FTA Notice Adds to the Grants Lingo with the Term “Takedown”
In recent weeks, we have come across some intriguing terminology as it relates to grants of which we were not previously aware. For example, we issued a post last month about the BAM, which is used by the Department of Labor in the Unemployment Insurance program to ensure the accuracy of claims (BAM stands for “Benefit Accuracy Measurement”).
Now, according to a recent Federal Register notice issued by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Agency (FTA), we’re learning of another word that caused us to scratch our heads. The word – “takedown.” When it comes to grants administration, we are familiar with terminology such as drawdowns of federal funds, as well as the flow down of requirements from recipients to subrecipients. If “takedown” is a standard word used by FTA, we stand corrected, but to this point, we had never seen this word used with grant programs.
The July 2 notice discusses FTA federal fiscal year 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supplemental apportionments, allocations, program information and guidance. One section under the notice addresses “oversight takedown,” which notes that the CARES Act provides that “not more than three-quarters of 1%, but not to exceed $75 million, of the funds shall be available until expended for administrative expenses and ongoing program management oversight and to generally provide technical assistance and correct deficiencies identified in compliance reviews and audits” as authorized under sections 5334 and 5338(f)(2) of title 49, U.S. Code.
Later on in the notice when discussing the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program, or Tribal Transit Program (TTP), FTA states that this program is funded “as a takedown from funds made available for the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program.” Formula factors include vehicle revenue miles and the number of low-income individuals residing on tribal lands. TTP funds are allocated for grants to eligible recipients for any purpose eligible under Formula Grants for Rural Areas program or the CARES Act, which includes capital, operating, planning, and job access and reverse commute projects.
So there you have it; another word added to our grants dictionary. We’ll continue to watch how the English language is used in grant-related announcements going forward to see if there is yet another word of interest to add to our collection!
Also, if you are interested in hearing from your peers about the CARES Act as it pertains to grants, as well as other issues faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic – ranging from monitoring concerns to remote work – and OMB’s proposed revisions to the uniform guidance, register for a Thompson Grants Town Hall virtual forum coming up this Thursday, in which you can steer the conversation by asking questions of the panelists.
Join us for our following Federal Grants Forums:
Virtual Advanced Federal Grants Forum | July 22-23, 2020
Virtual Federal Grants Forum | August 12-14, 2020
Federal Grants Forum: Denver, CO | October 7-9, 2020
Learn more at http://grants.thompson.com/conferences.aspx.
