DC Auditor
Statutory Guidelines for Grant Awards
D.C. Code, Section 1-264, as amended by D.C. Law 13-135, authorizes ANCs to award grants to organizations for public purposes. The Auditor encourages ANCs to adopt guidelines for the consideration and award of grants.
A grant applicant must:
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Submit a written grant application to the Commission;
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Describe the proposed project for which the grant is requested;
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State the expected public benefits; and
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State the total cost of the project including other sources of funding.
A grant may not be awarded unless the grant is awarded pursuant to a vote of the Commission at a public meeting.
A grant request may be made by an organization proposing to provide services that are public in nature and benefit persons who reside or work within the Commission area.
The services proposed should not duplicate those that are already performed by the District government.
Expenditures for grant awards should be supported by documentation (e.g. vouchers, grant request letter and/or proposal, and minutes of the meeting in which the Commission approved the grant).
Grant disbursements and supporting documentation should be included in quarterly financial reports submitted to the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor.
Within 60 days after the grant award is disbursed to the grantee, the grant recipient shall forward to the Commission a statement as to the use of the funds.
The use of the funds should be consistent with the grant application approved by the Commission.
Examples of Grants Which Are Allowed
Parent-Teacher Associations to fund such activities as computer literacy programs, musical instruction programs, or local cultural education field trips.
Neighborhood civic associations for projects or activities of a public nature that benefit the Commission area.
Examples of Grants Which Are Prohibited
Grant awards should not be made for non-public purposes or where services are provided for personal gain.
Grant awards should not be made conditional on a grantee’s political support or support of a position taken by the Commission.
Grant awards should not be made to a District agency or program funded by the District Government.
Grant awards should not be made where the funds will be used to purchase food and/or entertainment, or to support festivals.
Grant awards should not be made to an individual in that they are deemed a nonpublic purpose expenditure.
Procedural Requirements for Grant Awards
Ensure that a grant application is submitted for the ANC’s review.
Ensure that the purpose of the requested grant adheres to the public purpose requirement.
Ensure that the organization’s representative presents the grant request at a public meeting of the ANC.
Ensure that grant guidelines are included in the ANC’s by- laws.
Ensure that ANC minutes reflect the approval of all grants awarded by the ANC.
Ensure that the grantee uses the grant funds for the purpose stated in the grant request letter or proposal.
Ensure that, within 60 days following the issuance of a grant, the grant recipient forwards to the ANC a statement as to the use of the funds along with receipts that support the expenditures.
Ensure that grant disbursements are included in the quarterly financial reports submitted to the Auditor.