Message from the Chairs
Danny Werfel, Controller, OMB
Welcome to the webpage for the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR). We are committed to using this platform to provide current and ongoing information about our important work for the Federal financial assistance community as part of the President’s commitment to openness in Government. Since its creation in October 2011, the COFAR has led several efforts to improve delivery, management, coordination, and accountability of Federal grants and cooperative agreements. The COFAR continues to engage with stakeholders including Congress, Federal Agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, Federal Councils including the Government Accountability and Transparency Board, and other groups to foster more efficient Federal financial management, ultimately for better outcomes for Federal grants.
We invite you to learn more about our work on these priority areas. We look forward to receiving your input as we strive to realize better policies and practices for the assistance community.
You can contact us at cofar@omb.eop.gov
On Friday February 8, 2013, the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR) and members of the grants community held a roundtable discussion on OMB’s proposed uniform guidance on grants. To view a recorded version of the discussion, please visit: http://youtu.be/dlZfb9ALBck.
Participants Included:
- Norman Dong, Office of Management and Budget (OMB, co-chair of COFAR)
- Ellen Murray, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, co-chair of COFAR)
- Alison Lerner, Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency and National Science Foundation Inspector General (CIGIE and NSF IG)
- Kitcki Carroll, United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc (USET)
- Tony DeCrappeo, Council on Government Relations (COGR)
- David Thompson, The National Council of Nonprofits (Council of Nonprofits)
- Kinney Poynter, National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers (NASACT)
- Mary Foelster, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
Danny Werfel, Co-Chair
Ellen Murray, Co-Chair
About the COFAR
The COFAR, established by OMB Memorandum M-12-01, is comprised of an interagency group of Executive Branch officials to coordinate financial assistance. Council activities include providing recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on policies and actions necessary to effectively deliver, oversee, and report on grants and cooperative agreements, as well as sharing with executive departments and agencies (agencies) best practices and innovative ideas for transforming the delivery of this assistance. In addition, the Council will engage relevant stakeholders across Government on key issues to foster more efficient and effective Federal management by coordinating the development and implementation of standardized business processes, data standards, metrics, and information technology. This Council replaces two Federal boards – the Grants Policy Council and the Grants Executive Board to create a more streamlined, flexible, and strategic structure. The Council’s work builds in part on grants streamlining activities under Public Law (P.L.) 106-107, the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999. COFAR and CFOC efforts are supported partly by the Financial Management Line of Business.
Agency Members
The membership of the Council on Financial Assistance Reform consists of the:
Controller of the Office of Management and Budget and senior policy officials from eight Federal agencies that provide the largest amounts of financial grants assistance and one additional agency that serves a two-year term to represent the perspective of other agencies that administer grants and cooperative agreements:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Education
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of Labor
- Department of Transportation
Two-year Term Agency
- National Science Foundation, FY12 – FY14
COFAR Priority Focus Areas
Council Reports and Documents
Improving Management of Federal Grant Dollars: Council on Financial Assistance Reform Priorities for FY13-15
COFAR Priorities (PDF)
OMB Memorandum M-12-01 establishing the COFAR
Council Minutes
December 10, 2012 (PDF)
November 13, 2012 (PDF)
August 28, 2012 (PDF)
August 27, 2012 (PDF)
Related Links
OMBlog
www.grants.gov
www.cfda.gov
www.usaspending.gov
www.sam.gov
