FVPSA Frequently Asked Questions
For more information on Indirect Costs.
For more information on Eligibility of Services.
For more information on FVPSA Expenditure Reports.
General
FVPSA Core grant funds are awarded by DOA/CFWYI during the federal fiscal year reporting period. (October 1st through September 30th). FVPSA funds must be used during this time frame. Subgrantees will not be reimbursed for funds that are not used by September 30th. All subgrant awards are contingent on CFWYI receiving the specified grant funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Primary prevention means strategies, policies, and programs to stop both first-time perpetration and first-time victimization. Primary prevention is stopping domestic and dating violence before they occur. Primary prevention includes but is not limited to: School based violence prevention curricula, programs aimed at mitigating the effects on children of witnessing domestic or dating violence, community campaigns designed to alter norms and values conducive to domestic or dating violence, worksite prevention programs, and training and education in parenting skills and self-esteem enhancement.
- Secondary prevention is identifying risk factors or problems that may lead to future family, domestic, or dating violence, and taking the necessary actions to eliminate the risk factors and the potential problems, and may include, but is not limited to, healing services for children and youth who have been exposed to domestic or dating violence, home visiting programs for high-risk families, and screening programs in health care settings.
FVPSA funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis. FVPSA subgrant recipients must submit a monthly reimbursement report that provides details of how funds are spent on allowable costs. Reimbursement cannot be issued until we have determined that expenditures are allowable and supported by appropriate documentation. Technical assistance is available from FVPSA staff.
Monthly reimbursement reports are due by the 10th of each month and must be uploaded into CFWYI’s online Enterprise Business Services (EBS) grants management system.
Monthly report submissions must include: Monthly reimbursement report plus supporting documentation for the expenses listed on the monthly reimbursement report.
You may write on the monthly reporting attachments to assist with clarity.
Label each attachment clearly.
Supporting documents should have clear indications of the costs associated with the monthly expenditure line items.
If the FVPSA report deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, please be sure that the report is submitted by the next business day.
The Budget Change Request Deadline is July 31st.
Funds can be transferred by completing and submitting a budget change request in EBS. Technical assistance is available from FVPSA staff.
The time frame for the transfer of funds is October 1st thru July 31st.
PLEASE NOTE: The budget change request deadline of July 31st can be extended under special/unique circumstances to avoid forfeiture of funds.
Administrative costs may also be referred to as Management & General:
Administrative costs associated with FVPSA funds shall not exceed 20% of the grant appropriation (i.e., domestic violence shelter and/or prevention funds).
Administrative or M&G costs are expenses allocated for the overall function and management of the agency, rather than for the direct conduct of program services or fundraising activities. Overall management usually includes the salaries and expenses of the chief officer of the organization and that officer's staff, except the time they spend supervising or performing program services or fundraising activities.
Examples of Administrative or M&G costs include but are not limited to:
- Board of Directors, Committee and staff meetings (unless held in connection with specific program or fundraising activities)
- Legal/Accounting/Financial Services
- Office management and general office supplies
- Publication and distribution of an annual report
- Salary, FICA, and fringe benefit expenses for non-direct service staff time (e.g., grant writing/compliance reporting, board meeting preparation, monthly financial reconciliations, etc.)
- Percentage of rent and utilities not associated with program delivery
The unduplicated count is the number of individuals receiving services, not units of service. An eligible participant’s name can be counted only once each year per each section – FVPSA/domestic violence supportive services.
The count starts on October 1st and ends on September 30th.
An eligible participant can be counted in more than one section, but only once in each section. The subgrantee must keep a separate unduplicated list for FVPSA/domestic violence supportive services.
Unduplicated Count for FVPSA/domestic violence supportive services is the unduplicated number of eligible persons served by one or more of the FVPSA/domestic violence supportive services.
Unduplicated Count for FVPSA services count should not include victims/participants twice if it is part of the same activity or program.
The report is due October 15th.
2 CFR 200
2 CFR 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.
The purpose of 2 CFR part 200 is to streamline the Federal government’s guidance on administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl
The use of funds for rental assistance:
FVPSA funds should assist with emergency “shelter” assistance and not long-term housing.
FVPSA funds could be used to fund at least 1st month’s rent and deposits.
If you want to use funds beyond those parameters, you must provide:
- A Board-approved policy regarding the use of funding for long term rental assistance
- Established criteria for the use of the funds that include a cap on the amount of the funding
- Demonstrate that you have exhausted all other potential funding resources and receive FVPSA approval prior to using the funds for long term housing
FVPSA grant recipients are required to provide performance report information pertaining to services and activities. The report should include ALL service grant activities (not just FVPSA service/grant activities) during the performance report time frame. FVPSA grant recipients must be able to provide adequate documentation and a methodology that will verify and support the numbers provided in the report. Late reporting creates a high risk and will impact present and/or future funding.
Funds may be reduced or not issued due to the inability to meet the grant expectations.
Technical assistance is provided by FVPSA staff to assist with clarity of expectations
Outcomes vs. Outputs
An output details what your program does, whereas an outcome defines changes that have taken place because of your program’s work.
Example: Maybe people who participated in your program’s services stopped unhealthy eating habits and started exercising, received their GED, or got a job. A solid description of outcomes tells what change occurred, and how much change occurred over a period of time.
Yes. Federal grant funds may be used to host a meeting or conference if doing so is:
- Consistent with its approved application or plan;
- For purposes that are directly relevant to the program and the operation of the grant, such as for conveying technical information related to the objectives of the grant; and
- Reasonable and necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the approved grant.
Examples of technical information include, but are not limited to, the following, each of which must be related to implementing the program or project funded by the grant:
- Specific programmatic, administrative, or fiscal accountability requirements;
- Best practices in a particular field;
- Theoretical, empirical, or methodological advances in a particular field;
- Effective methods of training or professional development; and
- Effective grant management and accountability.
Grantees should consider whether a face-to-face meeting or conference is the most effective or efficient way to achieve the desired result and whether there are alternatives, such as webinars or video conferences, that would be equally or similarly effective and more efficient in terms of time and costs than a face-to-face meeting. In addition, grantees should consider how the meeting or conference will be perceived by the public; for example, will the meeting or conference be perceived as a good use of taxpayer dollars?
Grantees, other than States, must, as appropriate, comply with the minimum requirements in 34 CFR 74.42 and 80.36(b)(3) and should follow their policies and procedures (or their local or State policies, as applicable) for ensuring that there are no conflicts of interest in the procurement process.
Generally, there is a very high burden of proof to show that paying for food and beverages with Federal funds is necessary to meet the goals and objectives of a Federal grant. When a grantee is hosting a meeting, the grantee should structure the agenda for the meeting so that there is time for participants to purchase their own food, beverages, and snacks. In addition, when planning a meeting, grantees may want to consider a location in which participants have easy access to food and beverages.
While these determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis, and there may be some circumstances where the cost would be permissible, it is likely that those circumstances will be rare. Grantees, therefore, will have to make a compelling case that the unique circumstances they have identified would justify these costs as reasonable and necessary.
If program offices have questions, they should consult with their program attorney.
In virtually all cases, using grant funds to pay for food and beverages for receptions and “networking” sessions is not justified because participation in such activities is rarely necessary to achieve the purpose of the meeting or conference.
The grantee has an obligation, under these circumstances, to confirm that the beverages are truly complimentary and will not be reflected as a charge to the grant in another area. For example, many hotels provide complimentary beverages to all guests who attend a meeting at their facility without reflecting the costs of those beverages in other items that their guests or, in this case, the grantee purchases. As noted above, it would not be acceptable for a vendor to embed the cost of beverages in other costs, such as meeting space.
The cost of food and beverages, because they are easily associated with a specific cost objective, such as a Department grant, are properly treated as direct costs, rather than indirect costs. As noted above, Federal grant funds cannot be used to pay for food and beverages unless doing so is reasonable and necessary.
No. Use of Federal grant funds to pay for the cost of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited.
Yes. Grantees may offer meeting participants the option of paying for food (such as lunch, breakfast, or snacks) and beverages, and arrange for these items to be available at the meeting.
Grantees should follow their policies and procedures and State and local laws for using non-Federal resources to pay for food or beverages, including its policies and procedures for accepting gifts or in-kind contributions from third parties. However, if non-Federal funds are used to pay for food at a grantee-sponsored meeting or conference, the grantee should make clear through a written disclaimer or announcement (e.g., a note on the agenda for the meeting) that Federal grant funds were not used to pay for the cost of the food or beverages. Grantees should also be sure that any food and beverages provided with non-Federal funds are appropriate for the grantee event, and do not detract from the event’s purpose.
If attending a meeting or conference is necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the grant, and if the expenses are reasonable (based on the grantee’s own policies and procedures, and State and local laws), Federal grant funds may be used to pay for travel expenses of grantee employees, consultants, or experts to attend a meeting or conference. To determine whether a meeting or conference is “necessary,” grantees should consider whether the goals and objectives of the grant can be achieved without the meeting or conference and whether there is an equally effective and more efficient way (in terms of time and money) to achieve the goals and objectives of the grant (see question #3). To determine whether the expenses are “reasonable,” grantees should consider how the costs (e.g., lodging, travel, registration fees) compare with other similar events and whether the public would view the expenses as a worthwhile use of Federal funds.
Among other considerations, grantees should consider how many people should attend a meeting or conference on its behalf. The number of attendees should be reasonable and necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of the grant. The grantee should also determine whether it is necessary to attend the entire meeting or conference, or whether attending only a portion of the meeting or conference is reasonable and necessary.
Grantees may use Federal grant funds for travel expenses. Federal grant funds may be used to pay expenses for transportation, per diem, and lodging if the costs are reasonable and necessary. Grantees should follow their own travel and per diem rules and costs when charging travel expenses to their Federal grants. As noted in the cost principles, grantees that do not have travel policies must follow:
…the rates and amounts established under subchapter I of Chapter 57, Title 5, United States Code (“Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances”), or by the Administrator of General Services, or by the President (or his or her designee) pursuant to any provisions of such subchapter shall apply to travel under sponsored agreements (48 CFR 31.205-46(a)).
See 2 CFR Parts 220, 225, and 230.
A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity’s fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions Subpart F of the Uniform Guidance.
Both types of agreements are built upon a commitment to a common goal or outcome.
An MOU is a way to clarify shared understanding and commitment to a position or a project. It establishes the intentions of the parties relative to a common goal. The MOU does not grant rights and does not involve a legal or enforceable commitment between the parties. Rather, the purpose of the MOU is to establish common ground.
The MOA can be seen as the next step in deepening a collaboration. An MOA goes beyond common ground to clearly define the role of each party toward an agreed-upon objective. An MOA is enforceable in a court of law. It grants rights to the parties and establishes the specific responsibilities and actions to which each of the parties is committing while clarifying the specific goals and objectives that motivate each party's commitment to the collaborative project.
Risk assessments are conducted through the annual application process by reviewing items such as past late reporting (financial and performance), forfeitures of unspent grant funds, any history of corrective actions, stability of the subgrantees’ finances, and an evaluation of the proposed project. In addition, when a subrecipient has monetary forfeitures over two consecutive grant cycles of more than $2,000 or 10%, whichever is greater, CFWYI will assess that subrecipient to evaluate their ability to expend any future FVPSA grant funds.
It is not a reasonable expectation to use FVPSA funds for long term housing.
FVPSA funds should assist with emergency “shelter” assistance and not long term housing.
FVPSA funds could be used to fund for at least 1st month’s rent and deposits.
If you want to use funds beyond those parameters, you must provide:
- A Board approved policy regarding the use of funding for long term rental assistance
- Established criteria for the use of the funds and establish a cap on the amount of the funding
- Demonstrate that you have exhausted all other potential funding resources and receive FVPSA approval prior to using the funds for long term housing
Expenditure Reports
FVPSA Expenditure reports are due on the 10th of each month. They must be submitted through the EBS portal.
No, other federal funds may not be used to cover the 20% match.
Yes, subgrantees must submit a request in EBS to move money from one line item to another open line item. No changes can be made to the budget without an approved budget change.
- Late submission of a report
- If a report is submitted with a mistake and another is submitted the next month before revising the incorrect report
- Missing supporting documentation to prove reported expenses
- Miscalculation of FVPSA hours worked by staff
Reimbursement can only be for expenses that have been spent in that month. A check/proof of payment that has not yet been cut by the last date of the reimbursement month has technically not been paid in that month so you should submit that proof of payment on the following month’s expenditure report.
Yes, all totals on expenditure reports and summary pages must match.
No, approval of the BTR is need before making any changes to the line item amounts on the expenditure report. Revised expenditure reports submitted with a BTR requesting the changes that have already been made will be denied.
Yes, a BTR is the form used to request moving money from one line item to another open line item. No changes can be made to the budget without an approved BTR.
No, supporting documentation is not needed to support indirect costs on monthly reimbursement reports. Subgrantees are allowed an indirect cost up to 10% of the total direct cost unless they have a federally negotiated rate.
Yes, if the Executive Director completed the expenditure report, he/she will need to sign on both the line designated for the Executive Director and the line designated for the preparer of the report.
To be reimbursed for the salary of an approved staff member, agencies need to include the following:
- Unredacted proof of the staff member’s pay for that month,
- Time sheet(s) with documented FVPSA hours (if agency’s time sheet has such a column), and
- A supervisor’s signature (if agency’s timesheet has such a line)
If your agency’s timesheet does not show how staff’s time is split between grants, please make sure the percentage of reimbursement for the salary matches what was identified in your contract.
- Proof of expenses: Invoices, receipts, bills, online order print outs
- Proof of payment: bank statements, check stubs, cancelled checks, payroll summaries from payroll company, account ledgers (government agency grantees only). Any private /secure information can be hidden or removed prior to submission of documentation. Using Quick Books documentation as proof of payment is not acceptable.