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Grant accountant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Richard Hale,

Dr. Jennifer Thayer

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical grant accountant skills. We ranked the top skills for grant accountants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.6% of grant accountant resumes contained reconciliations as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a grant accountant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 grant accountant skills for your resume and career

1. Reconciliations

Here's how grant accountants use reconciliations:

Maintained State & Federal Quarterly Reports of Expenditures and Revenue and calculated all reconciliations.
Prepared journal entries and performed account reconciliations in conjunction with monthly closing procedures.

2. Grants Management

Here's how grant accountants use grants management:

Prepared and issued accurate and timely quarterly reports using the Grants Management Information System.
Trained other hospital research departments in Lawson Grants Management System.

3. GAAP

Here's how grant accountants use gaap:

Served as principal financial resource and contact for subcontractors to ensure fiscal compliance of GAAP and OMB circulars.
Prepared monthly, quarterly, and yearly closeout financial reports per GAAP, state, and county guidelines.

4. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how grant accountants use payroll:

Managed all daily and biweekly payroll processes in accordance within established deadlines.
Facilitated resolution of payroll issues for approximately 35 faculty and staff.

5. Financial Analysis

Here's how grant accountants use financial analysis:

Reported on financial analysis, project status, and funding availability.
Conduct financial analysis of variances and report to management.

6. Expenditure Reports

Here's how grant accountants use expenditure reports:

Prepare or assist in the preparation of audit grant expenditure reports for each program and grant files for submission to auditors.
Reviewed expenditure reports and invoices for PHS, MDOE, MDOP and MDCJ; and reviewed all NSF closeouts.

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7. Federal Regulations

Federal regulations refer to the set of rules, both general and permanent that are published in the Federal Register by the agencies of the federal government and the executive departments. Federal regulations are the large body of rules that govern federal practice. Examples of these laws include taxes and financial regulation, discrimination law, wages law, and so on.

Here's how grant accountants use federal regulations:

Monitored compliance with applicable federal regulations grants agreement, proposal budgets, and modification on an ongoing basis.
Educated and trained principal investigators and administrators on federal regulations.

8. Financial Data

Here's how grant accountants use financial data:

Maintained financial databases and ensuring accurate and appropriate recording and analysis of revenues and expenses.
Analyze budget or financial data and make recommendations to Community Development Social Services Division.

9. Financial Management

Here's how grant accountants use financial management:

Identify problem areas and inconsistencies in existing accounting systems, accounting methods, and financial management policies and procedures.
Monitor compliance of established policies and procedures in relation to financial management and for ensuring effectiveness of internal control.

10. OMB

Here's how grant accountants use omb:

Developed and implemented internal control policy to ensure compliance with federal grant processing requirements as defined in OMB Circular A-133.
Maintained expertise with the OMB circulars and other regulatory publications

11. General Ledger Accounts

A general ledger account is a practice to keep a record of a company's total financial accounts. The accounts included in a general ledger lists the assets, liabilities, owners' equity, expenses, and income or revenue. It forms the basis of reporting a business's financial statements.

Here's how grant accountants use general ledger accounts:

Monitor general ledger accounts to assure accuracy of monthly activity.
Maintained all general ledger accounts/funds for capital projects.

12. Principal Investigators

A principal investigator is an individual who's responsible for preparing, conducting, and overseeing a sponsored project, research grant, training, contract,or any project in line with the regulations and instituted laws guiding the conduct of a sponsored research. It majorly applies to research projects, and the PI or principal investigator ensures everything is fully supervised to align with the laws of a sponsored research project.

Here's how grant accountants use principal investigators:

Provided analysis and support to principal investigators and administrative staff managing federal and non-federal awards.
Reduced time taken to deliver monthly reports to principal investigators by utilizing pivot table functions.

13. Financial Transactions

The type of agreement held between two parties (buyer and seller) regarding an exchange of funds for an asset, is termed as a financial transaction. The financial transaction is the exchange of products, services, cash or credit, information, and other things of value among two separate entities for a common goal.

Here's how grant accountants use financial transactions:

Recorded all journal & recurring entries / financial transactions associated with grants & contract billings.
Maintained complete and systematic records of all financial transactions for the Head Start grant.

14. Financial Systems

A financial system is an organized pathway for the exchange of funds in a financial market. It covers all aspects of funds sale, including loans, investments, and lending.

Here's how grant accountants use financial systems:

Provided technical assistance to subcontractors regarding financial systems, audit requirements and related regulatory issues.
Implemented efficient and effective delivery of a human service programs operation and financial systems.

15. Provide Technical Assistance

Here's how grant accountants use provide technical assistance:

Provide technical assistance to principle investigators and fiscal administrators.

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What skills help Grant Accountants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on grant accountant resumes?

Dr. Richard Hale

Associate Professor of Accounting, Berea College

When we meet with practitioners, the most commonly requested skills are:
-The ability to think critically about situations
-Good communications skills in writing
-The ability to speak in public and present ideas
-Working well with others
-The ability to work independently

Notice that these skills are not dependent upon any particular technology or discipline.
An advantage we have at Berea College, a liberal arts college, is that we incorporate these foundational skills into all we do.
Indeed, we also have our students master working with spreadsheets, develop skills in data analytics, and study all aspects of the business from Management, Economics, Finance, and Marketing.
As accounting is the business language, our students have more excellent business knowledge than other studies.

A key distinction for Berea College students is that all students must work for the college while they attend.
These jobs may vary from raising livestock to working in Accounts Payable. But all Berea graduates have years of practical work experience.
A core component of a Berea College education is to value the labor experience. We believe they enter the post-collegiate workforce with a significant advantage over their peers.

What soft skills should all grant accountants possess?

Dr. Jennifer Thayer

Assistant Professor of Accounting, Socrates Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipient, Clarksville Chamber of Commerce APSU Distinguished Faculty Award for Community Service Recipient, Accounting Society at Austin Peay Advisor, Austin Peay State University

From speaking with employers in the industry, the number one soft skill seems to be written and spoken communication. Many current students need to hone their written communication skills to avoid "text speak" when communicating with potential employers and/or clients. Other important soft skills include problem-solving, collaboration, adaptability, and willingness to deal with failure and/or criticism. Especially in the world of COVID and ever-changing work environments, the importance of adaptability and problem-solving have only been highlighted. Since most work environments involve people working in teams, effectively collaborating with others and accepting criticism are vital skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for grant accountants?

Dr. Jennifer Thayer

In addition to general accounting knowledge, critical thinking, data analytics, and advanced Microsoft Excel abilities are some of the most important skills. Clearly, having a solid foundation in general accounting knowledge is necessary to be a candidate for a job in the accounting field. However, possessing the ability to critically think and analyze data and use Microsoft Excel beyond the basics, such as pivot tables, will only improve a candidate's chances.

What grant accountant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Stephen Moehrle Ph.D.

Professor and Chairman of Accounting, University of Missouri - St. Louis

In the spirit of continuing education I would recommend the following: First and foremost, successfully complete the cpa exam. This is a huge difference-maker in the marketplace. If the young professional has already accomplished that, I would consider developing expertise consistent with their long-term career goals. Potential areas of expertise include data analytics, information systems controls and security, taxation, SEC reporting, or management accounting. There are certificate programs in each of these skills at universities across the country. The internet is also replete with free or relatively inexpensive materials for self-starters.

What type of skills will young grant accountants need?

Delvin Grant

Associate Professor, DePaul University

The ability to problem solve, which requires an understanding of the problem and a structured approach towards the solution. The ability to apply concepts learned in one discipline to another. Quite often, students are unable to see how a concept translates from one domain to another, and this stifles innovation.

Do you want to know more?

List of grant accountant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a grant accountant resume and required skills for a grant accountant to have include:

Reconciliations
Grants Management
GAAP
Payroll
Financial Analysis
Expenditure Reports
Federal Regulations
Financial Data
Financial Management
OMB
General Ledger Accounts
Principal Investigators
Financial Transactions
Financial Systems
Provide Technical Assistance
Financial Reports
External Auditors

Internal Controls
Grant Administration
Cash Management
Technical Assistance
Balance Sheet
Budget Preparation
Budget Modifications
Government Regulations
Fiscal Management
Calculation
Single Audit
Accruals
A-133 Audit
Federal Government
NIH
Post-Award Functions
Expense Reports

Cash Flow
Program Directors
Ledgers
PeopleSoft
Cost Analysis
Budget Analysis
QuickBooks
Account Analysis
Variance Analysis
Sefa
Bank Reconciliations
Fixed Assets
Cash Receipts
Budget Transfers
Cash Flow Analysis

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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