Contracts are renewed on a 1, 2, or 3 year basis.
In a renewal year, a Grant Coordinator will be in touch to arrange for an in person meeting on-site to discuss the program. A site visit to a program in non-renewal years may also be requested. We also encourage organizations to initiate a site visit at any time to share activities and learnings and discuss their funded program.
In a contract renewal year, we will also request that a more comprehensive narrative report is completed by the organization. During review years, organizations will complete a simplified version of the narrative report.
An OMF is a map that suggests the path between what a project is doing and what it is changing. It is not just a way to strengthen accountability for the use of resources. Used effectively, it can help to make wise planning and management decisions.
The OMF should be a living document that guides the work of a program, and is adaptable as experience builds and the context continues to change. Note that organizations are welcome to make changes to the OMF in response to opportunities to build on emerging community strengths or needs, however it is important to discuss these changes with your Grant Coordinator prior to submitting your completed report.
If you are planning to make substantial changes to your OMF, please let your Grant Coordinator know by February 15th. This helps us work together to ensure that program activities remain within the guidelines to maintain funding.
Some questions on the report require information collected from participant surveys. Actively involving participants in the evaluation and planning process of your program can increase interest and engagement, so we do encourage you to survey participants or find another forum for feedback. Surveying should happen when it makes the most sense for your program and not necessarily at the end of the fiscal year when your report is due.
For grantees using the Common Outcomes Measurement Framework (for social connectedness), a pre-established survey is available to use. Your Grant Coordinator can send this to you if you do not have a copy on hand.
For grantees not using the Common Outcomes Measurement Framework please feel free to develop your own survey. Your grant coordinator can assist you with this if needed.
If surveying participants is not possible, please complete the report using your observations and comments from program participants.
Should your program have a surplus for the reporting year, you are invited to request a carry over to be used in the upcoming fiscal year. Your annual report must show this surplus, and the surplus carry over must be requested by May 15th, prior to submitting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Note that surplus carry-overs will only be considered for one-time-only investments to your program. A surplus cannot be incorporated into the programs annual operating budget and used for annual expenses.
To request a surplus carry-over, please contact your Grant Coordinator and provide the following information, by May 15th:
Why you have a surplus (for example, a staff role you budgeted for was vacant for 2 months)
How much of the surplus you would like to carry over (you can request the full amount, or a partial amount)
What you would like to use the surplus for (for example, you run a peer led cooking program and you would like to buy a new fridge, which is a one-time-only expense)
Financial Reporting and Budgeting
Please report only on the SMART funding related to the program your SMART grant supports.
Finance reports must be balanced as they report only on how the funds provided through SMART Grants are spent. A report in deficit will not be accepted. If additional costs for your program are being covered by other revenue sources, please note the amount and sources in the "Notes" section. Annual Financial Reports are due May 15th of each year. Budgets for the upcoming year are due June 15th of each year.
Please ensure that you are reporting expenses on the appropriate corresponding line.
Pay close attention to your administrative expenses and ensure they do not exceed 10% of your total SMART funding.
Please use the notes section to inform us of any significant changes or new expenses reported or anticipated. If your program receives significant gift-in-kind to operate, we would like to know that too! Please share details briefly in the notes section.