Sneak Preview: OMB Expects To Issue More Revisions To Further Streamline 2 C.F.R. 200
(The following is excerpted from a recent Thompson Grants Compliance Expert article.) While providing few details, a key governmental grants official recently revealed that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is expected to propose revisions to the uniform guidance (2 C.F.R. Part 200) later this year to meet a White House push for further administrative streamlining.
Andrea Brandon, deputy assistant secretary for budget, finance, grants and acquisition for the U.S. Department of the Interior recently told the Capital Area Chapter of the National Grants Management Association that along with the pending uniform guidance revision proposal, federal agencies will be taking more steps to reduce risks, focus on program outcomes and implement new technology for enhanced oversight of federal dollars. Many of these changes stem from requirements under executive orders issued by the Trump administration.
OMB made sweeping revisions to Title 2 and the unform guidance in 2024, which generally became effective for new grants and amendments to existing grants as of Oct. 1, 2024 (see ¶101 in the Federal Grants Management Module). Although she did not provide any specific information about what provisional changes would be included or state an exact timeline, Brandon did share that OMB soon plans to propose further uniform guidance revisions that will be available for public comment. “Leadership wants to streamline it even more to get down to the least amount of requirements necessary to comply with appropriations law and ensure the proper stewardship of federal funds,” Brandon said, urging stakeholders to provide input. “When it comes out, you should take a look at it and provide comments,” she added.
Not only is the federal government working to streamline the uniform guidance for federal financial assistance, according to Brandon, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) is also undergoing an comprehensive overall to streamline federal procurements.
Brandon explained that agencies also will be enhancing their scrutiny of federal programs in certain areas. First, she said there will be a greater focus on federal funding risks, such as the risks of improper payments, misuse of payments or funds not being used to assist program beneficiaries (i.e., funds for a homeless program not being used to help the homeless but used for administrative costs). “Those types of things are being [evaluated], and the risk of continuing to fund a federal grant, a specific project or the dollar amount are being reviewed to determine if we still need a particular amount of [program funding] to get a particular outcome,” she said.
(The full version of this story has now been made available to all for a limited time here.)
Join us for our following Thompson Grants event:
Thompson Grants Virtual Workshop: Audits 2025 | July 17, 2025 | Virtual Event
