The document represents a formal communication from the Coalition in Support of Innovative Grants Reform (CSI), a consortium of prominent organizations representing universities, research institutions, nonprofits, state and local governments, and financial officers. Addressed to key federal officials at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Health and Human Services, the letter requests a meeting to discuss the coalition’s perspectives on the proposed OMB guidance (OMB-2013-0001) regarding federal grants management. The coalition acknowledges and appreciates the federal agencies’ ongoing engagement with the grants community and underscores the importance of substantive reforms to reduce administrative and regulatory burdens faced by diverse grant recipients.
Expressing both support for Presidentially-mandated grants reform and concern that certain perspectives could undermine meaningful change, the coalition emphasizes its unity and willingness to collaborate on improvements that would enhance productivity, efficiency, and outcomes for federal programs. The letter conveys the group’s interest in sharing specific ideas for genuine reform and seeks to better understand possible challenges to achieving significant progress. The signatories advocate for final guidance that enables more effective delivery of federal programs and stress their intention to engage further with the OMB and the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR) to ensure that the needs and insights of the broad grants recipient community are addressed.
