OIS Grant Resource Center

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General Grant-Related Policies

Records Management
Bard College follows the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principals, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards as described in the Code of Federal Regulations. Records of grants and sponsored projects are subject to the College's record management policy under which those records concerning Federal grants, contracts, and awards are subject to the minimum three-year retention requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 2, Part 200.333).

Bard's Lobbying Policy
Lobbying is defined by NYS as an attempt to influence (support, oppose, modify, delay, expedite, or affect) government decision-making, which includes: legislation, resolutions, executive orders, rules, regulations, rate-making proceedings, and governmental procurement actions.
NYS regulations cover lobbying activities at the New York state, county, city, and town levels.

Types of Lobbying
Direct Lobbying:

• Face-to-face meeting
• Telephone calls or texts
• Distribution of written materials
• Emails
• Social media interactions

Grassroots Lobbying:
Grassroots lobbying involves a communication (flyers, social media posts, public outreach efforts, etc.) that takes a clear position on a specific “government action” and urges the public or a segment of the public to contact (“call to action”) a public official in support of that position. Grassroots Lobbying is an attempt to influence public officials through their constituency, by motivating or enabling the public to contact their elected officials.

Member of a Coalition that Lobbies:
A group of otherwise unaffiliated entities or members who pool funds for the primary purpose of engaging in lobbying activities on behalf of the members of the coalition.
 
If Bard expects to incur more than $5,000 in lobbying expenses in a calendar year, Bard must file a report with the State. 

• If Bard lobbies for itself, it must file a report every two months.
• If Bard engages outside lobbying firms, it must file a report every 6 months

If you lobby in New York
To ensure proper and accurate reporting to NYS, the following information must be sent to:

If engaging an outside lobbyist or lobbying firm, the following information is required every six months (January-June and July-December):

• Name of lobbying entity or entities
• Cost of lobbying efforts for the past 6 months for each entity
• For who’s benefit is the lobbying effort undertaken

If engaged in in-house lobbying efforts, the following information is required every two months (January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October, and November-December):
For each lobbying effort (i.e., lobbying a single issue):

• The type of lobbying engaged in during the effort; i.e., Direct Lobbying, Grassroots Lobbying, or both.
• A detailed description of the bill/resolution/order (including the bill/resolution/order ID #) or procurement
• Names of all public officials contacted
• Names of all Bard employees who made contact with a public official or engaged publicly with a grassroots effort (i.e. a publicly identifiable person)
• The expenses incurred; e.g., pro-rated salary, business costs associated with the effort, transportation, etc.
• For who’s benefit is the lobbying effort undertaken

If engaged with a coalition that lobbies in NYS:
Name of the coalition(s)

• Is the coalition reporting its lobbying effort itself, or is it requiring its members to report?
• If the coalition requires the member to report, then the following information is required every two months:
  • A detailed description of the bill/resolution/order (including the bill/resolution/order ID #) or procurement action
  • Names of all Public Officials contacted
  • Expenses incurred; e.g.,  dues to the coalition; volunteer’s salary
  • For who’s benefit is the lobbying effort undertaken

The list of required information may change as the first few reports are filed. A prompt response is required-both to the initial report of activities and any subsequent requests for clarification and/or requests for additional information. Delays in filing these reports will cost Bard hundreds of dollars in fines.