The Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program has many individuals involved in various aspects of its administration. This section explains the roles and responsibilities of each.
Grantee
By accepting the grant award, the grantee agrees to the following:
Authorized Representative (also referred to as the Certifying Official)
The authorized representative is the individual entrusted by the applicant/grantee organization to sign the application and the applicable assurances and certifications on behalf of the organization. The governing body's authorization for this entrusted individual to sign an application as official representative must be on file in the applicant's office.
An authorized representative change does not require prior approval; however, the grantee should notify the program officer of the change by email. The written communication should include the new individual's title, phone number, and email address. Once that information has been provided the program officer will make the change in the G5 system, and a new Grant Award Notification (GAN) will be issued reflecting the change.
Some grantees may want to identify a designee for the authorized representative. This individual would have the authority to act in their absence. This does not require prior approval; however, the appropriate documentation verifying that the individual has been granted the authority to act on their behalf will need to be included in the official grant file.
Project Director
The Project Director is an individual designated by the grantee to direct the project or program being supported by a grant award. The project director is responsible and accountable to officials of the grantee organization for the successful outcome of the project, program or activity. They are also the primary point of contact for the U.S. Department of Education (Department) program office and the CLSD National Literacy Center (the Center). The project director maintains regular communications with the assigned Department program officer and compiles and submits all required performance reports. The project director is also identified on the GAN along with the authorized representative. In addition, they are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable Federal and programmatic regulations.
Change in Project Director
A change in project director requires prior approval. To request approval for a change in project director, the request must be sent in writing to the program officer. The email must include the full contact information of the new project director (phone, email, mailing address) and the time commitment on the grant (as a percentage — e.g., 50%). In addition, the new project director's resume is required. After review/approval, the program officer will make the change in the Department's G5 system. A new GAN will be issued to both the new project director and authorized representative reflecting the change. In addition, the program officer will notify the Center to make the update in their records. For more information on the G5 system, go the G5 section.
If other positions on the grant project are designated as key personnel, the project director should notify the program officer to ensure continuity in communications. For example, if a grantee has hired a new grant manager who will manage the day-to-day activities, the program officer should have that individual's contact information. It is important to note that all grant-related communications should include the project director as they are identified on the GAN.
Program Officer
The Department program officer is the primary point-of-contact for the grantee. The program officer's responsibilities include the day-to-day management of the grant, which includes reviewing budget revisions and performance reports, responding to all inquiries from assigned grantees, and ensuring the project is adhering to the appropriate requirements and regulations.
