FAQs

(answers to questions frequently asked by our sub-grantees; note that this document was created for the 07-08 academic year and will be updated for 08-09)

2007-2008

1. Can our campus “roll over” unspent grant funds from the first year to this year?

Yes, you may use unspent funds from last year in this year. “Campus” sub-grantees require a no-cost extension of their grant. CBLI staff submitted this request to Princeton’s Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA) for each of the 20 “Campus” sub-grantees. When ORPA revises those awards (beginning 10/26/07), your administrative contact will receive an electronic notification of the extended date.

Note: If you want to change the way the funds will be used (or if your activities will change), you will need to submit a budget revision request (and a revised Scope of Work, if that applies). Depending upon the degree of change, Princeton’s ORPA may issue a new Subaward Agreement. Please contact the Project Coordinator

2. What is the status of my payment?

In order to release grant funds, Princeton’s Office of Research & Project Administration must receive both your signed Subaward Agreement and a request for payment (invoice). If you have submitted both, more than one month ago, please email the Project Coordinator.

3. Can I continue my grant for a second year?

Yes, as long as you are making progress toward your Year 1 goals.

4. Do we need a new budget/statement of work/contract for the second year?

Yes—see Question #5 for process.

5. What is the process for continuing the grant for Year 2?

Please submit the following documents to the Project Coordinator via email:

1) Statement of Work for Year 2: revise last year’s statement to reflect any changes—including staff names, dates, etc.—for Year 2. If the activities will remain exactly the same, and no edits are necessary, you may submit a copy of last year’s Statement.

2) Budget for Year 2: we need a complete budget for Year 2 even if the activities are the same. This may be a copy of last year’s budget if that information is accurate for Year 2.

NOTE: if you are “rolling over” any Year 1 funds, do not add them to your Year 2 budget in this step. Your Year 2 budget should reflect only the new funds awarded for Year 2.

3) A revised Attachment A (Collaborator Contact list) from last year’s Agreement to indicate any staff changes related to the contract.

Find all the documents you need on the “Hub” https://bonner.grouphub.com/login or contact the Project Coordinator.

6. Why does the old budget form have so many tabs/sheets? Do we need to fill out every sheet?

Each sub-grantee campus is required to maintain “source documentation” (original receipts, invoices, copies of checks or electronic payments, etc.) to support your expenditures of federal Learn & Serve grant funds through this award.

Last year, you were asked to submit a budget that included several spreadsheets in order to assist you in tracking that documentation. This year, although you are still required to maintain the same documentation for your files, you may submit a single-page budget for Year 2 funds.

7. Can I change my grant activities?

The purpose and goals of the CBR Networking Initiative remain the same for Year 2 and 3. However, individual grant activities may be refined to achieve the same outcomes. Please email your proposed changes to the Project Coordinator.

8. Can I change my budget for Year 2?

Yes—see Question #5 regarding Year 2 process and Question #7 regarding changes to grant activities.

9. Our Principal Investigator/Program or Project Coordinator/Administrative Contact person has changed—who should I inform?

Please submit a revised Attachment A (Collaborator Contact list) with your Statement of Work and Budget for Year 2. If changes occur after that time, please email the new Contact person’s information (name, title, address, phone, fax, and email) to the Project Coordinator.

10. Where can I find the Learn & Serve Provisions?

The Provisions govern activities, management, and reporting requirements of Learn & Serve grantees and subgrantees. The Provisions may be found on the Learn & Serve website:

http://www.learnandserve.gov/pdf/highered_prov_06.pdf

11. Do we need to report data every year in the LASSIE system? When can we have access to the system?

Yes, annual data for your project/program must be entered into the national Learn & Serve database (LASSIE). The Project Coordinator will inform you when the system is open for data collection for 07-08, which is expected to be in the early spring.

12. What data do I need to collect for LASSIE?

The LASSIE system is intended to collect information about all Learn & Serve-funded programs and projects. The activities reported may be partially or fully funded by Learn & Serve—including Matching funds for Learn & Serve grants—but you should not report on activities for which no Learn & Serve funds were used. The LASSIE survey includes 36 questions, including fiscal, operational, and demographic information. Last year’s survey is available at: http://lsareports.org/ for your information and planning purposes. Note that the survey is being revised (slightly) by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the new version is expected in spring 2008.

The survey requests demographic data on all participants, including students (Higher Ed and K-12), campus staff, volunteers, etc. These data include characteristics such as Ethnicity, Race, Gender, Disability, Age (adults, baby boomers), and “Disadvantaged Youth” (foster children, adjudicated youth). Please collect and report this information to the extent possible.

13. Do I need to use the Learn & Serve logo on my program/project materials? Where do I find the Learn & Serve logo?

All project and program materials supported by grant funds should include the Learn & Serve logo. Downloadable logos are available on the Corporation for National & Community Service website: http://www.learnandserve.gov/about/media_kit/logos.asp

(scroll down to the Learn & Serve logos—with L in the center—and select “Higher Education.”

14. How can we request a campus site visit or Faculty Workshop?

Several visits are planned during each year of the grant. If you would like to host a visit, send an email to the Project Coordinator with your request. Include information about the date, event, purpose, and number of expected participants.

15. What are the reporting requirements for 07-08?

There are three major reporting deadlines for the 07-08 program year:

December 15, 2007

1. Narrative Report on activities between 7/1/07 and 12/15/07
2. Fiscal Report (Budget-to-Actual expenses) for the same period
3. Student, Faculty, and Community Partner Questionnaires
4. Course and Project Reporting

May 1, 2008 (TBA—waiting for release date from CNCS)

1. LASSIE survey

June 15, 2008

1. Narrative Report on activities between 12/16/07 and 6/15/08
2. Fiscal Report (Budget-to-Actual expenses) for the same period
3. Student, Faculty, and Community Partner Questionnaires
4. Course and Project Reporting
5. Institutionalization Checklist

16. Our budget originally included $1,000 for “Data Collection.” Can this be used for any type of data collection—or for a different type of expense?

In Year 1, these funds were added to budgets as a separate line item to support data-collection tasks associated with Student, Faculty, and Community Partner Questionnaires as well as Course and Project Reporting (see Reporting Requirements, above). While these funds may partially support additional data collection and/or analysis, they are primarily intended to ensure that CBR courses and projects entered into the database AND that surveys are completed by students, faculty, and community partner participants in your program. Note that these surveys and reports are requirements of the grant.

The Data Collection funds may not be used for other purposes.

17. Where do I find reporting documents?

Reporting documents (along with summaries of prior year grant activities and other resources) are available on the password-protected Group Hub site hosted by the Bonner Foundation: http://bonner.grouphub.com. Contact the Project Coordinator if you do not yet have a profile or if you need assistance logging into the system.

18. Can grant funds be used to support research projects outside the United States?

“Grant funds may not be used for international travel or projects where the primary beneficiaries of an activity are outside the United States.” (p.7, Special Provisions, 2,b.)

19. Can grant funds be used to support projects in which “community” or “beneficiary” is defined as the on-campus community or beneficiary (such as students, campus organizations, students, or faculty members)?

The Corporation for National and Community Service interprets the terms “community” and “beneficiary” as an off-campus entity.

20. How can I find resources from the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse?

Resources developed by programs funded through Learn & Serve by the Corporation for National and Community Service are available at: http://www.servicelearning.org/index.php

21. Are there specific IRB (Institutional Review Board) guidelines that I need to follow? Were the Questionnaires reviewed by an IRB?

Research involving human subjects must be reviewed by your university’s IRB.

For the purposes of this grant, each campus must follow its own IRB guidelines.

The Questionnaires were not submitted to an IRB for review; however you may do so on your campus.

22. Who is the first point of contact for grant-related questions?

The first point of contact is the Project Coordinator at Princeton:

Denise Keller

dkeller@princeton.edu

(609) 258-9750

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