Grants 101 – Understanding the Seminole Tribe of Florida Grant Lifecycle

Grants 101 – Understanding the Seminole Tribe of Florida Grant Lifecycle

Course Description:

Grants 101 is an introductory training designed for Seminole Tribe of Florida employees who currently manage grant‑funded programs, work with grant support, or are interested in pursuing grant opportunities for their departments. This course provides a comprehensive, step‑by‑step overview of the Tribe’s internal processes for developing, submitting, accepting, administering, and closing out grant awards.

Participants will learn how grant ideas move from concept to completion within the Tribe’s established procedures. The training will cover essential topics such as identifying funding opportunities, coordinating with internal stakeholders, preparing compliant applications, navigating required approvals, understanding award acceptance protocols, tracking performance and expenditures, and meeting reporting and close‑out obligations.

By the end of the course, participants will have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities throughout the grant lifecycle, how the Grants Management Office supports departments, and best practices that help ensure successful, compliant, and sustainable grant‑funded programs.

Grants 101 Training Agenda

Duration: 3 hours coursework, 1 hour lunch

1. Welcome & Introductions  - 10:30am

• Purpose of the training
• Overview of the Grants Management Office (GMO)
• Participant roles and experience

1. Understanding the Grant Lifecycle – 10:45am

• The five stages: Development, Submission, Acceptance, Administration, Close‑Out
• How each stage works within the Seminole Tribe of Florida processes

1. Stage 1: Grant Application Development – 11:15am

• Identifying funding opportunities
• Internal communication and collaboration
• Developing project concepts and budgets
• Required internal reviews and approvals

1. Stage 2: Application Submission – 11:30am

• Submission procedures and timelines
• Coordinating with GMO for compliance
• Common pitfalls and best practices

Lunch Break – 12:00pm

1. Stage 3: Grant Award Acceptance – 1:00pm

• Award notification and review
• Tribal approval requirements
• Roles of Legal, Finance, and Executive leadership
• Finalizing acceptance and award setup

1. Stage 4: Grant Administration – 1:15pm

• Monitoring program performance
• Managing budgets and expenditures
• Reporting requirements (programmatic and financial)
• Documentation standards and audit readiness
• Working with GMO throughout implementation

1. Stage 5: Grant Close‑Out – 1:30pm

• Close‑out procedures and final reporting
• Compliance checks
• Lessons learned and post‑award evaluation

1. Resources & Support – 1:45pm

• GMO contacts and available tools
• Templates, guidance documents, and internal systems

1. Q&A and Discussion – 2:00pm

• Open questions
• Department‑specific considerations
• Next steps for participants