How To Complete the Program Grant Final Report
Program Grants and Partners-in-Excellence Instructions, Definitions, and Tips for Completing
Final Reports for Program Grants and Partners-in-Excellence Programs will be filed electronically using the eGRANT system. To learn how to access and use the eGRANT [1] system, refer to the eGRANT Step by Step Instructions [2] document.
The Final Report will report on the activities that took place during the grant period as specified on the grant agreement.
You will be required to provide financial, statistical and narrative information on the activities that took place during the grant period. In addition you will be required to submit examples of published materials verifying your organization’s activities and your compliance with the IAC funding acknowledgement requirement (“This program partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency”).
Deadline
Final Reports for Program Grants and Partners-in-Excellence must be submitted electronically through the eGRANT system no later 30 days after the end date of the grant (the end date can be found on the Grant Agreement).
eGrant Information:
The final report is divided into four sections:
- Organization Information – in this section you will provide basic details regarding your organization and contact information
- Project – in this section you will provide details regarding the “project” for which you received support . This includes a narrative, financial summary, and statistical information
-
Attachments – in this section you will attach the following:
- a financial statement outlining revenue and expense for the FY12 grant period of September 15, 2011 to August 31, 2012* or for the funded project. You must use the provided template (pdf [3] or excel [4]). Save the document as a PDF and label as follows Organization name (or a recognizable acronym)_final_financials.pdf
- 1 - 2 examples of printed materials verifying program activities and acknowledgement of the IAC. When possible, include IAC acknowledgement verification on the first page of your documentation.
- Certification – In this section you will certify the final report. Please note, applicants are no longer required to submit a hard copy of a signed certification form; by completing this section you are certifying this final report.
Required Fields
In each section, fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required fields. The eGRANT system will not allow you to submit your Final Report without responding to these requirements. Because each final report is unique, not all report fields are “required”, but you are required to fill in every field which is applicable for your application or final report.
Documentation
Upload one to two examples of published materials or news releases verifying your organization’s activities and your compliance with the IAC funding acknowledgement requirement (“This program partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency”). Acceptable formats for uploaded files are PDF, JPEG, or WORD (All word documents must be saved as .doc or .rtf files). When possible, include IAC acknowledgement verification on the first page of your documentation.
Definitions
- Individuals Benefiting from Project (IND) should reflect all people who saw or took part in the project. This DOES NOT refer to how many people benefited financially. This field cannot be zero.
- Youth Benefiting from Project (YTH) should reflect the number of youth included in IND who were 18 years old or younger. If zero, enter 0.
- Artists Involved in Project (ART) refers to how many living artists had their work represented in a project or how many artists took part in the project or performance. If zero, enter 0.
- Total Volunteers Participating in Project (VOL) refers to the number of volunteers who worked on the project. (If zero, enter 0)
FInancial Statement Definitions(for provided template)
Refer to the Financial Section Definitions [5]document when completing this report.
Final Report Tips and Common Errors
Financial Statement
If your organization’s fiscal year does not end on August 31, use the most recent completed fiscal year (audited if available), subtract months (using your General Ledger) that are not in the IAC Program year of September 15, 2011 to August 31, 2012, and add additional months (audited if available, using your General Ledger).
EXAMPLE for a December 31ST fiscal year end
| Amount per financial statement for the year ended December 31, 2011 (expenses or income) | $ 150,000 |
| Less Jan – August, 2011 (prior year) |
$ (76,000) |
| Plus Jan – August, 2012 (this year) | $ 74,000 |
|
Equals IAC State Program Year reported (September 15, 2011 – August 31, 2012) |
$ 148,000 |
Narrative
Be sure to answer all five questions in report narrative
For General Operating Support Grants:
- Describe your programs and activities which took place during the grant period.
- Highlight your major goals and objectives during this time.
- To what degree and how were these goals and objectives met?
- Provide details as to the methods used to measure these goals and objectives.
- Provide an interesting anecdote or describe a pivotal or breakthrough achievement during the grant period.
For Project Support Grants:
- Describe the project in which IAC funds were used.
- List the goals and objectives of this project.
- To what degree and how were these goals and objectives met?
- Provide details as to the methods used to measure these goals and objectives.
- Provide an interesting anecdote related to the funded project.
Financial Summary
Total Unrestricted Revenue Less In-Kind (REV):
TheTotal Unrestricted Revenue Less In-Kind (REV) should equal at minimum the IAC grant amount plus the required cash match. If this is not the case, you are required to explain the discrepancy and, may be required to return a portion of your grant proportionate to the discrepancy.
- Organizations whose last completed fiscal year’s cash operating expenses for public arts programming was over $50,000 must provide at minimum a ‘DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR CASH MATCH’ of the IAC grant amount.
- Organizations whose last completed fiscal year’s cash operating expenses for public arts programming was under $50,000 must provide a cash match at minimum of 70% of the IAC grant amount.
Grant Amount Awarded (GRA):
Be sure to provide the correct grant amount awarded. Check your original grant agreement, award letter or Final Report due notice for the amount.
Grant Amount Spent (SPE):
If the total grant amount was not spent within the grant period, you will be required to return the unspent portion. You will receive notice of the amount to be returned and/or given the opportunity to make and explain any corrections, if the reported information was incorrect.
Total Expenditures less in-Kind is GREATER THAN Total Unrestricted Revenue less In-Kind:
If the Total Expenditures less In-Kind (EXP) are greater than five percent of your Total Unrestricted Revenue less In-Kind (REV), you must provide a detailed explanation of how this deficit occurred and your plans on how you will address this issue. Use the narrative box at the bottom of the FInancial Section Template for the explanation.
If you have questions regarding the filing of the final report, please contact Pius Zacharias, Accountant Supervisor at 312/814-3300 or pius.zacharias@illinois.gov [6]
A Special addendum concerning FY12 Final Reports
How to complete a Final Report when IAC funds have not yet be received.
Many of our constituents have asked ‘How should we complete our Final Report when we have not received the grant from the Illinois Arts Council’. The answer is to treat the IAC grant as ‘Accrued Revenue’.
What Does Accrued Revenue Mean? Money that has been earned but not received as of the end of the reporting period. The FY12 IAC grant that you were awarded but have not received yet would be considered accrued revenue.
Unfortunately, payments from the Comptroller are running several months behind, and Final Reports are still mandated to be completed by our grantees. If you have completed your project as detailed in your grant application, with the expectation of receiving IAC grant funds, we ask that you use the Accrued Revenue method of accounting for the FY12 Final Reports.
In addition to answering the narrative questions outlined above, the narrative section should:
- make note that grant funds have not been received and
- include a detailed explanation of the impact the delay in receiving funds has had.
- For Project Grants - include a detailed explanation of any changes made to the project due to funds not received.
If you have additional questions concerning how to complete your Final Report, please contact Pius Zacharias, Accountant Supervisor at 312/814-3300 or pius.zacharias@illinois.gov [6]