FAQs for Grants & Assistance Training

If your question is not on this list, please e-mail us or call us at 703-790-9595.

Some of the courses have exams. What types of exams are they? All Grants Division exams are taken open-book. They are designed to test the students’ ability to apply what they have learned and to use the resources they would be using on the job, rather than to test memorization skills. All answers can be found in the course text and/or appendices. Most exams are multiple choice, although some have short answer sections. 
 

If the catalog course description says a course has a suggested prerequisite, do I have to take the prerequisite course before signing up?
No. Some courses require basic knowledge and skills that may be gained through the suggested Management Concepts prerequisite course or through other means, such as on-the-job experience. The suggested prerequisites are meant to help students choose the right course. In courses with suggested prerequisites, the instructor will assume that all students possess the knowledge and skills covered in the prerequisite course. 

 
If I work for a recipient or pass-through entity, may I take courses that are listed as designed for federal personnel?
Yes. Likewise, federal personnel may take courses designed for recipient and pass-through entity personnel. There are many instances where a student might want to gain another party’s perspective on certain grants management issues. However, in many cases we offer a course for federal personnel that parallels a course for recipient or pass-through entity personnel. Students taking both versions should be aware that some of the basic material will be the same, even though the orientation of that material may be different, and may be covered in greater depth in one course than the other, if appropriate. 

Can I buy the course materials if I don’t take the class?
No. Management Concepts courses are designed to bring together three important elements: subject matter expertise from the instructor; thorough, up-to-date course materials; and peer interaction among students. Although the course materials stand on their own as a reference text after the course, they are not a replacement for the classroom experience and the knowledge gained from the instructor and fellow participants. 

 
Can you tell me about the backgrounds of Management Concepts instructors?
Our instructors have extensive experience in the grants field, working either for the federal government or in the recipient community. During their careers, our faculty members have held a variety of positions, including:

• Director of Grants and Contracts, U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), HHS
• Corporate attorney who has trained grants personnel at virtually every federal agency, as well as organizations from all sectors of the grants community
• Chief, Office of Grants and Contracts, National Institute of Child Health and Development (NIH, HHS)
• Director of South Carolina’s State Disaster Management/Recovery Division, who also worked as an accountant and field auditor
• Acting director of the Grants Administration Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Chief Counsel of the Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• Director of International Grant Programs, Sister Cities International
• Regional Inspector General (IG) for Audit, United States Department of Education (ED)
• Procurement Analyst responsible for formulating financial assistance policy for the Department of Energy (DOE) and training department employees on financial assistance

Several of our instructors have taught as adjunct faculty members at various institutions of higher education, including the University of Virginia; American University; University of Maryland; University of Maryland, University College; University of Illinois; and Loyola University (Chicago). Many of them are practicing consultants, serving federal grantor agencies, pass-through organizations, and recipient organizations. In addition, our faculty includes both current and former officers and board members of professional organizations such as the Society of Research Administrators (SRA), National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA), NGMA, and the Federal and American Bar Associations.

Who enrolls in Management Concepts grants classes?
Our open-enrollment offerings draw individuals representing all segments of the grants community and include both business/financial personnel (such as executive directors, auditors, and grants specialists) and program personnel (such as scientists, program directors, and project officers).

Students include representatives from virtually every federal grant-making agency; state and local governments; nonprofits; colleges and universities; Indian Tribal and territorial governments; for-profit organizations; and hospitals.