National Grants Management Association

Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS)

A lifecycle grants-management credential, pre-award through closeout, independent of which funder or program is involved. Complements the CDBG Administration course rather than duplicating it.

Why CGMS

The credential that isn't tied to one program

GCHS already runs CDBG and HOME funds, and that course covers those programs' specific rules in depth. CGMS credentials the broader skill: running a grant well, any grant, through pre-award, award, post-award, and closeout. It's the name a funder, auditor, or partner municipality recognizes regardless of which specific program's rulebook is in play, and it's issued by NGMA, the National Grants Management Association, with no membership required to sit the exam.

Status

All 10 lessons are live

Every lesson is sourced directly from NGMA's own published pages (the CGMS exam and eligibility pages, its certification maintenance page, and its Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct) and from the federal Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR 200, cited by section throughout. NGMA's Exam Blueprint (revised July 2025) weights the four content domains: Grant Guidance 23 percent (30 items), Grant Award 29 percent (38), Fiscal Management 25 percent (34) and Program Management 22 percent (28), of 130 scored items. How this course files each lesson under a domain is its own study aid.

Lessons