Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA)

What is GATA and what does it do for us

  1. The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) became law as Public Act 98-0706 effective July 16, 2014.
  2. Purpose is to establish uniform administrative requirements, cost principles and audit requirements for state and federal pass-through awards.
  3. Focus on improving performance and outcomes, while ensuring transparency and the financial integrity of taxpayer dollars.
  4. Grants comprise approximately two thirds of the General Revenue Fund within the Illinois State Budget.
  5. GATA encompasses the entire grant life cycle and provides uniformity and guidance for all grant-making agencies in state government.

Objectives

  1. Creates standardized process and templates
  2. Grantee pre-qualification
  3. Uniform grant application, budget and grant agreement
  4. Evaluation of grantee fiscal and administrative risk
  5. Specific conditions to eliminate or mitigate grantee risks
  6. Grantee year-end reporting-Independent Audit and Consolidated Year-End Financial Report (CYEFR)

Grant funding is awarded is accomplished in an open and competitive process

  1. Programs are recorded in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA)
  2. Posting Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO)
  3. Content is prescribed by Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Appendix I
    1. Deliverables
    2. Performance goals, milestones, metrics and timing of expected performance
    3. Eligibility requirements
    4. Evaluation and merit-based review selection criteria
    5. Funding allocation and priorities
    6. Reporting requirements
    7. Appeals process
  4. The most qualified applicants are selected through a merit-based review process based on objective criteria.

Grantee performance and program success is accomplished via periodic reporting

  1. Grantee programmatic and fiscal performance is evaluated based on predetermined metrics that are defined in the NOFO and Uniform Grant Agreements Exhibits.
  2. Grantees submit periodic programmatic and fiscal performance reports to grant program managers for evaluation.
  3. Performance data is evaluated to determine grantee effectiveness and overall success of achieving program objectives.