<b>...over a 100 partners with the US Departments meets in Washington DC, States Department Building under the slogan “Bringing Together America’s Stewards”</b><br /> <br /> Today marked the beginning of the US Departments of States organized symposium for recipients of the US government grants through the States Department. Most of the participants were representing different organizations based in the US and other parts of the world and doing several kinds of projects.<br /> <br /> The meeting was opened with a welcome remarks and introduction by Ms. Georgia Hubert, who is the Director of Federal Assistance Division of the States Department. In her opening remark, she informed that the Secretary of States could not be part of the symposium because she had other engagement in Australia where she is having talks at several levels on education scientific research.
After the opening remarks, several speakers from various agencies and bureaus involved in project circles and management took turn to talk about several topics. Some of the topics that were talked about were on: Financial management, discussing the current issues pertaining to Federal Assistance Financial Management; the new and upcoming Government-wide Requirements. Also guidelines were provided on considerations for recipients of federal grants and also an elaborate use of the grant.gov website was demonstrated. Finally, a panel of grants award experts discussed requirements for the various stages of grant awards and the close-out for executed grants.
The symposium is to serve as an opportunity to bring together the departments grants management professionals and recipients in other to share information on what is going on in the grants community and to explore new directions and initiatives affecting the Departments Federal assistance programs. To this purpose, time was allowed for participants to ask questions after the topic presentations upon which answers were provided immediately by the professionals.
IEPF is a partner with the US States Department through the office of Weapon Removal and Abatement. IEPF is represented in the symposium by the Chairman, Umud Mirzayev, and the Heads of Department, Programs Development and International Relations, Nick Nwolisa. The 2 will participate in all symposium meetings that would end on September 10, 2010.