The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has streamlined its guidance on grants management, including administrative requirements, cost principles and audit requirements for federal awards. Among other things, the new rules reduce the burden on smaller nonprofits by increasing the threshold that triggers compliance audits currently performed under OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations (also known as single audits).
The federal threshold will jump to $750,000 from $500,000 — nonprofits will be required to undergo a single audit only if they spend $750,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year. Those that spend less are required only to make their records available for review or audit by the federal awarding agency, any pass-through agency and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The new rules are entitled, "Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements" and are effective for fiscal years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2015.