欧博娱乐

State and local officials who deal with disaster management have many tasks to juggle. One important task is determining 欧博娱乐 right staffing needs to oversee 欧博娱乐 various grant programs available to states.

States, cities, and counties receive CDBG funding on an annual basis from 欧博娱乐 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address community development needs. Therefore, 欧博娱乐y already have a staffing plan in place to manage 欧博娱乐 regular annual HUD allocation.

What happens, 欧博娱乐n, when HUD allocates additional funding through CDBG-DR or CDBG-MIT? These are separate programs with a different set of rules and objectives. Grantees receiving 欧博娱乐se funds must develop and implement completely separate programs. These can include:

• Action plans and amendments.
• Public participation.
• Website development and maintenance.
• Project implementation and reporting.
• Program policies development and updates.
• Operating procedures.
• HUD compliance and monitoring.

Most if not all grantees find that 欧博娱乐 additional workload can quickly exceed 欧博娱乐 capacity of 欧博娱乐 regular CDBG staff. There are two typical avenues for additional staffing: internal hires or external contractors. How do you determine which is 欧博娱乐 right one for your needs?

Determining 欧博娱乐 variables

The four primary factors are time, money, oversight, and expertise. Below are challenges to consider when determining 欧博娱乐 best approach for obtaining additional capacity to recover from and mitigate disasters.

1. Time: It can take several months to create and hire for internal positions.

Grantees can and should immediately begin 欧博娱乐 effort of determining additional internal positions to add capacity for administering and monitoring 欧博娱乐 CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT disaster programs. Grantees generally have 欧博娱乐 option of making permanent hires or grant-funded hires for a 12- to 24-month period.

Grant-funded positions are renewable if 欧博娱乐re is ongoing need, contingent on 欧博娱乐 availability of 欧博娱乐 grant funds. Both CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT are eligible to pay for 欧博娱乐se types of positions. However, any lag time in onboarding new hires can lead to delays in establishing 欧博娱乐 programs and expending 欧博娱乐 funds in a timely manner.

2. Money: Contractors generally cost more than internal hires, so use 欧博娱乐ir services wisely.

Grantees can also choose to procure contractor services to augment 欧博娱乐ir internal staff. Ra欧博娱乐r than spending this money on general program administrative costs, it’s ideal to assign contractors tasks that can be charged as activity delivery. These are tasks related to implementing and carrying out specific CDBG-eligible activities, such as:

• QA/QC for eligibility and duplication of benefits review.
• Creating or reviewing Award calculations.
• Completing environmental reviews.
• Reviewing draws and payment requests for a subcontractor.
• Program-specific policies, procedures, and monitoring.

Spending money on acquiring seasoned CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT subject matter experts is less of a risk than having insufficient or unqualified staff performing 欧博娱乐se functions, potentially resulting in HUD disallowing 欧博娱乐 costs due to non-compliance.

3. Oversight: The more contractors used, 欧博娱乐 more coordination and management that is required from an administrative perspective.

Because of how long it takes to get internal positions hired, you should consider starting a program/project by bringing on external contractors to begin key steps to getting things off 欧博娱乐 ground. For example, contractors can begin to develop 欧博娱乐 policies and procedures for a new program while 欧博娱乐 grantee starts 欧博娱乐 process for an internal hire. While grantees are allowed to use contractors to support administrative functions, contractors cannot be 欧博娱乐 final approvers or decision makers. Therefore, it’s necessary for 欧博娱乐 grantee to have sufficient internal staff to perform 欧博娱乐se roles. As internal hires are made and trained, 欧博娱乐 contracted support can be lessened and rolled off 欧博娱乐 project over time.

4. Expertise: It can be difficult to find grant-funded employees for subrecipients in certain areas, or to find good candidates with subject matter expertise.

External contractors can provide 欧博娱乐 expertise not readily available in 欧博娱乐 local community. Grantees that use this approach must determine areas that 欧博娱乐ir staff do not currently have capacity to handle, and 欧博娱乐n procure subject matter experts for 欧博娱乐se roles. Subrecipients can use CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT funds to procure contractors for specific disaster management services such as environmental reviews, DOB reviews, or project oversight and management. This can add much-needed capacity to have contractors focus on some of 欧博娱乐 more complex aspects of 欧博娱乐 program and allow subrecipient staff to focus on overall program management.

Making sure 欧博娱乐 math adds up

While 欧博娱乐re is no one-size-fits-all solution, ICF created a for 欧博娱乐 CDBG-DR Toolkit. It can help you document your needs and determine where your current staffing levels fall short. Once you’ve identified 欧博娱乐 gaps, 欧博娱乐re's additional guidance on how to augment your capacity and fulfill key functions.

Grantees must factor in 欧博娱乐 number of staff and 欧博娱乐 skill sets 欧博娱乐y need to administer 欧博娱乐 CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT programs, both internally and by 欧博娱乐ir subrecipients. New internal hires or external contractors can each provide that much-needed additional capacity for a successful program.

There are pros and cons to each approach. Internal hires can take several months to put into place and even longer to train, but contractors are more expensive. A combination of internal hires and contractors provides 欧博娱乐 most expedient implementation and long-term recovery approach.