🌍 Part of our Humanitarian & NGO Industry Training Series — browse all related courses →
About This Course
USAID remains one of the largest bilateral donors in the world, channelling billions of dollars annually through grants and cooperative agreements to implementing partners across the globe. For organisations receiving or seeking USAID funding, a firm command of the applicable rules and regulations is not optional — it is a prerequisite for programme integrity, financial accountability, and long-term partnership with the Agency.
This five-day course provides a rigorous, practical grounding in the regulatory landscape governing USAID grants and cooperative agreements. Participants will work through the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), USAID-specific Standard Provisions, the differences between grants and cooperative agreements, allowability and allocability of costs, procurement standards under federal awards, and the expectations USAID contracting and agreement officers bring to every site visit and audit.
Beyond the regulations themselves, the course addresses the operational realities that implementing organisations face: how to set up compliant financial management systems, how to write and justify budgets that withstand scrutiny, how to manage sub-awards responsibly, how to navigate programme modifications and prior approval requirements, and how to prepare for and respond to audits. Case studies draw on real award management situations encountered by NGOs, academic institutions, and local implementing partners across sub-Saharan Africa, East Africa, and other USAID-priority regions.
TrainingComplex has designed this programme for professionals who work at the interface of programme implementation and financial compliance — grants managers, finance officers, programme directors, and organisational leaders who are responsible for stewarding USAID resources. By the end of the week, participants will leave with a consolidated reference toolkit, practical skills, and the confidence to manage their USAID awards in full compliance with applicable requirements.
Who Should Attend
- Grants managers and grants officers working with USAID-funded awards
- Finance and accounting staff responsible for USAID award financial management
- Programme directors and chief of party staff overseeing USAID-funded projects
- Compliance officers and internal auditors at implementing partner organisations
- Sub-award managers responsible for monitoring downstream partners
- Organisational development staff preparing for first-time USAID funding
- NGO and civil society leaders seeking to strengthen institutional compliance capacity
- Government officials and parastatals managing USAID pass-through funding
Learning Objectives
- Distinguish between grants and cooperative agreements and explain when each instrument is appropriate under USAID policy
- Interpret and apply the key provisions of 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) to day-to-day award management decisions
- Identify USAID Standard Provisions applicable to non-US and US non-governmental organisations and integrate them into organisational practice
- Apply federal cost principles to determine whether costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable under a USAID award
- Design and review compliant programme budgets, budget narratives, and cost-share documentation
- Manage the sub-award lifecycle in accordance with USAID's pass-through entity obligations and risk assessment requirements
- Navigate prior approval processes, programme modifications, and no-cost extensions effectively
- Prepare accurate and timely financial and programmatic reports in line with award terms and conditions
- Develop internal controls and financial management systems that meet USAID and OMB standards
- Prepare for, respond to, and remediate findings from USAID audits, site visits, and financial reviews
Course Modules
Module 1: The USAID Assistance Landscape: Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and the Regulatory Framework
- Overview of USAID's assistance versus acquisition instruments and when each is used
- Key differences between grants and cooperative agreements: substantial involvement explained
- The role of USAID Agreement Officers and Agreement Officer Representatives
- Navigating the USAID Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPDs)
- Federal assistance legal hierarchy: statutes, OMB guidance, USAID regulations, and award terms
- How USAID missions design and award grants: the solicitation-to-award lifecycle
Module 2: Uniform Guidance Deep Dive: 2 CFR Part 200 for Implementing Partners
- Structure and scope of 2 CFR Part 200 and which organisations it applies to
- Key definitions: non-Federal entity, pass-through entity, sub-recipient, and contractor
- Pre-award risk assessment and what USAID evaluates before making an award
- Records retention requirements, access to records, and document management obligations
- Performance measurement and reporting requirements under Uniform Guidance
- Recent amendments to 2 CFR Part 200 and their practical impact on implementing partners
Module 3: USAID Standard Provisions: Non-US and US NGO Requirements
- Distinguishing Standard Provisions applicable to US NGOs versus non-US NGOs
- Key mandatory Standard Provisions: branding and marking, anti-trafficking, terrorist financing, and others
- Forbidden activities under USAID awards: prohibited uses of funds and restricted programme areas
- National Policy Requirements incorporated by reference into every USAID award
- How to read and track Standard Provisions across multiple simultaneous awards
- Integrating Standard Provisions into staff orientation and operational policy manuals
Module 4: Federal Cost Principles: Allowability, Allocability, and Reasonableness
- The three-part cost allowability test: allowable, allocable, and reasonable explained with examples
- Direct costs versus indirect costs and the distinction between the two
- Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements (NICRAs): what they are and how to use them
- Common cost categories under scrutiny: salaries, travel, equipment, and consultant fees
- Unallowable costs under 2 CFR Part 200 and USAID Standard Provisions
- Documenting cost justifications to withstand audit and agreement officer review
Module 5: Budget Development, Management, and Cost-Share Compliance
- Structuring a USAID-compliant budget and budget narrative from the ground up
- Budget flexibility provisions: re-budgeting thresholds and prior approval triggers
- Cost-share requirements: types of match, eligible sources, and valuation methods
- Tracking and documenting cost-share contributions throughout the award period
- Budget monitoring practices: burn rate analysis, pipeline reports, and variance explanations
- Preparing and submitting budget modification requests to USAID
Module 6: Financial Management Systems and Internal Controls
- USAID's standards for financial management systems under 2 CFR Part 200 §200.302
- Segregation of duties, authorisation controls, and fraud prevention in award management
- Chart of accounts design for multi-donor and multi-project organisations
- Cash management: advance payment versus reimbursement and interest earned on advances
- Payroll systems, time-and-effort reporting, and personnel cost documentation
- Conducting internal financial management assessments using USAID-aligned tools
Module 7: Sub-Award Management: Pass-Through Entity Obligations
- Defining sub-recipients versus contractors and why the distinction matters
- Pre-award risk assessment of sub-recipients: tools, checklists, and decision criteria
- Drafting sub-award agreements that flow down required USAID terms and conditions
- Monitoring sub-recipients: desk reviews, site visits, financial report reviews, and corrective action
- Capacity-building obligations and when USAID requires enhanced monitoring
- Closure of sub-awards: final reporting, asset disposition, and documentation requirements
Module 8: Programme Implementation Compliance: Prior Approvals, Modifications, and Extensions
- Prior approval requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 and USAID Standard Provisions
- How to write and submit a compelling prior approval request to USAID
- Programme modifications: scope changes, key personnel changes, and geographic expansions
- No-cost extensions: eligibility criteria, justification requirements, and timing
- Administrative requirements during award amendments and the impact on reporting timelines
- Managing programme implementation risk and communicating proactively with USAID
Module 9: Reporting Requirements: Financial and Programmatic Accountability
- Standard financial reporting forms: SF-425 Federal Financial Report — completion and submission
- Programmatic reporting: performance indicators, data quality, and narrative reports
- USAID Development Information Solution (DIS) and reporting into Development Experience Clearinghouse
- Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR) obligations for larger award recipients
- Common reporting errors that trigger USAID queries and how to avoid them
- Building an internal reporting calendar and accountability system across programme and finance teams
Module 10: Audits, Site Visits, and Responding to Findings
- Types of audits applicable to USAID awards: A-133/Single Audit, USAID OIG audits, and financial reviews
- The audit lifecycle: preparation, fieldwork, draft findings, management response, and final report
- Documenting and demonstrating compliance during USAID Agreement Officer Representative site visits
- Writing effective management responses to audit findings and corrective action plans
- Disallowed costs: negotiation, appeal processes, and repayment obligations
- Building a culture of continuous compliance improvement and lessons-learned integration
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least one year of experience working in an NGO, government agency, or development organisation that receives or administers donor-funded awards. Basic familiarity with project or programme management concepts is recommended. No prior legal or accounting qualification is required, as the course is designed for practitioners rather than specialists.
Training Methodology
- Regulatory interpretation workshops where participants read and annotate actual 2 CFR Part 200 sections and USAID Standard Provisions in small groups
- Case study analysis of real-world USAID award management scenarios — including disallowed cost situations, audit findings, and sub-award mismanagement cases — drawn from publicly available OIG reports
- Budget review exercises in which participants examine sample USAID budgets and budget narratives and identify compliance gaps and cost-allowability issues
- Role-play simulations of agreement officer negotiations, prior approval request submissions, and audit entrance and exit conferences
- Hands-on development of compliance checklists, sub-award monitoring templates, and internal control policy drafts tailored to participants' own organisations
- Peer learning discussions in which participants share experiences from their own award portfolios and receive structured feedback from the facilitator
- Daily reflection journals prompting participants to connect each day's regulatory content to their current award management challenges
- Take-home reference toolkit assembly — participants build a personalised compliance binder including key regulation summaries, decision trees, and contact escalation guides
Organisational Benefits
- Reduced risk of audit findings, disallowed costs, and award suspensions through organisation-wide regulatory literacy
- Stronger institutional capacity to compete for and manage larger, more complex USAID awards
- Improved quality and consistency of financial reporting, budget management, and sub-award oversight
- Greater confidence among programme and finance staff when engaging with USAID agreement officers and mission staff
- Enhanced internal control environments that meet both USAID and broader donor compliance expectations
- Reduced staff turnover risk by professionalising grants management roles and providing recognised training
- Better-documented policies and procedures aligned with 2 CFR Part 200 and USAID Standard Provisions
- Strengthened relationships with USAID missions through demonstrated commitment to compliance and transparency
Where Is USAID Rules & Regulations: Grants & Cooperative Agreements Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Abuja, Nairobi, Kigali, Naivasha, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Kisumu, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Riyadh, Mombasa, Nakuru, Cape Town, Kampala, Lagos, Zanzibar, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
24 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
+237 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a legal or accounting background to benefit from this course?
No. This course is designed for development practitioners — programme staff, grants managers, and finance officers — rather than lawyers or accountants. The facilitator translates regulatory language into practical, operational guidance that participants can apply immediately in their roles.
Which regulations and documents will the course cover?
The course focuses primarily on 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), USAID Standard Provisions for non-US and US NGOs, and USAID Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPDs). Reference materials will be provided in both print and digital formats for participants to keep.
Is this course relevant if my organisation manages USAID sub-awards rather than prime awards?
Absolutely. A significant portion of the course is dedicated to the sub-award management obligations of pass-through entities, and there is equally important content on the compliance responsibilities that sub-recipients carry. Both prime and sub-recipients will find direct, actionable value throughout the week.
Will participants receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend all five days and complete the course assessments will receive a Certificate of Completion from TrainingComplex, which can be used for professional development records and included in organisational capacity statements submitted to donors.
Can my organisation send a team to this course and receive a customised in-house version?
Yes. TrainingComplex offers tailored in-house delivery of this course for organisations that wish to train a team together, incorporate their own award documents as case study material, or focus on specific compliance challenges they are currently facing. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
