What is the primary duty of a Certifying Officer in relation to grant funds?

• A. The Certifying Officer approves all expenditures and purchases for the grant.
• B. The Certifying Officer maintains property records.
• C. The Certifying Officer certifies that obligations, expenditures, and disbursements are proper, allowable, allocable, reasonable, and adequately supported by records.
• D. The Certifying Officer audits the subrecipient programs.

Answer: (C)

The essential duty is to certify that obligations, expenditures, and disbursements charged to the grant are proper, allowable, allocable, reasonable, and adequately supported by records. This certification acts as a critical control that allows federal funds to be drawn down and spent only when every transaction complies with the award terms and the cost principles. It means the Certifying Officer verifies that each cost is permitted under the grant, can be allocated to the project, is reasonable in amount, and is backed by proper documentation.

This role isn’t about approving every individual purchase in real time—that day-to-day spending is managed by the grantee within the award’s framework, and the Certifying Officer signs off to affirm compliance after the fact. It also isn’t about maintaining property records, which are the grantee’s responsibility for tracking grant-funded assets. Nor is it about auditing subrecipient programs; auditing is handled by auditors and oversight bodies. The certification function centers on ensuring fiscal integrity and adherence to cost principles before funds are drawn.