Gift Request Approval Site (GRAS)
Investment ID: 018-000000172
Overview
Program Title
Gift Request Approval Site (GRAS)
Agency
Description
The Gift Request Approval Site (GRAS) was developed to track and create a formal and centralized approval process for monetary and in-kind gifts received by the Department under Sec. 421 of the Department of Education Organization Act, 20 U.S.C. 3481.
Type of Program
Non-major IT Investments
Multi-Agency Category
Other
Investment Detail
To address H.R.1381 - Transparency in Government Act of 2015, the GRAS shared site was created to give requestors (ED employees), senior officers, those in the approval chain, and if requested the public access to documents, approvals, etc. of the solicitation and acceptance of non-appropriated funds (gifts funds), bequests, devises of property, both real and personal, or unconditional donations of services for the purposes of aiding or facilitating the work of the Department.
The site has cut down on man hours by automating the process in the shared site and allowing multiple reviews to happen concurrently. Having the process automated has allowed for reporting (previously not available) and maintaining historic data. It has also created structure and consistency of the gift funds acceptance process, which has led to more accountability and assurances of the ethical acceptance of gifts to the Department.
The site has cut down on man hours by automating the process in the shared site and allowing multiple reviews to happen concurrently. Having the process automated has allowed for reporting (previously not available) and maintaining historic data. It has also created structure and consistency of the gift funds acceptance process, which has led to more accountability and assurances of the ethical acceptance of gifts to the Department.