Manage Your Grant

What you need to do

• Be patient
• Lots of grant applications are received, and it will take time to review
• Wait for notification of the decision
• Do not start your project prematurely, wait for authorization to begin

The process

• Depending on the type of grant program and size of grant, the process is different
• These are State funds, so the Society’s Council must make a formal action

Grant program activity

• Grants Office staff assist decision makers, prepare necessary grant documents and contact all applicants

After a grant award has been approved, your authorized officer/representative(s)/property owner must sign a grant agreement (contract) outlining the terms and conditions of the award. The document specifies an authorized project start date, end date, approved project budget, and approved scope of work, where appropriate. In some cases the dates, budget, and scope of work will differ from those presented in the application. It is important that you read the grant contract carefully to understand any conditions placed on your grant award.

The grantee must abide by the following regulations:

• The grantee must be aware of and agree to abide by the requirements of Minnesota Statute 16B.98, Grants Management Process and requirements for expenditure of Legacy Amendment funds in Minnesota Statute 129D.17, Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
• Changes to approved projects must be in writing and require approval from the Minnesota Historical Society.
• All publicity releases, informational brochures, public reports, publications, and other public information relating to approved projects must acknowledge assistance from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Acknowledgment language is included in the grant agreement.
• Legacy Logo: All publicity releases, informational brochures, public reports, publications, and other public information relating to approved projects must acknowledge assistance from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Acknowledgment language is included in the grant agreement.
  • All publicity releases, informational brochures, public reports, publications, and other public information relating to approved grants must acknowledge assistance from the Minnesota Historical Society and the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. 
  • The Legacy Logo identifies grants funded by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, specifically the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Recipients of funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Parks and Trails Fund, Clean Water Fund, or the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund should display the Legacy Logo on printed, online, and other materials produced by the grant and funded with money from one or more of the funds. 
  • Download Legacy logos along with guidelines for use: https://www.legacy.mn.gov/legacy-logo.  
  • General acknowledgment: “This project [or program, exhibit, publication, website, brochure, etc.] has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.”
• The Grants Staff will offer a post-award conference call after each grant round. This Q&A session will be offered to project directors and will cover a broad overview of the grant agreement, milestone/condition reports, project products, and final report requirements. This session will be mandatory for grantees that have conditions on their grants or that have had past performance issues with an MNHS grant.
• A final report must be submitted via the grants portal within 30 days following the assigned end date for the project. The report should describe all project activities and measurable outcomes, and must include a financial report providing complete documentation of expenditures of both grant funds and match, if the grant award is over $10,000.
• For grants over $10,000, invoices or receipts, or the final AIA form (for construction projects) must be uploaded with the final report. The budget table and financial documentation must match.
• If match is not documented in the final report but was included in the application’s proposed budget, the grantee will not receive credit for that match and justification must be made for the lack of match.
• You must agree to hold harmless the Minnesota Historical Society and the State of Minnesota for any action, complaint, discriminatory proceed­ings or litigation of any kind whatsoever, in conjunction with the funded project. You must further agree to conform to the provisions of MS 181.59, which prohibits dis­crimination in hiring and/or contracting of labor by reason of race, creed or color.
• For construction projects in the Historic Properties category, the property owner must agree to sign a Letter of Agreement Governing Use of Historic Site, assuming responsibility to maintain the historic property in a satisfactory manner for a specified number of years after the grant-funded project is completed.
  • Grants up to $50,000 require a 5-year letter of agreement
  • Grants of $50,001 or more a 10-year letter of agreement
• For projects that include construction work prevailing wage rules apply per Minn. Stat. §§177.41 through 177.44. Consequently, the bid request must state the project is subject to prevailing wage. These rules require that the wages of laborers and workers should be comparable to wages paid for similar work in the community as a whole. (see Appendix J for more details)
• Grantees and their contractors, vendors, and consultants are expected to act in an ethical and transparent manner in relation to all aspects of Minnesota Historical Society grant programs. All work and materials should be of good quality and long lasting. All work should be of highest standards and exemplify good professionalism
• Grantees must abide by the Office of Grants Management 08-01 Conflict of Interest for State Grant-Making Policy. This policy takes precedence over an organization’s conflict of interest policy.
• Grantees are responsible for the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues related to contracts entered into with vendors, contractors, or consultants. This includes disputes, claims, protests of award, source evaluation, or other matters of a contractual nature.
• Grantee must ensure that final product(s) are held by a Minnesota-based organization or institution.
• Grantee will hire professionals such as ar­chitects, consultants, engineers, historical researchers, etc. who possess the ability to perform successfully

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What you need to do

• Retain the records of your project for possible audit
• If your project included work on a building, expect to complete a monitoring report periodically
• You may need to meet with Grants Office staff

The process

• Done through letters, onsite visits, and other documentation requirements

Grant program activity

• On-site visits may be conducted
• Grants Office processes annual monitoring agreements

In-kind labor/donated materials worksheets (PDF) - If you claim in-kind time for your project, you must fill out and attach this form. Use one for each staff person/volunteer.

Promotion help

• Grant Promotion Ideas (PDF)
• Storytelling Photography Tips for Your Grant Projects (PDF)

Use of the legacy logo and acknowledgment

• Legacy Logo: All publicity releases, informational brochures, public reports, publications, and other public information relating to approved projects must acknowledge assistance from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Acknowledgment language is included in the grant agreement.
  • All publicity releases, informational brochures, public reports, publications, and other public information relating to approved grants must acknowledge assistance from the Minnesota Historical Society and the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
  • The Legacy Logo identifies grants funded by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, specifically the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Recipients of funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Parks and Trails Fund, Clean Water Fund, or the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund should display the Legacy Logo on printed, online, and other materials produced by the grant and funded with money from one or more of the funds.
  • Download Legacy logos along with guidelines for use: https://www.legacy.mn.gov/legacy-logo. 
  • General acknowledgment: “This project [or program, exhibit, publication, website, brochure, etc.] has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.”

What you need to do

• Do not start your project prematurely, wait for authorization to begin
• The project period begins, see grant agreement for each program
• Items not being paid for by the grant or being used to match the grant may be undertaken, such as preliminary meetings
• Conduct your project
• Report your project
• Financial Requirements, Reports, and Records (PDF)
• Turn in Final Project Report Form 30 days after the project's end
• It is important to follow through on these steps as the Grants Office has the right to withhold, cancel, or revoke in whole or in part awarded grants

The process

• You will receive an agreement, please sign it and return it promptly
• When authorized to begin by letter, start promptly, stay on schedule, and keep the Grants Office informed of progress
• Payment is either up front, reimbursable or on a schedule
• Some grants have a “retainage” held until the project is closed

Grant program activity

• Grants Office begins monitoring the progress of your project

Final reports are due 30 days after your project end date and must be submitted via the grants portal.

Please use this checklist to ensure that you have everything you need to submit your final report:

• Final Report Form. Submit through your account on the MHS Grants website rather than using the PDF form (old method). Fill out and save for later editing or submit by due date.
• Copy of the project product (e.g. Historic Structures Report, conservation assessment, consultant's report, exhibit label copy, manuscript, oral history transcripts, etc.).
• Financial documentation of expenditures (invoices and/or check copies) — for mid/large size grants.
• Photographs — required for all projects!
• In-kind labor/donated materials worksheets (PDF) (optional; only if you are claiming match). If you do not include in-kind forms, you will not receive credit for your time.

To upload your final report materials

• Go to the grants portal. Login and scroll down to the "Reports Due" section.
• Find the final report line that corresponds to the grant you're ready to close. Click on the pencil icon on the same line as the final report and fill out the final report form on the page that is returned and
• Add related files under in the "Report Documents" section.
• You can "Save Report" for further editing or when you have finished, click on "Submit Now" to submit your final report and materials to the Grants Office.

Please contact melinda.hutchinson@mnhs.org with questions.

The Minnesota Historical Society has the right to withhold, cancel, or revoke in whole or in part awarded grants if a grantee or applicant:

• cancels, suspends, or significantly changes the scope and activities of a funded project
• fails to comply with the terms of the grant manual, contract, or agreement
• owes an overdue final report for a previously received grant
• fails to complete the project in a timely manner
• demonstrates inadequate financial management or oversight

Grantees that fail to respond to repeated requests to return signed agreements or contracts or fail to respond to repeated requests for required information will be given a 30-day notice prior to revocation of the grant award, in whole or in part, or cancellation of the grant agreement. Grantees that breach the terms of the grant agreement will be given proposed remedies to ensure successful completion of the project. These remedies may include revocation of portions of the grant award.
 

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