Carefully consider the costs and benefits of a grant facility as opposed to other implementation modalities in order to achieve project objectives. Given the limited time and resources available during the five-year period of the compact, introducing a grant facility, in addition to the standard contracts that are issued by MCAs, requires dedicating additional staff time and attention to a second implementation modality. This may be justified if the grant facility is the best way to achieve the objective of the project, but a clear justification for a grant approach should be laid out and the administrative mechanisms and costs clearly defined. In addition, as with contracting, the work of establishing a grant facility, operations manual and selection of grantees should be front-loaded at the beginning of the compact to maximize the time for implementation. Finally, the issue of sustainability of grant operations needs to be carefully considered; the work of awarding grants may not be justified if the benefits and/or operations of grantee work cannot continue without ongoing support postcompact. MCC is addressing this lesson by convening discussions across the agency to undertake a holistic review of experiences with administering grant facilities within its compacts.
Lesson Learned