(The following was excerpted from an article in the Federal Grants Management Handbook.) As the amount of federal reimbursement sought by research colleges and universities for indirect costs continues to rise, the Government Accountability Office is calling for the National Institutes of Health to assess the impact of these costs on its mission, and how continued future increases in indirect costs could threaten grant funding for research.

In case you noticed last week that the posts to Funding Attractions were somewhat sparse, there was good reason. We here at Thompson were converting our networks with those of our new owner, Columbia Books and Information Services, based in Bethesda, Md. Not to worry, though, because we believe this partnership will truly benefit you, our readers, by keeping you informed and up-to-date on how to stay compliant in the suddenly rapidly changing grants world.

This was totally unplanned, but today we provide a sequel to our blog post from Friday in which we discussed the frustration among local housing groups in New Jersey as federal housing funds to help recover from Hurricane Sandy are being channeled through the state at a mere trickle. Now, we discover there's more federal help on the way. Let's see what happens to this round of funding.

It's heartbreaking to watch the scenes coming out of the Philippines as victims of Typhoon Haiyan try to survive the utter devastation surrounding them. After a natural disaster of this magnitude, poorer regions of the world may face too many obstacles to recover. 

(The following was excerpted from an article in the Federal Grants Management Handbook.) As the federal government looks to reform the grants lifecycle with a greater emphasis on assessing and managing risks, the future of grants will depend upon awarding agency staff who must develop the know-how to collect and analyze data to improve pre- and post-award procedures, create stronger programs and produce better outcomes.

One of the radio shows I used to listen to in the car while commuting used to have a weekly segment called "'Member when?" During the segment, listeners would call in to discuss obscure factoids of years gone by, such as "'Member when umpires used to hide behind those huge body protectors outside their uniforms?" or "'Member when we had to actually get up and turn a dial to watch a different TV program, with only three or four channels to choose from?" I used to look forward to this show to see what random memories people would bring up, sometimes bringing me to say "Yeah, I remember that!"

A quick look at the calendar shows that there are only about seven weeks left until the new year (Eeek! Christmas shopping awaits!). Since it issued its grants reform proposal in February, the Office of Management and Budget has stuck by its goal to finalize the proposal, also known as the "supercircular" or "megacircular," by the end of the year. Time is quickly running out.

(The following was excerpted from an article in the Single Audit Information Service.) After discovering that three suspended or debarred firms were listed as eligible contractors in the Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, DOT’s Office of Inspector General expressed concern that other ineligible firms may be listed on state DBE directories.

Now that Congress can turn its eyes toward something other than the federal government shutdown, there are other issues coming up that it will be deliberating that can truly impact federal grants.  Thompson is offering you a way to stay abreast of these issues with a full slate of upcoming webinars in November.

Halloween may be over, but the creepy shadow of last month’s federal government shutdown continues to linger. If you check the Federal Register on a daily basis like I do, you really get a better idea of how it disrupted the nation’s business.