Beyond the Award Letter: Auditing Grant Management Risk in Higher Education
August 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
August 13 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
Federal and state grant funding brings valuable resources to colleges and universities along with significant, ongoing compliance obligations. The real risk doesn’t end when the award letter is signed; it lives in the day-to-day administration of the award.
This session moves internal auditors beyond the award notice to examine how grant funds are actually managed across the full award lifecycle from budget monitoring and effort reporting to subrecipient oversight, cost allowability, and closeout. Jen and Angie will share a practical, risk-based framework for scoping grant management audits, evaluating institutional controls, and keeping audit programs current with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements.
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to…
- Identify key risk areas across the grant lifecycle including cost allowability, time and effort reporting, and subrecipient monitoring that extend well beyond the initial award.
- Evaluate institutional internal controls over grant administration and recognize common control gaps specific to higher education environments.
- Apply a risk-based approach to scoping and planning grant management audits aligned with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements.
- Develop practical audit test steps and sampling strategies for grant compliance reviews.
- Recognize emerging risk trends and red flags in federal and state grant funding that warrant increased audit attention.
Delivery Method: Group Internet
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Advance Preparation: None
Prerequisites are required: No
Cost: $25 for non-members
Recommended CPEs: 1
Resources
Host Information
Jen Butler
Partner
EisnerAmper
Jennifer Butler is a Partner at EisnerAmper, where she leads Government Sector Services for the firm’s advisory practice. With more than 20 years in executive leadership, she brings deep expertise in federal grants management, disaster recovery, and higher education compliance. Jennifer previously held a leadership role at Louisiana State University, where she helped advance the mission of applied research and executive education in disaster management. For over 20 years, she has worked closely with applied research institutes and higher education institutions, managing grants and centers of excellence and serving as principal investigator on federally funded programs. Jennifer holds a BS in History from Oklahoma City University and an MS in Homeland Security Leadership from the University of Connecticut, along with a Master’s Certificate in Federal Grant Management. She is a frequent speaker on grants compliance and disaster recovery for higher education and government audiences.
Angie Brown
Senior Manager
EisnerAmper
Angie Brown is a Senior Manager at EisnerAmper and leads the Grants Management practice with more than 20 years of experience in grants management, sponsored programs, and regulatory compliance. During her career she led the Sponsored Programs Office at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, where she managed the lifecycle of externally funded research awards, including proposal development, post-award administration, financial oversight, sponsor reporting, and compliance with federal regulations. Today, Angie advises colleges and universities, healthcare organizations, state and local governments, and nonprofit organizations on Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), internal controls, subrecipient monitoring, risk assessments, indirect cost strategies, and grants management best practices. A frequent national presenter and trainer, she enjoys translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, actionable guidance that helps institutions strengthen stewardship of sponsored funds, reduce compliance risk, and improve operational effectiveness.