10 Jul Sneak peek into Grants and Agreements

It’s been three weeks since I started my new position as a Resource Assistance intern with the US Forest Service, and it’s been amazing! I work remotely for Region 6 Grants and Agreements Regional office. Working from home was a struggle, especially when my last job required me to be outdoors. One thing that helped me transition to working remotely is Wellness Time. Employees get 3 hours every week to go on a walk or exercise. I take my wellness time during my lunch break, which helps me reset for the rest of the day. On my last walk, I took some pictures that I wanted to share (below and above). I really enjoy how everyone in the office prioritizes their wellness time and maintain an efficient work-life balance. Having that type of workplace, and support is amazing.

Now, let’s talk about my position. G&A (grants and agreements) is made up of business advisors that help partners use best business practices to meet the mission of the Forest Service. One of the many processes is by determining the appropriate legal instrument for a funded activity/project outside the Federal Government. In G&A, there are two terms, acquisition (procurement/contracts) and assistance (grants and cooperative agreements). If the main purpose of a funded activity is for the direct benefit of the Federal government, then a contract is considered. If the purpose is to support an activity that is not for the direct benefit for the federal government, then a Federal Financial Assistance instrument (grant or cooperative agreement) is considered. Then we got Partnership Agreements, which contain elements of both a procurement and financial assistance. Overall, the type of legal instrument that is used is determined by the legal relationship between the Federal Government and the cooperator. Cooperators can be other federal agencies, states, Tribal governments, universities, or individuals. That is a little bit of what G&A does, until next time!