The grants management process begins when you (the grantee) receive the Grant Award Package. This package includes an Award Letter from the Secretary of State as well as detailed instructions on award acceptance.

The Grant Award Package represents the Division's offer to you.

You must correctly complete and return the documents in the Grant Award Package to receive any funds.

After the Division receives all award documents, your grant funds will be available to you.

Electronic Payments

You can choose to use electronic funds transfer (EFT)  to receive your grant payments.

All grantees wishing to receive their award through electronic funds transfer must submit a Electronic Payment Authorization form to the Florida Department of Financial Services.

If EFT has already been set up for your organization, you do not need to submit another authorization form unless you have changed bank accounts.

To download this form visit the Direct Deposit sign-up information for Vendors page on the Department of Financial Services web site. That page also includes tools and information that allow you to check on payments.

Payment Schedule

Payments are made in quarterly installments. Process Dates, or when grant funds are disbursed, are as follows:

• First quarter: 7/1 (July 1st)
• Second quarter: 10/1 (October 1st)
• Third quarter: 1/1 (January 1st)
• Fourth quarter:4/1 (April 1st)

You should not expect to receive grant funds until six weeks after the payment process date each quarter.

Note: Payments will not be processed if the organization is in non-compliance status with the Division.

Organizations may be put into non-compliance status because of overdue reports on any Division grant, if missing or incomplete Grant Award Documents, or for administrative reasons.

Can I expend funds relating to the grant project or period before or after the project dates?

No. All funds must be committed and all matching funds must be received and committed by the end of the grant period.

State funds may not be committed prior to July 1 in the appropriated fiscal year, or the date of the grant award agreement, whichever is later.

You must do the following:

1.  Set Up a Grant File.

When you receive the Grant Award Package, create a grant file to organize grant-related materials such as:

• a copy of the grant proposal and any financial worksheets used to compile the proposal budget
• your copy of the signed Award Letter and Award documents
• copies of any Administrative Change Notices, Grant Amendment Requests, or letters pending or approved correspondence from the Division
• a copy of the final report; copies of financial worksheets and grant statistical data source used to compile the final report
• copies of flyers, brochures, programs, catalogs, and news reviews and articles (particularly those showing compliance with credit language and logo) for final report purposes

2.  Insure accessibility to the public.

For help see our ADA compliance support.

3. Credit the Department of State.

Use our statement and logo on all publicity.

4. Notify the Division of changes

Contact the Division if there are any changes to your project. Changes to project scope must be approved.

• Use a Grant Amendment Request Form (pdf) to request changes in project scope, such as program reductions, budgetary adjustments, or major program revisions.
  
  Do not wait to file a Grant Amendment Request. You may not request changes to a Grant Award Agreement after the grant period has ended.
  
• Use an Administrative Change Notice (pdf) to notify the Division about changes in organization name, address, telephone number, authorizing official(s), or the contact person.
  
  If you submitted your application online using OASIS you can make your own changes to contact information without notifying the Division.

Signatures on all documents filed with the Division are compared against the signatures on the Assurance of Compliance and Signature Authorization Form, not the signatures on the grant application.

5.  Track Grant Expenditures

You must use an accounting system that provides a complete record of the use of all grant and match funds.

Use the tracking log (provided in the award package) to keep track of grant spending as it happens. This helps you keep grant financial records in the level of detail required by your grant agreement.

You may use a different tracking document but be sure that you can provide the required level of detail on request.

6. File a timely Final Report.

If you applied for this grant online with OASIS, your final report must be done through OASIS. If you did not apply online, use the Final Report (pdf) form available on our website.

Begining in 2008, all final reports for all programs will be due on July 30th.

Final Report extensions may be granted, but an interim report must be submitted by July 30th. If you do not submit a Final Report by July 30th, your organization will be in non-compliance.