your Neighborhood? Identifying
and Understanding the Naysayers

Johna Rodgers, Johna Rodgers Consulting, LLC
Course Level: Intermediate
  

If You Think Compliance is Expensive, Try Non-Compliance!      
Stacie Massey, State of Ohio Office of Budget and Management 
Course Level: Overview 
 

Teaching to the Test! What You Need to be Prepared to Answer
During Your First Single Audit
   
Danny Martinez, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC
Course Level: Basic
  2:30-3:30 p.m. Ways to Shape Federal Funding Packages - Not Just Conform to Them
Dionne Deschenne, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe 
Course Level: Intermediate
 
Current State of Grants Management - Based on Grants Survey 2022 Results       
Rujuta Waknis and Heather Morgan, REI Systems
Course Level: Overview
  
Panel Discussion: Preparing for Grant Closeouts  
Bert Nuehring, Crowe, LLC (Moderator), Frances Cordell, and Christine Beste, Delaware Emergency Management Agency
Course Level: Basic  

Strings Attached: Introduction to Grant Accounting and Compliance
Peter James,  City of DeSoto and Jennifer Ripka, Weaver
Course Level: Basic
  4-5:30 p.m. Conquering the Single Audit--Best Practices for Making
Your Organization "Audit-Proof"      
Sarah K. Hluchan, Management Concepts, Sly Atayee, BDO and Joseph O’Meara, BDO
Course Level: Overview

Creating a Risk Based Monitoring System
Tiffany Kesslar, Esq., CGMS and Madelaine Cleghorn, Esq.
Course Level: Intermediate
 
Panel Discussion: Coming Together to Ensure Quality, Compliance and Expediency in the Disaster Management Reimbursement Process
Rebecca Silva-Gonzalez and Diana Soler, Falcon Sanchez & Associates, Zulma Rovira, Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction & Resiliency, Government of Puerto Rico, and Billie Pearsal, ICF International
Course Level: Intermediate

Directed Grants in the New Congress: Earmarks-- What are They,
How Do They Work, What are the Terms?
Phillip A. Escoriaza and Rosie Griffin, Esq.,
Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP
Course Level: Intermediate
  6-7 p.m. Opening Reception  
  Wednesday, April 12
  7-8 a.m. Breakfast (Continental breakfast provided by NGMA)  
  8-9 a.m. Opening Session and Awards Presentation
Plenary Panel Discussion: Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
 
  9:15-10:15 a.m. Plenary Panel Discussion: OIG Panel--Recent Findings and Hot Topics  
  10:30-11:30 a.m.

Buy America Requirements for Federally-Funded Infrastructure
Scott S. Sheffler and Phillip A. Escoriaza, Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP 
Course Level: Intermediate
 
10 Common Procurement Mistakes Under Federal Grants
(and How to Avoid Them)

Jayna Marie Rust, Thompson Coburn LLP
Course Level: Intermediate
 
Panel Discussion: Beyond Compliance:
Improving Subrecipient Monitoring for Better Outcomes

Lisa Stinson,  Crowe, LLP (Moderator), Glenn Richter, Department of Health and Human Services, Lori A. Beeler, Illinois Governor's Office of Management & Budget and Lashon Brown, Valencia College
Course Level: Intermediate

Be the Source--Developing Stronger Ties with Your Grant Staff,
Even When Swimming in Hostile Waters
Ashley C. Ross, CDC Foundation
Course Level: Basic

  11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch (Provided by NGMA) and Membership Meeting  
  1-2 p.m. FEMA: Procurement Under Grants Training   
Isabel Fitzgerald and Nielsen Leon, FEMA
Course Level: Overview
   
Mitigating Grant Fraud and Other Compliance Issues
Ken Dieffenbach, U.S. Department of Energy, OIG
Course Level: Intermediate
   
The Secret Life of Grants: Hidden Costs
Nicolie Lettini, eCivis
Course Level: Basic

Leveling the Playing Field with Environmental Justice: Making Grant Applications, Reviews and Panel Evaluations Fair and Equitable
Cheryl Kelly, Seth Tinkham, James Alvey, National Park Service (NPS), State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division
Course Level: Update
  2:15-3:15 p.m. Panel Discussion: Subrecipient Monitoring: Challenges to Effective Federal Oversight and Transportation Grant Management
Darren Murphy, Aisha Evans, Kathryn Novicky and Luke Brennan, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation
Course Level: Intermediate
 

Considerations for Educational Agency and Education-Focused NGO Recipients of ARPA Coronavirus State and Local Government Fiscal Recovery Funds: A Case Study in the District of Columbia  

Andy Ball and Lee Hagy, District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
Course Level: Intermediate
  
What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You: Using Desk Reviews for Grant Compliance
Rebecca Davis and Sarah Schroeder, Ellucian
Course Level: Overview
      
Grants Quality Service Management Office (QSMO): Striving to Improve the Federal Grants Management Experience
Andrea Sampanis and Mary Beth Foley, Grants Quality Service Management Office (QSMO), HHS
Course Level: Basic
  3:45-5:15 p.m. Importance of Utilizing Indirect Cost Rates and Direct Administrative Costs
Mara Ash and Cindy Watson, Business & Financial Management Solutions, LLC
Course Level: Basic
 
Panel Discussion: Auditors Gone Wild
Jillian Neimeister, AmpliFund (Session Facilitator), Carol Kraus, Illinois Governor's Office of Management & Budget (RETIRED), and Lori A. Beeler, Illinois Governor's Office of Management & Budget
Course Level: Intermediate
  
Grants Closeout--How's Your Backlog?
Inga Paredez and Lydia Vollmann, Guidehouse
Course Level: Intermediate
   
Stop Wasting Time and Start Subrecipient Monitoring
Glenn McCormick, City of Fort Lauderdale
Course Level: Basic
       
  Thursday, April 13
   7-8 a.m.  Breakfast (Continental breakfast provided by NGMA)  
   8:15-9:15 a.m. Management Review and Corrective Action, the Overlooked Requirement of Subrecipient Monitoring
Mara Ash, Business & Financial Management Solutions, LLC
Course Level: Basic   

Panel Discussion: Grants Monitoring: Don't Forget about Subrecipients
Lucy Mungle, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Jennifer Edmonds, State of Michigan and Crystal Wolf, Guidehouse (Moderator)
Course Level: Intermediate


Streamline Processes for Allocating ARPA Dollars
Shelby Glover, Chelsea Sadler, Christine Nguyen and Kevin Pennington,
City of Chattanooga   

Course Level: Basic

Keeping Your Grant Train on Track--Avoiding Ethics and
Conflict of Interest Derailments

Kathy Brunot, University of Alabama
Course Level: Basic
  9:30-10:30 a.m.

Preparing Your Organization to Handle Mega Construction Grants & Compliance
Jodie Kim, Azadeh Meshkaty and Christine Daoud, Deloitte & Touche LLC
Course Level: Intermediate

Data-Driven Post-Award Risk Assessments:
Leveraging Dynamic Data Inputs and Processes

Lucy Mungle, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
and Matthew Nelson, Deloitte

Course Level: Intermediate

 
From CARES to IRA: Maximizing Federal Funding for Long-Term Impacts
Andrea Veach and Deb Harris, ICF
Course Level: Overview
 
Differences and Similarities: Contract & Grant Management
vs. Project Management
Peter Dale, Heluna Health
Course Level: Basic

   10:45-11:45 a.m.

Plenary Panel Discussion: Grants Attorney Q&A
Hosted by the American Bar Association, Grant Law Committee

 

Attendees may earn up to 20 CPEs.
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CANCELLATIONS, TRANSFERS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Payment / Invoicing Information
 

PAYMENT

All Early Bird registrants (those who register between November 1, 2022 - January 8, 2023) must provide full payment or a purchase order by February 17, 2023 to receive the discounted early bird registration rates. After this date, NGMA reserves the right to cancel the registration and/or charge the regular or late registration rate for rebooking.

All attendees must provide full payment or a purchase order no later than March 31, 2023. After this date, NGMA reserves the right to cancel the registration and/or charge the late registration rate for rebooking.

INVOICING
Registrants will have the option to be invoiced until March 13, 2023. After this date, the invoice option on the online registration form will be disabled and registrants must provide full payment at time of registration.

 

Cancellation/Transfer/
Substitution Policy
 


CANCELLATIONS
All requests for cancellations must be made in writing directly by the registrant (not by their employer) via email at [email protected]. The below refund policy applies:

By midnight ET, March 20, 2023 - Cancellations are eligible for a refund minus a $50 service fee per person.  

After March 20, 2023 – No refunds or credits will be issued.

No credits or refunds will be given to no-shows.

No credits will be given in lieu of refunds. Refunds by check may not be issued until the conclusion of the event.

Notice of cancellation or substitutions does not include hotel accommodations. Please contact the hotel directly to make changes to reservations. 
 
TRANSFERS/SUBSTITUTIONS
Requests for transfer/substitutions must be made in writing directly by the registrants via email at [email protected]; we will not accept requests by an employer. The below transfer/substitution policy applies:

By midnight ET, March 20, 2023 – Transfers/substitutions can be made at no cost; should a non-member substitute for a member, the difference between fees will be due at the time of transfer.

After March 20, 2023 – Transfers/substitutions will incur a $50 service fee per person. The difference between member and non-member costs will also be due, if applicable. 

 

Who Should Attend
 
Grants professionals, including Grants Specialists, Administrators, Managers, Program Officers, Grant Officers, Auditors

 
Program Level
  Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced
 
Delivery Method   In-person
 

Technology Consent
 
Registration, attendance at, or participation in any NGMA-sponsored activity constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or participant’s image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audiotapes of such activities by NGMA and other third parties, including but not limited to the event app or other software utilized. Your registration may include technology that monitors your activities, such as session attendance, public chats, Q&A during sessions, and booths visited.

 

Data and Usage
Disclosure
 
By registering for the 2023 Annual Grants Training, you agree to allow your data to be collected by NGMA and be transferred securely to and stored by third-party technology providers and/or event partners, including but not limited to meeting app providers (Personify and Conference I/O), payment processors (Payscape), the host hotel (Washington Hilton), and CAPP partners.


The purpose is for the fulfillment of the service(s) related to event registration and attendance; these may include but are not limited to processing payments, confirming hotel reservations/rooming needs, tracking session attendance and continuing professional education (CPE) credits. Additionally, NGMA CAPP partners may rent attendee data for marketing purposes under a single-use agreement.

All third-party providers and/or event partners have their own privacy and collection practices; NGMA is not responsible for their independent policies.

If you wish to opt out of any data collection regarding your 2023 Annual Grants Training registration, email [email protected].


 
Communicable
Disease Policy
  All attendees agree to adhere to the NGMA’s Duty of Care, Waiver and Release of Liability for Communicable Disease.  

Code of Conduct

 
All attendees agree to adhere to NGMA’s In-Person Meeting Code of Conduct.
 

 

 
 


National Grants Management Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual course for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.