This sectiondescribes the responsibilities of managing grant funds such as fund accounting,fiscal management, policies and procedures, and being in compliance withregulations for funding
Welcome to the ANA Project Planning and Development on Demand training series.
This is video 13, Organizational Capacity.
Organizational capacity is the ability to demonstrate to the funder that you're ready to successfully implement a project. To determine your capacity, it will be helpful to reflect on your organization's experience, staffing structure, and policies and procedures. There are self-assessments available with questions gauging your organization or tribe's capacity and ability to manage a grant. These assessments can identify readiness or areas for improvement. Providing a summary of your tribe or organization's staffing structure and experience will be needed for your application. Part of this is providing an org chart, which highlights positions and responsibilities, which we'll discuss in the next slide. And if your tribal organization is new to the grant funding process or hasn't managed a grant in several years, consider the experience and management capabilities of your senior staff or governing board. Lastly, share information about prior projects or awards that have had a similar scope. This will show to a funder that you have the experience necessary to successfully manage a grant, and you'll be prepared if funded.
An organizational chart identifies the top management and all the subdivisions within your organization and how they're connected. It also shows a hierarchy of who reports to who. As staffing changes can occur, it's easier and recommended to use position titles rather than the names of individuals in the chart. Generally, a funder wants to know who's responsible for the overall management and finances of the tribe or organization.
Policies and procedures are the guiding principles for your organization and are crucial to successfully managing a project. Financial policies and procedures outline all financial operations for your organization. They ensure the organization properly handles all expenses and has a process for purchasing, procurement, and oversight. HR policies and procedures are the expectations for all staff to follow within an organization. This can include the hiring, benefits, disciplinary actions, et cetera. Operational policies and procedures might not apply to everyone, but typically they outline the organizational structures and function of a tribe or organization. These can be the day-to-day operations or process information. A good question to ask yourself is, how current are my policies and procedures? If they're outdated, consider making this a priority. Updating your policies and procedures and strengthening your organizational capacity can even be a fundable project with some funding sources.
Thank you for viewing video 13 of the Project Planning and Development on Demand training series. If you have any questions regarding project development or the Administration for Native Americans, please feel free to contact us at anaalaska.org.
