Flag Football QA 0903-09112026.pdf

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Official Q&A for Grants.gov Posting

(NOFO DOS-SAU-2606-PD, NFL Flag Football)

Note: Questions 1-12 were answered previously. You can view or download them on Grants.gov under the "Related Documents" tab.

Q13: If in-kind support or sponsorship becomes available after award and covers a cost included in the approved federal budget, may the Recipient reallocate those federal funds to other allowable program costs while retaining the full federal award? What approval process applies?

A13: Possibly, but not automatically, and the answer depends on the nature of the contribution.

Reallocation between budget categories. This award is $150,000, below the

$350,000 threshold. For awards of $350,000 or less there is no requirement to request prior approval before transferring funds between direct cost categories, unless the change is so great that it will affect the results of the program.

Prior approval is separately required for a change in scope or objectives, and for transferring participant support costs to other categories, regardless of award size (2 CFR § 200.308(f)).

Given the tightly defined four-phase structure, a reallocation large enough to alter planned activities would require Grants Officer prior written approval, and significant changes must be effected by amendment issued by a warranted

Grants Officer. Recipients should consult the GOR/GO before executing any material reallocation.

Whether the federal award stays whole. This depends on how the contribution is characterized:

Third-party in-kind contribution (donated goods/services from a non-federal third party at no charge), treated as cost share under 2 CFR § 200.306, valued at fair market value, and documented. It does not by itself reduce the federal share.

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Program income (gross income earned by the Recipient directly generated by a supported activity or earned as a result of the award, e.g., ticket sales, fees) the deduction method applies by default unless the award specifies otherwise, which reduces the total federal award (2 CFR § 200.307(b)). For non-IHE recipients, deduction is the default.

Neither 2 CFR 200/600 nor the FAD categorically classifies "sponsorship".

Treatment is fact-specific and will be determined by the Grants Officer.

Binding effect of pledged cost share. Consistent with prior Question 11, cost share specifically pledged in the proposal budget becomes a binding requirement of the award (2 CFR § 200.1, "voluntary committed cost sharing"). If a recipient does not meet pledged cost share, the Grants Officer may reduce the federal share proportionally or hold the recipient accountable for the pledged amount.

Applicants should therefore describe unconfirmed sponsorship narratively rather than pledging it in the SF-424A.

Applicants should budget to execute the most robust version of the program possible within the $150,000 federal award cap and should not assume post-award in-kind support will materialize unless specifically noted in the NOFO

(venue, etc.).

Q14: What planning assumptions should applicants use for the number of participating men's and women's teams, delegation size per team, and length of stay in Riyadh?

A14: The NOFO does not fix the number of participating teams or specific delegation size; final composition will be determined through Embassy nominations and based on available resources (see A2). Ideally, we hope to see a 5-member men’s team and a 5-member women’s team from each country, each with a coach, for a total of 12 participants per country.

Applicants should state their own planning assumptions explicitly in the proposal narrative and budget narrative, and build a budget that executes the program as described within the $150,000 ceiling. Reviewers will assess the

Page | 3 reasonableness of stated assumptions under the Budget criterion (10 points) rather than against a prescribed figure.

Q15: Beyond the primary venue, what event-production and operational costs should applicants budget, AV/sound, lighting, field prep, scoreboard/timing, security, medical, transportation, staffing, other infrastructure, and which are expected from Saudi partners or the NFL partnership?

A15: At this juncture, applicants should assume that all event production and operational costs associated with running the "Freedom 250” Cup and the

"Road to Podium” Workshops in Riyadh must be organized and provided by the grantee. Third-party in-kind contributions and sponsorship beyond the venue are likely, but cannot be confirmed by the Embassy at this stage. Again, applicants should budget to execute the most robust version of the program possible within the $150,000 federal award cap, explaining what is achievable within this range. If in-kind support or sponsorship becomes available after award, the grantee should consult with the GO about a potential reallocation of funds and pursue the required approvals depending on the nature of reallocation (see Q11).

Q16: The NOFO requires letters of support from program partners. We have existing relationships and prospective partners we would engage if awarded, but those partnerships would be formalized only after an award. How should we address this requirement?

A16: The NOFO requires "letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner." It does not require that partnerships be legally formalized, executed, or contractually confirmed at the time of application, and it does not require a letter from every prospective partner an applicant may eventually engage.

Applicants should submit letters from partners where possible, and should ensure each letter describes the partner's anticipated role and responsibilities.

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A letter of support may reflect an intent to collaborate contingent on award; it need not evidence a binding commitment.

Where a prospective relationship cannot yet be documented by a letter, applicants should address it in the Project Partners section of the proposal narrative, which requires applicants to "list the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees".

Identify the organizations, describe the nature and history of the relationship, explain the role each would play, and state the status of the discussion and the steps and timeline to formalize it after award.

Applicants should not represent unconfirmed partnerships as confirmed.