Self-help housing resources
Free financial tools and trainings for grantee fiscal staff
Welcome to the Self-Help Financial Tool Kit! We hope that you will find these resources useful in your daily financial management responsibilities. If you have any questions or issues with content, please contact RCAC’s main office at (916) 447-2854 and request Samantha Bowley, Financial Management Specialist.
Uniform Guidance Hide & Seek
Each month we will pose a compliance question. See if you can find the answer in the eCFR200.
- SEPTEMBER – What is a cognizant agency and what do you negotiate with them?
- AUGUST – Are “pre-award” costs allowable? Click here to see the answer
Video Highlight
Upcoming trainings
There are no trainings at this time. Please check back later or view our Training Calendar.
Tools & Resources
The A-Team
The A-team is a monthly gathering of the region’s Self-Help fiscal professionals to network and to share questions and answers, struggles and solutions, and events and happenings in the world of Self-Help financial management.
Click here to access meeting notes from July 13, 2023
Click here to access meeting notes from May 24, 2023
Click here to access meeting notes from March 29, 2023
Click here to access meeting notes from Dec. 7, 2022
Click here to access meeting notes from Oct. 27, 2022
Mutual Self-Help Orientation
An overview of the Mutual Self-Help Program. What is is, how it works and the relationships between USDA RD, RCAC and you, the grantee. Live orientation sessions are offered quarterly (see Upcoming Trainings above)
1-1 – New Staff Resources | 1-2 – New Staff Orientation PowerPoint slides
Uniform Guidance
Compliance, What You Need to Know
Next UG session: Please check back later for upcoming trainings.
eCFR200 – Uniform Administration Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
2-1 – Uniform Guidance Table of Contents Reference
2-2 – Ready, Set, Action Plan handout
2-3 – UG Day 1 PowerPoint slides (8/23/2022)
2-4 – UG Day 2 PowerPoint slides (8/25/2022)
2-5 – Action Plan answers
2-6 – Rules and Regulations (Sing Along Video)
Indirect
Indirect is a challenging component of financial grant management.
Learn all about the mysteries of applying indirect (both provisional and final), reporting requirements and monitoring your percentage rate.
Indirect Training PowerPoint slides | Indirect Cost Allocation Spreadsheet Tool
ICR Sample Documents from a DOI ICR Calculation submission:
3-1 – Sample nonprofit proposal checklist
3-2 – Sample cover letter (Part I: Narrative and certificates)
3-3 – Sample excel file (Part II: Cost schedules)
ARTICLE: Cost Allocation & Applying Indirect – Judy Monteux (2018)
Bookkeeping 101
Accounting For Success | Setting Up Your 523 & 502 Books (see Upcoming trainings above).
Set up your Chart of Accounts, generate accurate reports in both 523 technical grant management and the 502 custodial account books for family builder’s loan funds. The platform used is Quickbooks, but concepts will apply to any financial software.
MSH Custodial Accounts & Supervised Bank Accounts
The guidebooks for custodial and supervised bank accounts is here!
Discover all the how-to’s of responsible financial management of the family loan funds.
Webinar: 5 Days of 502 (Day 3): Custodial Accounting | Click here to view the recording on Vimeo
8-1 – Custodial SBA Loan Account Guidebook (7/13/2022) | 8-2 – Custodial SBA Accounts PowerPoint slides (7/27/2022)
8-3 – Sample Lot 15 BTA | 8-4 – Sample Draw Request Form | 8-5 – Sample Back Up | 8-6 – Sample Reconciliation Sheet
Financial Policies & Procedures
Your financial policies and procedures are an essential component of your financial management system. Ensure that all the processes, responsible parties and clear practices are recorded, trained to and actively monitored and updated.
Self-Help Trainings & Webinars
eForms Training
eForms Training for Self Help Grantees
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
5 Days of 502 for Self-Help
January 30 – February 3, 2023
Day 1: Income Calculations and Assets
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
Day 2: Credit and Other Requirements
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
Day 3: 502 Custodial Bill Paying presented by Samantha Bowley
View webinar recording | No handouts on Day 3
Day 4: Repayment Ability and Property
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
Day 5: Application Submission through Loan Conversion
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
SHARES System Trainings
SHARES Basics: Access and Main Page
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
SHARES Basics: Grant Module (File)
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
SHARES Basics: Borrower Module (File)
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
SHARES Basics: Quarterly Reporting
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
SHARES Basics: Entity Module
View webinar recording | Download participant handout
RD regulations and guidance forms
The most up to date forms and/or regulations for both 523 Grants and 502 Loans can be found within the following areas. These forms and regulations are updated regularly, and it is important to ensure you are always using the most up to date form.
Forms
523 Application Forms
SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance
Form RD 400-4 – Assurance Agreement
Form RD 1940-1 – Request for Obligation of Funds
Form HUD-935.2B – Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
RD 2006-38 – Civil Rights Analysis
Form RD 400-8 – Compliance Review
523 Post Award Forms
Form RD 1924-25 – Plan Certification
Form RD 1924-2 – Description of Materials
SF-270 – Request for Advance or Reimbursement
SF-425 – Federal Financial Report
502 Forms & Resources
502 specific forms can be found within the eForms system. To gain access to eForms you must have an eAuth login and have verified your identity. For eAuth access, go to https://www.eauth.usda.gov/ and click on Create Account. Follow the screen prompts to create an account and proceed through the Verification of Identity phase. You must verify your identity to gain or request full access to many government systems including eForms and SHARES.
eForms Login: https://myforms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eForms/welcomeAction.do?Home
For additional resources including training materials, upcoming loan packaging trainings and regulations go to Direct Loan Application Packagers | Rural Development (usda.gov).
523 Grant Regulations
1944-I Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants Instructions
eCFR Title 7/Subtitle B/Chapter XVIII/Subchapter H/Part 1944
502 Direct Loan Regulations
Handbook-1-3550 & the Worksheet for Computing Income & Max Loan Calculator can be found at Direct Loan Application Packagers | Rural Development (usda.gov)
1924-A Planning and Performing Construction and Other Development
Administrative Notices
Unnumbered Letters
Procedure Notices
SHARES (Self-Help Automated Reporting and Evaluation System)
For access to the SHARES system, please click here and follow the instructions provided.
SH housing training guides
Orientation Handbook – April 2023 v2
Accounting for Individual Borrower 502 Loan Accounts Handbook – 2020
Acquisition and Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Handbook – April 2023 v3
Board of Directors Governance Guide – 2023
Construction Supervisors Handbook – August 2023 v3
Financial Management Handbook for Federally Funded Organizations – 2019
Group Coordinator Handbook – Feb 2019 v3
Membership Agreement Handbook – 2023
Application PowerPoint Slides – 2023
Pre-construction Meeting Handbook – 2020
Program Director Handbook – April 2022 v3
Section 523 Technical Assistance Grant Application Handbook – April 2023 v3