# Policy AM-413-50 Grant Award Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference. ## Policy AM-413-50 Grant Award Balt., Md., Admin. Manual AM-413-50 (2026) purpose Expediting the establishment of a budget account number allows an agency/entity to begin grant operations as soon as possible. scope This policy is applicable to all city of Baltimore agencies/entities that use grant funding, as well as any other organizations for which the city serves as grantor or contributes resources. Moreover, this policy supersedes and replaces AM-404-1 Financial Grants, AM-404-1-1 Applying for Grants, and AM-404-1-2 Action upon Receiving Grant Approval. policy-statement Per AM-101-1 Request for Board of Estimates Approval, all third party contracts and/or legal documents which bind the city must be reviewed by the law department. Therefore, post-award and prior to beginning a new grant the law department must review all awards for legal form and sufficiency. In addition, copies of the award and sub-grantee awards must be forwarded to the department of audits for review and endorsement. Finally, prior to beginning operations, the Board of Estimates (BOE) must approve the grant award and when applicable, all corresponding sub-recipient award(s). procedure Embedded Image
1. After award, an expeditious turnaround of documentation is required so that the grant may begin operating as quickly as possible. The primary risk to this policy is a delay in the post-award approval processes.
(Agency) Grant Manager: 2. Upon receipt of a grant award letter, posts award information in the CRM database. Note: CRM can be accessed at https://bmore.crm9.dynamics.com/main.aspx; then, 3. Following the submission guidelines outlined in AM Policy 101-1 and AM Policy 101-1-1, Requests for Board of Estimates forwards copies of the grant award and sub-recipient agreement(s) to the law department, with a courtesy copy to the appropriate deputy mayor. Law Department/Agency Legal Representative: 4. Reviews the grant award and sub-recipient agreements within three (3) working days of receipt for legal form and sufficiency. If an award is lacking information, contacts grant manager for the additional information; then, 5. Forwards grant award to the Bureau of the Budget and Management Research (BBMR). BBMR: 6. Approves grant award for funds and forwards BOE cover letter, grant award letter and sub-recipient agreement(s) to the BOE. Department of Audits: 7. Reviews and endorses the grant award while pending submission to the BOE for approval. Board of Estimates: 8. Approves grant award or if necessary, returns it for additional information; 9. Once approved, returns cover letter with approvals, grant award letter and/or sub-recipient agreement(s) to the grant manager. (Agency) Grant Manager:
10. Typically, a scope of work (SOW), award letter and BOE approval are required to obtain a budget account number and begin work. However, occasionally – especially for grants extended beyond their original period of performance – the grantor may delay updating the scope of work. In these cases, the grant manager may begin operating post-BOE approval, sans scope of work, so as not to interfere with the continuity of services. It is, however, recommended that the grant manager work closely with the grantor and document their efforts to obtain a copy of the SOW within 90-days of the award;
11. Forwards copy of the BOE-approved grant award letter to the grants management office; and, 12. Posts a softcopy of the BOE-approved grant award to the CRM database. Grants Management Office (GMO)/Bureau of Accounting & Payroll Services (BAPS):
13. Within 24-hours of receipt of the BOE-approved grant award letter, sets up the detailed fund account number in CityDynamics; then, collaborates with BAPS and BBMR to create a budget account number. NOTE: Budget account numbers will not be issued by the Grants Management Office without a BOE-approved award letter.
14. Returns budget account number to the grant manager to begin grant operations. (Agency) Grant Manager: 15. Upon receipt of budget account number begins grant operations. 16. In the event of a non-award, works with agency’s grants management committee to seek a debrief with the grantor so that appropriate in-house adjustments can be made to future grant applications, therefore optimizing the agency/organization/entity’s chances for future awards: see Grants Management & Administration, AM Policy 413-00: Applications. policy-owner The grants management office is responsible for all changes and/or updates to this policy. workflow-process A flowchart displays workflow graphically, using some or all of the following process symbols. Embedded Image Figure 1, below, graphically displays the primary steps followed in the grant award process. Embedded Image Figure 1: Grant Award details the process an award goes through after initial receipt. *History: October 01, 2021*