Teri DeVoe, IMLS: So welcome again.
Everybody with this year's report covering both your fiscal year.
Twenty one allotment award, and the American plan.
There's a lot going on.
We also had changes to our regulations that affected some timelines this year,
Teri DeVoe, IMLS: and there's a number of extensions that are happening.
So with all that, we thought it would be a really good idea to gather you together and
do a refresher on the Spr.
And with that i'm going to turn it over to Dennis.
Dennis Nangle: Thank you, Terry.
Um!
As As Terry mentioned, we are covering all a lot.
Um, and so this is a brief overview.
I'm not going to go through every bullet.
But here's a little preview of coming attractions for how we're structuring today's uh webinar.
The first half, as as Terry mentioned, is um sort of newly uh released updates and changes
that make this year's recording cycle a little different from previous years.
And then a little bit later on, we kind of move into general best
Dennis Nangle: practices as a reminder, or for or you know, new information for those
of you who might be new, and then we end with more new things, but more on the technological
side of things.
So um the further ado we'll have right into it.
Dennis Nangle: First thing I want to mention is the upcoming recording deadlines, and how
they um differ from previous years.
This is the first reporting here that the new T. Two C. Of our two hundred regulations
go into effect, so it gives on the States one hundred and twenty days to report the
Fy.
Two thousand and twenty one awards um, which pushes it from a late December deadline, which
some of you might be used to to a late January one.
Dennis Nangle: Um!
And even though uh and Under normal circumstances extensions are rare for the Grant's estates
program.
Uh, we, as many of you know, have made some exceptions for Arpa due to um supply chain
issues and other factors outside of your control.
Dennis Nangle: So many of you may have later reporting deadlines that you can confirm what
those actual deadlines are by going into Eggheads reach.
There is a reporting schedule area to help keep things straight, if you will, and we
also want to remind everyone that if you are unable to meet your reporting deadline to
please contact us before that deadline, so we can work with you and find out what's going
on, and um potentially get an extension lined up in advance
line.
Dennis Nangle: Uh, this is another uh slide kind of breaking out what the two Cfr says
specifically about um the reporting schedule.
And so we covered this change at our virtual conference.
But that was two years ago, when we first awarded the two thousand and twenty-one awards.
So we thought that it would be helpful now that the awards are coming to an end.
Um!
To bring these back up and to uh sort of outline that this is a regulatory change across that
um, and it's just to one hundred and twenty days,
Dennis Nangle: as I mentioned before, after the deadline.
There's a however, though so it's not a blanket change of one hundred and twenty days, which
is why we wanted to break this out very clearly.
Subrecipient reports that come into you if you have some recipients, still have the ninety
day
Dennis Nangle: the deadline for recording, and your own annual reports that you submit
to Imls.
So we don't have always called an annual reports.
You might be more familiar with them, being referred to as an interim Federal financial
report, and we call them annual reports, because we receive them from here every year.
Um!
That deadline hasn't changed so that will still be the end of December, even though
your final reports on the
Dennis Nangle: Ah.
Another reminder related to the one hundred and twenty day period is that you have one
hundred and twenty days now to um liquidate your funds.
So this is um a little snapshot from or a little quote rather from the two thousand
and twenty-one grid
Dennis Nangle: it's a word guidance thirtieth of two thousand and twenty two
Dennis Nangle: um, and then all financial obligations that have been incurred under
the award must be liquidated by January thirtieth, because understandably so with ar, but a lots
of money.
Um.
So there's you know, a lot of different ways that you're spending it that's unusual.
And then also because of the extended timeline.
We've been receiving a lot of questions about this, and so we just want to make make clear
that the reporting the project period the Grant period is still the
Dennis Nangle: at the end of September the thirtieth, so the activities must be completed,
and there has to be an indication that funds related to that project have been obligated
by then.
But you have, until January the thirtieth, just to reconcile your finances and make sure
that everything is paid out, and it also includes drawdowns from the Gms.
Reach as well.
Dennis Nangle: And um another reminder, especially because so much of what we do is an egms,
and it's a very helpful system grants to states, as many of you know.
Um is a unique program that doesn't always fit the um.
Dennis Nangle: The conventional structure of other grant awards.
So we use the Gms.
For some things, but we do not use egms for submitting your reports.
You submit all your reports through the Spr.
Dennis Nangle: Or anything related to grants to states that include your interim Ffr: Your
project reports and your final financial status report.
Dennis Nangle: And again, because we're all about reminding and refreshing, because we
figure that will be helpful, especially this year,
Dennis Nangle: if you even if you have an arpa extension.
Um, and if you have an extension for one of your awards.
I'm.
I'm bringing up art, but because that's the that's the word that we've seen the most extensions
for um.
You won't be able to certify your spr until both awards are finalized, because the spr
is is viewing your um,
Dennis Nangle: your awards, both for the allotment and for Arpa as one.
And so there's no way to differentiate between your regular allotment and your arpa awards
in the Spr.
As far as certifying it goes,
Dennis Nangle: so it's like once you certify it'll be once.
All of your projects are complete, and many of you may have two different deadlines for
your regular allotment awards and your Arbo, so you should still enter all the project
details for
Dennis Nangle: for the grant that Hasn't received an extension by the original deadline.
This is typically, as I mentioned January two thousand and twenty-three um.
Normally, what we would do as program officers would wait.
We would wait until a project um had a certified status attached to it to start reviewing them.
But since that's not possible until both the allotment and arc of projects are complete,
we will look for your allotment projects.
The projects that Don't have an extension
Dennis Nangle: to have a completed status.
Um By the end of January the twentieth twenty three, before we start reviewing that that
will be our signal this year as opposed to waiting for everything to be satisfied.
Um!
And of course, if you finish reporting early for an award that doesn't have an extension.
Please let us know we will be happy to get started.
On reviewing them, as
Dennis Nangle: also a note reminded a reminder related to certain deadlines that are immune
to extensions.
Is
Dennis Nangle: we're asking you to put in your moe figure into the final um fsr by march
of two thousand and twenty-three, so we can prepare for the annual.
No, it so.
This is, as you know, would be unusual.
You usually would put in your moe along with your Fsr.
And sort of bundle that up, and we review that all at once.
This is a very unique circumstance.
This is a year of unique circumstances.
Um, and
Dennis Nangle: you know there's there's several reasons why we are asking you to make sure
your mol is in by March.
First.
First of all, Arpa Doesn't have a match or no you requirement.
So Emily runs according to the Federal fiscal year anyway.
Um, not your period of performance, so there should theoretically not be an issue with
um, these figures being ready and available to provide here.
Um!
Dennis Nangle: And another reason why we're adding, we're asking you to put this in by
march.
The first is
Dennis Nangle: um.
If your moe figure it happens to be less than the minimum requirement.
We have it sort of initiates a timeline for us where we will follow up with you by early
April, with instructions on how to request an moe waiver.
That's an optional process.
But the whole point with sharing.
All of this is that there's a bit of a cause and effect that we need to make sure.
Things are wrapped up in time for subsequent um forward a lot because it's, but it's possible
that fy
Dennis Nangle: two thousand and twenty four allowance would be reduced by the amount that
you missed your moe.
So all of that to say that we we need that information in by March the first of two thousand
and twenty three
Dennis Nangle: um and another update is the unique entity identifier that took effect
this April um.
We have updated our systems to reflect the Uei, and so that duns is not showing up um
on our fields anymore.
It's just uei um.
And
Dennis Nangle: we are asking everyone to update their State info section of the Spr, which
you see in this slide is highlighted as far as to update that, unlike the duns, it has
letters and numbers, and it will be longer which the Uae has twelve characters,
Dennis Nangle: and if you're not quite sure what your Uei is.
Dennis Nangle: Um, you can find it in Samuel, and or we can help you access it as well.
If you run into any issues.
Your program officers, the Fsr: the financial status report and your annual interim Ffr:
Dennis Nangle: um It auto populates this Uei number from this State info section, which
is why we're asking you if you update it here.
Your other forms will have an accurate Ui information on there.
Dennis Nangle: Now i'm going to hand it over to Laura to talk about entering the Internet
of our data.
Thank you, Diane.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): So everyone now I will be reviewing how to enter your interim Ffr:
data for your fiscal year two thousand and twenty two allotment award.
We've had to return a lot of these reports in recent years.
So we just wanted to go over some common issues.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): Here's the path where you can access the interim Ffr.
In the Spr.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): And for the Ffr.
Federal Agency grant number.
Make sure you write in the allotment log number, and you can find this in the Imls Etms Reach
system as well as on your official award notification document that's seen here
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): highlighted in red there at the bottom.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): The total Federal finance authorized field is auto-populated, and that
reflects the fiscal year two thousand and twenty two allotment.
You may have to open the report and hit.
Save for the auto populated fields to appear,
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): the Federal share of expenditures will be how much you've expended
on your award as of September the thirtieth two thousand and twenty two, and you can find
this information in egms under the payments area.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): Yeah, the total recipient share.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): The fired field is also auto-populated, and that reflects the
allotment match requirement.
And in the recipient share of expenditures.
Field you will report on how much you've contributed to match so far.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): And as I mentioned before, in recent years, we've been returning
a lot of the interim fs.
So we've highlighted a few of the common issues that we've noticed.
I remember that the cache disbursements should match eggheads, reach payments as of September
thirtieth two thousand and twenty two, and the amount in cash disbursements typically
matches the Federal share of expenditures,
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): and you should leave the indirect expenses blank as well as the
program income is also typically left blank, And we've also included a link here at the
bottom of the slide, where you can see some more tips.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): And we also wanted to note that the certification is a little
bit different.
Ah!
With the interim ffr Ah!
That sometimes falls through the cracks, and and we have to follow up.
Ah, the S. Tolaa chief!
Ah needs to certify by the reporting deadline of December thirtieth two thousand and twenty
two,
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): and you can ensure.
The certification went through by looking at the certification fields which are noted
here in the interim Ffr.
And once certified, should contain the name of the chief and a date stamp.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): And here's a screenshot.
I'm just showing you you can find the amount drawn down in reach.
First go to the payments, tab in the two thousand and twenty two award record.
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): Then you look at the total approved requests.
Figure, as seen circled here in the middle of the page, and be sure to look at the request.
Ah, status date That's also shown here, and subtract any requests approved after September
the thirtieth two thousand and twenty two,
Laura McKenzie (IMLS): and that back to Dennis.
Dennis Nangle: Thank you, Laura.
Um, I am here with our favorite uh visual um timeline, which is a mainstay of our presentations,
and um hopefully, is a helpful visualization of sort of how our award cycle works, and
how they overlap with each other.
So if you haven't seen this timeline from us before
Dennis Nangle: a light-colored bar is the period of performance.
That's what it represents.
And in the block after that the darker block at the end is the time you have to submit
your
Dennis Nangle: So this is also a reminder to kind of just visualize that the Arpa award
ran parallel with your fy two thousand and twenty, one awards,
Dennis Nangle: and it also ended September thirtieth, along with your allotment, award
um unless you had an extension.
And so the fy two thousand and twenty-two award won't end until September thirtieth
of next year.
So this year you have two reports.
You have your final financial report for the fy two thousand and twenty award, one award,
and Arpa.
Dennis Nangle: So it's one report that combines both of the word information, and then you
have an interim financial report for your fy two thousand and twenty-two.
So it's a kind of a midterm um check in so to speak of Where?
What?
What's happening with your um currently open, Fy: two thousand and twenty, and we also want
to remind you here that the next two years of recording this seems kind of bizarre, but
it's just kind of the way the timeline of the Grant periods work
Dennis Nangle: the next two years of reporting will still reference the two thousand and
eighteen, the two thousand and twenty-two five-year plan goals.
So when you're in the Spr.
And you're adding projects, you'll still be referring to those goals, and how each of
those projects that those goals.
So we won't prompt you to update them, and we um update your goals in the Spr with your
new um Five Year plan goals until the summer of two thousand and twenty-four, so that
Dennis Nangle: it might not make a lot of sense in the abstract.
But we just wanted to give you a heads up that if you see, quote unquote old goals in
the Spr.
That's not an accident.
Dennis Nangle: You'll also um want to complete the project reports first in the Spr.
Because the financial figures roll up the financial figures that are in your projects.
They roll up into your financial status report.
So we wanted to give you a snapshot of what filling in the spr will look like here
Dennis Nangle: as you can see.
Um.
And as I mentioned earlier, both your fy two thousand and twenty one allotment, and your
our fault will be reported in the same part of the Spr.
You'll have one long list of projects, and there'll be a mixture of your And And so,
in order to differentiate the Arpa projects, and as a fyi, this helped us tremendously
back with cares.
Um.
And this is why we're asking you to do it again for Arpa.
Give them.
Give all of their Barbara projects by title
Dennis Nangle: prefix of Arpa, as you can see, highlighted in red here.
Um arpa, colon.
And then the project title, and another note is that none of your Arpa projects should
have a start.
Date
Dennis Nangle: Um!
That occurs before April, eighth of two thousand and twenty-four, as you saw from that timeline
slide The Arpa period is shorter than the larger twenty-four period.
So just be aware of that.
Sometimes with the regular two-year allotment period it's it goes to the default, and your
projects are that entire two year period.
So you don't have to do a lot of changing to the dates this year because of so many
different changes of the dates.
Not only the start date, but also if you have an extension for your art for funds,
Dennis Nangle: be mindful of what the end date says also because we would expect it
to kind of end at the end of your extension, instead of the original grant period;
Dennis Nangle: and another reminder, especially with us, having so much distance From the
time that we originally gave the Arpa awards out,
Dennis Nangle: we recognize that Arpa was such a large infusion of money, and we really
do appreciate all the creative ways that you spent it.
Uh, this is just a reminder to frame the spending in your project narrative as pandemic response
as much as you possibly can.
Um responding to the pandemic recovery all of those things.
And um and just also another note that if your sub recipients don't do this, that it
might, it would be helpful, Um,
Dennis Nangle: from an intermediary perspective as the Coordinator or State Library representative,
that you might need to work it into the Spr.
In this our pandemic response kind of on framing.
Dennis Nangle: We also encourage you to as much as possible for the art of projects separately.
Um.
We also recognize, though, that some of your projects that you um already have their ongoing.
A lot of say, library projects may have had like an infusion of our the funds.
Um, so you may not be able to differentiate them as separate projects.
But we, if if that occurs, then we ask you to differentiate them in the budget.
Dennis Nangle: So there's an example slide here of um, there being one large number for
supplies and materials.
But then in that budget description you very clearly see how much of that three thousand
seven hundred dollars was Lsd funds, and how much those
Dennis Nangle: we've used.
This live before um That's off to Nevada.
Um for being a helpful um example uh, but we gave states quite a bit of flexibility
in reporting the stimulus funds um last year, especially because we hadn't done it before,
and there was so much happening very quickly.
And um, we what we wanted to do is give you an example of the kind of data points that
you could.
That was showing that we gave.
We received in the Cares project for us
Dennis Nangle: that painted an immediate picture of impact.
And again we don't expect your projects to have
Dennis Nangle: every example of this.
But it's a nice cross-section of what's possible.
And You can even see yourself visually how easy it is to understand the impact, and it's
not just numbers.
But we saw some really helpful sound bites as well.
Dennis Nangle: It really helps us speak to the impact of Marpa as well, and that kind
of brings us to our next slide, which
Dennis Nangle: we are showing you a national analysis that we did with cares last year.
Um, as a way to kind of give you all a national perspective of what we use your data for.
So as you're preparing your arpa on data for us, you know, be thinking about how
Dennis Nangle: we could most easily
Dennis Nangle: put a national analysis together, which um, as you may all imagine, there's
a lot of attention to that that cares funds.
How um any agencies, you know, worked with Arpa funds and your utility.
So um, if you keep this framing in mind when you report it will help us uh tell a better
national story.
And um, you know, we even with the cares we saw States recording numbers where it made
sense to them.
But the numbers were there, and so that was kind of the most important thing is that
Dennis Nangle: whether they were in spr, narratives, budgets, or quantities, we were able to pick
them out and and put them together in this way.
Dennis Nangle: Um!
And another element that is sort of unique, at least in a every five-year period is um
reflecting the five-year evaluation or plan um activity especially If it was.
If Lsd funds were used to fund any or all of it.
Dennis Nangle: Um!
And this could be under project funds or administrative funds or match funds could if you could have
supported the development of your five-year evaluation or plan.
Um, You should have it recorded in the Spr.
And we want to encourage you to use the activity, mode of planning, and evaluation,
Dennis Nangle: and we have a link here that should be clickable, at least in the Pdf.
That is linked in the chat of examples.
You can look at in the Spr public view.
Um through that link.
If you need examples,
Dennis Nangle: so as as far as how Arpa and your regular funds relate to the four percent
administrative project.
Um, the total reporting of which, uh for the administrative project reflects a combination
of, So, as you may remember, from previous conversations uh the four percent cap applies
to not just your regular allotment, but your um our board as well, which is obviously significantly
higher than usual.
Dennis Nangle: Um, it's an option to use any or all of the allow, the four.
It's not a requirement to need it.
Um!
There is no sort of formula behind it that would affect you in future years.
It's very year by year, and you just have the ability to use up to four percent.
And we also want to.
You take it this opportunity to remind everybody that
Dennis Nangle: the administrative project can include State or other match.
So if if State funds or other kinds of funds were used to help support the administration
of Lsa in your State.
Those those funds are not subject to the four percent cap, but it is helpful to have reported
Dennis Nangle: what funds are helping to support the program.
Dennis Nangle: So in this slide, uh, we think kind of lays out what you would expect to
see on the financial status report area under administrative costs.
And again, this is typically a very straightforward thing.
But because of the fact that we're combining two awards, we want to lay it out and make
it as possible for everybody.
So there aren't any surprises the allowed field, as you can see.
Is auto-calculated as four percent of both your Fy, two thousand and twenty and one award,
and your Rpa.
Award.
Dennis Nangle: And then any figures that you included in your administrative project
Dennis Nangle: will show up automatically in the actual field.
So you don't manually add any numbers in this area of the Fsr.
That's coming from your admin project.
And then um.
The difference is also auto-calculated.
Dennis Nangle: So if you notice any incorrect calculations in this section, we recommend
saving the Fsr.
Again, it's kind of saving as kind of like a refresh or a sync button in this way to
kind of make sure that the numbers and all the pieces of the Svr.
Are talking to each other,
Dennis Nangle: so like once again we are working with an spr that's used to dealing with one
award at a time, but making accommodations for two at the same time
Dennis Nangle: what we had to do to accommodate reporting financials for both of the awards.
In the financial status report we asking you to enter both of the law numbers for your
fy two thousand and twenty-one award, and your our call board in the financial status
report and you'll see that field a Federal grant or other identifying number assigned
by Federal agencies.
Field.
One of the longer field descriptions you'll see in the example that those blog numbers
are located there,
Dennis Nangle: and you can find these in numbers if you're wondering where they are.
If you haven't heard of them before they're on your award document, which in reach is
called the notice of action.
Dennis Nangle: So you'll be able to find those is uh, and we can all program officers can
also help you locate them if you need that assistance.
Um.
And the total Federal funds authorized is also automatically filled, and we just pointed
out here because it might look like an exceptionally high number or one that you can
Dennis Nangle: point to a specific source.
And that's because it's combining both of your two thousand and twenty-one one awards.
Again.
And you see this an example from Alabama.
Here.
Um!
At the top is there a regular twenty, twenty-one, allotment and the bottom is their Arpa funds,
and it's combined to
Dennis Nangle: um.
And then another uh element about the advantage of status report that we wanted to cover related
to match.
It's also auto calculated, and you you'll notice that there's they're auto populated
um from from Project Field.
So we talked about working on your projects first, so that when your Fsr.
Has the numbers that it needs.
Um.
But we just want to remind you here that, unlike the other elements of the Fsr.
That is taking into account both
Dennis Nangle: allotments, because the match at Moe
Dennis Nangle: requirements were waved for Arba.
You're only going to see the um required match, calculated from your regular two thousand
and twenty one award, and not your and in the very final um field at the bottom, the
Federal share of net outlays should be an auto-population and auto sum of all of the
Lsta Fund numbers in your project.
Dennis Nangle: So now i'm going to turn it over to Cindy Boyden to talk about best practices.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Thanks, Dennis.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: So this is the portion of the Webinar that shifts from information
related to Erica funds reporting, and into a more of a refresher in general best practices
for the Spr.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: I'm going to kick off this section by going over some first steps
as a new user as well as some suggested approaches for preparing your
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: If you do not have a login for the Espr.
Your Imoles program officer can set you up in the system by creating an account for you.
Your username is your email address, and we will send you your password.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: You can change your password by going into the account management section
of the spr after you've logged in.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: It's worth noting that Chrome and firefox are recommended.
Browsers for the system.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Issues with saving and editing may occur when you open up to browser
windows or tabs for the Spr.
At the same time.
So it's best to try to avoid that, and this can often occur when users want to look back
at the prior year's, reports while completing the current years.
However, this can often lead to editing and reporting bugs.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: One of the first things you should do when logging into the Spr for
the first time is updating or verifying your own information, as well as the information
about your State library which we touched on earlier related to the Uei.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: All three of these options are in the account management menu.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: If your State Library grants some awards, Don't forget to maintain
the Sub Award Info section in the Spr.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: And here's what it looks like.
This section is separate from the project section of the Espr.
And provides information about sub awards beyond just the ones that were funded
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: some writing tips when working through the spr and individual projects.
In addition to using plain language.
Remember that the report is happening after the completion of activities, and should be
written in the past tense.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: The Spr.
Reports should avoid library jargon.
While keeping in mind that the text will be accessible to the general public,
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: and the one exception to using specific names or names of people
in the report is with outside consultants when it is acceptable to reference names
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: when working through your abstracts.
Imls, again, does not need a general sla, a program, description or history.
You want to think about.
What did you do this year?
What was accomplished?
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: We would prefer that you avoid bullet listing.
We would like it in a paragraph format.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: And should you decide to copy and paste into the abstracts
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: a text box, just remember to use the format stripping work around and
avoid colored text.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: If you have some awardees or project directors filling these out in
the spr, these are really important points to relate to them, and always always review
or proofread prior to submission to Imls.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: So when working on statewide projects, an example of a statewide project
might be statewide databases.
They are provided to everyone in the State, However, something like summer reading, while
potentially made available to the entire State,
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: does not mean that each library utilized funds or resources for summer
reading.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: This is the case.
Summer reading would not be a statewide project,
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: even if the grantee is reported as the Sl.
A.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Instead in the activity area
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: indicating the participating libraries by name or number
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: would be optimal for reporting.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: If you are interested in bundling projects, several criteria must
be made.
Several criteria must be meant to combine a sub award into a single project,
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: a minimum.
They support the same intent and cover the same subjects.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: For example, if a State completed a continuing Ed project, offering
grants to libraries for staff to participate in a library course, then you could list them
as one project with different locals.
Well, the libraries that these folks are.
They consider their home libraries.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: In cases like these you would list a State library contact as the
project director
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: indicate the some recipients in activity locals, if possible, or report
them by number to keep the administrative burden
in check.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: And this is another example of bundling seventy five libraries within
the State utilized funds to purchase Ppe.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: These projects can be bundled into a single line.
Item in the Spr.
So long as the libraries were counted somewhere, either by institution, name, or institution
type, at the activity level, and Don't forget sl.
Aas can always upload additional materials
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: to support various projects or provide details if appropriate.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Now, the information on this slide might look familiar to you,
at least those that worked on the most recent five-year plans
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: as a reminder.
Projects should have one intent.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: There are fourteen intents to choose from with six focal areas
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: intents are critical to knowing how to report and define your projects.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Ts are related to the crosswalk.
Your State Library submitted in their five-year plan
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: State goals correspond to focal areas and projects correspond to
intense.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: And now Madison is going to provide some more details on reporting
individual projects.
Madison.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Thanks so much, Cindy.
We are going to
Madison Bolls, IMLS: to say a little more, a little more about intense, and about how
you only need to assign one intent per project.
Here we have an example of two intents that have similar subjects for a project, we should
be able to refer to the Cross crosswalk that you developed as part of your five Year plan
to see what intent was identified for that specific project.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: If it's a new project that didn't have uh there wasn't around and
it wasn't a part of your five-year plan and make sure it just has one intense that you
think it's best.
Uh, this is really important, because when your evaluator attempts to do the five-year
evaluation.
They're going to take each project and describe how it met a particular goal and intent in
your fiber plan.
It'll be a lot easier for them if there's only one in ten.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now, here's just an illustration of a sample crosswalk again.
Good idea to get in the habit of using that crosswalk and having it aligned your spr.
So when you start reporting your projects for that new two thousand and twenty-three
to two thousand and twenty-seven cycle, your evaluator will have much easier time with
their analysis, and you can better track your progress along the way.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now activities, the writing tips that we mentioned previously still apply
to how you're going to do your activities.
An overall principle of the spr framework is eliminating activities to ten per project.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: A related principle is that ah, more complex or more expensive projects
will likely have more activities so to consider something as an activity.
It should account for.
At least ten percent of the budget of of the total budget, which includes both match and
in kind and Federal funds.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: And now, uh, let's talk about activity descriptions.
Here we have an an example of one activity abstract, that briefly outlines what happened.
It's very succinct and clear, and provides only the necessary info.
Um.
You can see also here that the activity uh
Madison Bolls, IMLS: the type and mode selections underneath the instruction, consultation
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and activities also are going to prompt you to enter quantities such
as how long the program lasted in minutes.
How many consultations which pertains to this specific example,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: or how many books were purchased, If it's a purchase activity and
a somewhat common issue we see, is leaving those uh those fields blank and only with
zero.
So please be sure to fill something in when you're completing your activity information.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now, the selection of activity type should generally follow the
spending and focus of the project, and we have those four activity types here
Madison Bolls, IMLS: in particular, the big one we see often is staff attending conferences.
You you want to use the instruction, other activity and mode,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and also a big one, is the procurement activity uh procurement is
only used.
It's used very sparingly.
It's only used, and is only available for you to select for the When you have the institutional
capacity intent.
Here you can see three examples of purchases that are not procurement as defined by the
Spr.
System.
Um.
So you know databases and laptops, and such uh
Madison Bolls, IMLS: can be categorized as something else.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: So
Madison Bolls, IMLS: outcomes activity outcomes.
Uh, we have outcomes reporting built into the Spr, both at the activity level and at
the overall project level.
An outcome is.
It?
Is the effect of programs and services uh something that changes in individuals's life
for the community.
It's a change in their knowledge, attitude, skills, behaviors, or condition, and we are
trying to document what changed for participants due to their use of a service.
For
Madison Bolls, IMLS: so this chart is for um activity outcomes based on what you choose
as the activity type.
There are four times when you will be prompted to include activity, outcome information.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Three of them involve serving the library workforce, and the one
other surveying the general public.
For example, if you have an instruction for library workforce, and it is in the mode of
a program.
Then you should.
You should have surveyed the participants
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Also make note that i'm less does not expect you to have surveyed
children.
Anyone under eighteen should not be surveyed so activities that involve children
Madison Bolls, IMLS: do not have to have outcome.
Ah, figures that said, we, do want you to include overall project outcomes in that Project
outcome section that that contains information on, maybe.
How many children participated in some of the things that you serve,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: you know.
Ah Budget reminders, we don't we don't We don't want to touch extensively on the budget
area of the report in this refresher Webinar, but we do have some some general tips.
Um.
When reporting on conference registrations.
You want to report those as services, not travel
Madison Bolls, IMLS: for any sort of apps software or licenses purchases.
Also, we're going to report those in the services box not supplies
Madison Bolls, IMLS: um and overall.
Just please avoid using bake or misleading terms in your descriptions of what you purchased
in the budget box.
Anything that says other or related costs, or miscellaneous uh is not going to be very
helpful.
So please be more specific
Madison Bolls, IMLS: now for the the salaries and wages uh budget box set uh section Uh,
we want to make sure that you're providing enough information when filling out information
for salaries and wages.
Please provide the position, titles, and the Ft equivalents, especially when there is more
than one staff person uh uh, included in this in this budget area.
So these two screenshots here provide good examples of budget descriptions.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: The first shows the differentiation between Lsta and State funds, which is great,
and the second shows how a single staff member salary is allocated across multiple projects.
Now remember uh what's in You said.
We do not need names.
We just need position titles here,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and finally with with the budget.
The other operational expenses box gets a lot of attention.
This area is only for indirect costs, and should only be used for the indirect costs
of some recipient.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: If you, the slaa incur indirect costs, those should be represented
in the administrative project, not in an individual project.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now here are some examples on this slide.
The two descriptions at the top were returned because the charges described in those boxes
are not considered that other operational expenses, because they directly relate to
the cost of the project.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: However, you can see how these types of charges could be misperceived,
as as in other charge um, or charges that don't necessarily fit into any other of the
budget box.
But for the purposes of the spr, however, this category is solely reserved for indirect
costs.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Um!
In both these instances it would be better if those costs were in the services box.
Now the example, at the bottom of the slide shows how this category should be used
Madison Bolls, IMLS: to capture indirect costs of subrecipients.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Um.
The specific indirect cost rate percentage that was charged to the sub recipients.
Grant is key and encouraged to to include Again, if you have a project that combines
multiple subgrants to several subrecipients, it would be ideal if you itemize this box
and include A.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: The the the subrecipient, and their indirect costs rate here
Madison Bolls, IMLS: additional materials.
I believe So you mentioned this before.
But, um consider all types of relevant, relevant documents to include um and upload, and the
additional material section of your project you've heard of say it before we love photographs.
Um!
They're great for for us, just, you know, to get to get to know more about the project,
and we can also use them as possible for social media and blog posts on our end of things;
also attaching any sort of outreach material
Madison Bolls, IMLS: curricula website links, sign-up forums or marketing materials.
Anything that really helps tell the story of the project.
We'd love to see it
Madison Bolls, IMLS: project tags.
Um.
These are of interest to Imls for a national level analysis, and could be helpful to you
as well in terms of organizing your projects.
Um, This is an open text field in the Spr.
Someone asked earlier in the chat.
If we have any sort of uh specific terms or controlled vocabulary, we don't um.
You can use any terms you feel are appropriate, and if you have multiple terms, make sure
you separate them with commerce.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now, match only projects.
Um, I know some States uh may need to add a match only project which is where the budget
would have zero dollars recorded for Lst funds, but their match funds are recorded.
Um!
These will be recorded as a regular project with budget figures.
Um, and make sure those figures are recorded to be appropriate categories, and you will
need to identify an intent for that project as as well as at least one activity.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: They're treated just like every other project in your report.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: All right.
So once you have run the gauntlet and completed your project Data entry.
Make sure the project status has changed to completed.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Um.
You have to do this before project validation or certification by your chief.
Um.
The best way to do it is that you can go to the list projects area and do a bulk status
change which is what is shown here.
Um,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Now, uh, the administrative project and the Fs.
Are also need to be changed separately.
Um!
You still have to open the administrative projects to change its status, and then, after
all of that is completed, we'd like you to switch the status of the final financial report
at the very end of all of your reporting that way.
It will reflect the final information.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: So it's time for your chief to certify your authorized official
to certify.
Here is the path a screenshot of the path that they will take after they log into the
Spr.
To certify
Madison Bolls, IMLS: this.
This path is the same for Lsd coordinators if they want to validate their report, to
head off any error messages that may come through,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and by doing this this will certify your two thousand and twenty
one final reports, your final projects, your final Fsr.
And your administrative project.
Someone asked previously
Madison Bolls, IMLS: about the interim Ffr.
But that it requires a completely separate certification.
So you can certify the interim as that fog first.
Before completing any additional final recording,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: you can ensure that the certification went through by by checking
the project status under the list of projects it'll say certified.
Or you can look at the certification fields in the Fsr.
Which, once certified, should contain the name and date of your teeth.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Okay, reminders final.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: We love reminders.
We love reminders.
Um!
Here are your reporting deadlines, but pay attention to those uh, those of you who have
individual uh different deadlines because of branch extensions.
Um.
You can also take a look at our Grant cycle calendar, which is a part of the Grant States
Manual.
We have online.
Um.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: The Spr also does have a sandbox for practicing and training in it.
So if you'd like to use that, and you don't yet have access.
I'll let your program officer know, and we can get you access to that.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Okay, Um,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: coming soon, Some coming interactions for you to anticipate.
So the first one does not have to do with the spr it has to do with a gms reach.
Um login.
Dot.
Gov. Is a government-wide security feature uh that's already used on a bunch of other
Federal sites, including Sam Dot com um that secures dual factor, authentication and just
increases our level of security.
Um!
Soon you will need to have a login dot of account in order to act
to access.
Eggheads Reach
Madison Bolls, IMLS: um your current login.
Credentials as you log in now will no longer be valid, but your email address that is associated
with your reach account so that your your work email address um must be registered and
log in.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: When this is enacted we're thinking it's going to happen at the
end of the year.
We don't yet have a solid date yet,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: but when it's when it's activated, you're going to have three options.
When you get to the Egns Reach Landing page the first is just linking your already existing
login, dot com account to your reach account with the same email address.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: The second option is, if you have a login Gov account.
But you don't have it under your work email address.
You can have multiple email addresses under the same account.
So it's just a matter of adding in your work, email address, um, and then connecting it
to your account.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: And the third option is, if you don't have a login Gov. Account
at all, It'll just prompt you to create one, and then it will tie it to your reach account
Madison Bolls, IMLS: again.
We don't exactly know when this is going to be activated, it will likely be at the end
of the calendar year, and we will give you plenty of warning beforehand,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and another new feature, Um!
And this is within the Spr is that we have refreshed the site as a checklist and have
moved it as a fillable form in the Fpr.
We will be doing more training on this at our annual conference in the spring.
But it's already there.
If you want to log into the Svr.
And take a Look, it's under the account management.
Tab
Madison Bolls, IMLS: um and have fun with it.
See what's going on.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Well, we have blown through a ton of content,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and we actually made it under the hour.
Um, if you have any very specific questions, feel free to contact us individually, or contact
a program officer.
But I am going to take some time to go through some of the questions that came through in
the chat.
See?
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Um,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: as someone mentioned.
Um, if you have an already extension.
You can certify your interim.
Report first separately from all of your final reports, so make sure you do that.
Make sure you certify your internal report by December the thirtieth two thousand and
twenty-two
Madison Bolls, IMLS: um
Madison Bolls, IMLS: harpoon it.
Okay.
So if you if you have a project that mix both arpa funds and lsta annual allotment funds.
Um, and you're not sure if you should use the arc of prefix on the project title.
If you're using majority Arpa funds,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: make sure you use that Arpa title that are for prefix if it's just
a little bit of Arpa funds in a mostly Lsta allotment project.
You don't need to use the prefix, but make sure you do specify which funds or arc of
funds within the budget boxes and your descriptions,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: as we mentioned.
If you have specific tags you want to use.
We don't now have controlled vocabulary so you can choose the tags you want
Madison Bolls, IMLS: um
Madison Bolls, IMLS: for for administrative costs and match costs are, but did not require
any matching funds.
But if you have matching funds that you want to contribute and report, you're certainly
welcome to do so to reach your match uh requirements, and also um!
If some of those went to your administrative costs, you can include them in a report.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Does the intent and the str for the project have to be one of the
intents we have tied to the goal in our five-year plan.
Sorry everybody needs to catch up.
There may be, so.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: There may be times when you would take a detour from your five-year
plane, crosswalk, and that's fine, but it's meant to be a helpful roadmap.
If you follow it, your evaluator would have an easier time.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: The next question is for instruction activities.
Um for session length.
In minutes we should use an average length correct, or do we total the length of all
sessions and use that number?
Am I answering the right one?
This is Kara's question.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: You'd generally want to use the average time for an activity in
minutes.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Next question will the system allow us to leave the survey results
blank when there are no results such as projects involving children.
Yes, that's correct.
Those are not required fields.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: So the criteria for a certifying officer.
This is going to be your authorized certifying official.
Uh, that signs all those magical forms that are required of you.
Um!
When you receive your awards um, and get your five-year plans approved,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: and only one person at your agency can be designated as the authorized
certifying official, and we have to have one listed at all times.
So if you're not sure who that is.
Lay your own offs or no
Madison Bolls, IMLS: March Conference no dates yet.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Um,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: since the Fsr.
Pulls info automatically, it it won't be finalized.
If we receive an Arpa extension.
That's correct.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Just report on your Lsta allotment spending by your original deadline.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Okay, we do have five minutes left.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Does anyone have any additional questions,
Madison Bolls, IMLS: I will have a recording of this presentation ready for you all as
soon as possible, and send it out when it's ready.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Any ideas on fiscal year, two thousand and twenty three funds.
Wendy Coughlin, You don't get anything
Madison Bolls, IMLS: to all States except South Carolina.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: No, we don't.
We don't glad we got that out of the way.
Madison Bolls, IMLS: I pulled that band-aid on.
She might expect nothing less from you
Madison Bolls, IMLS: but we don't we have a cr Congressional resolution until mid-december.
I believe
Madison Bolls, IMLS: maybe we'll have a budget.
Then maybe it'll be another Congressional resolution.
We're not sure yet
Madison Bolls, IMLS: Who should you contact when you experience Spr.
System issues, great question, contact or program officer.
Um.
They'll either be able to help you troubleshoot or they will contact our it.
Staff, who will help correct any issues that come up
Madison Bolls, IMLS: wonderful.
Um!
Madison Bolls, IMLS: I'm so happy to see all of you joining us today.
We're really really appreciative that you take the time to learn the system
Madison Bolls, IMLS: with us.
Um, since we have no further questions, and we got three minutes to spare, I suppose we
can let folks go, But again.
You have our names.
You have our numbers.
You have our email addresses.
Um feel free to reach out at any time if you need assistance.
And Thanks so much for coming again.
Cindy Boyden - IMLS: Thanks, everybody,
Teri DeVoe, IMLS: thanks, everyone.