Why You?

A Message from the Director

Dear TRIO Professionals:

Welcome to the UI/NASP General Project Management Training. I am delighted to introduce you to a unique opportunity to advance your professional development.

Why is this opportunity unique?

First, each training is tailored to a specific program. This means you will be learning along side peers from the same program type. Every piece of information given, every question answered will be relevant to you!

Also, the information will be provided in a site review format. The training facilitators will lead you through a sample program as though it were undergoing a federal site review. All of our facilitators are trained peer review monitors as well as program professionals. They will help you to identify areas of noncompliance as well as appropriate solutions.

Since the site review format is intensive and highly participatory, the training will be taking place in small groups. This will provide you with a tremendous opportunity to have questions and concerns specific to your own project addressed. The small group structure means that by the end of the training, you will have developed a resource network of new and veteran directors.

Why is this training necessary?

To answer this let me introduce you to some figures for the latest Fiscal Year for which we have results:

Program Reviews
Findings: Administration	Average Percentage Range for Non-Compliance
Did not comply with some administrative aspect of the approved application for funding	19.6%
Submitted late or inaccurate Annual Performance Reports	11.1%
Had inadequate space/resources	11.1%
Had vacant staff positions or Project Directors who were not devoting the required amount of time to project activities	13.4%
Findings: Fiscal Operations
Did not maintain adequate time and effort documentation	36.0%
Charged unallowable expenditures to the grant	22.9%
Did not have adequate equipment management procedures	13.3%
Findings: Program Activities
Served ineligible students	15.6%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of academic need	32.9%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of low-income status	29.8%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of first-generation status	33.0%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of citizenship status	19.7%
Did not meet two-thirds requirement	18.9%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of the services provided	16.3%
Deviated from the approved application for funding in the code of activities	11.8%
Did not meet the participant goal	11.1%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of a need for project services	24.4%
Did not maintain adequate documentation of services received by participants	20.0%
Palumbo, Gayle E., Program Reviews (On-Site Monitoring Visits), U.S. Department of Education, Office of Higher Education Programs, Division of Project Services, (1990)

These trainings provide:

• Project-specific training;
• Information on Project Management through the analysis of sample projects;
• An opportunity for hands-on experience with the site review process;
• Small session size for hands on learning with experienced trainers/monitors;
• An opportunity to problem-solve with your peers and develop a resource base for ongoing learning/support; and
• A project-specific policy manual template.

Please take this opportunity to explore the website and learn more about our trainings, facilitators, and training sites. Be sure to check out what your peers have to say about the site review model. Online registration is available on the registration page or, if you like, please feel free to contact me at trio@uidaho.edu and I will make sure you get a personal invitation to participate. I look forward to seeing you at the trainings.

Sincerely,

Scott Clyde
(208) 885-9098